Chapter 60 Making The First Move
A Month Later:
Skylar read the chat messages her friends had been sending since morning. After Christian left abruptly, without informing her, she had been depressed for days. She waited for his call every day, refusing to forgive him. How could he leave her behind? The wish to call him up and blast him was intense, yet she didn’t give in. If she would have been at fault, she would have called him, but this time, it wasn’t her fault. It was Christian who left her!
With nothing to do, she took up a job in a travel agency nearby. The pay wasn’t much, but at least she could keep herself occupied. It was a small set-up at a walking distance from the house with only ten employees. The proximity of the place was the sole reason her family agreed to her going out. Sebastian had completely recovered and his wedding was fixed after a fortnight later. Desmond Steele wasn’t arrested yet, but they couldn’t wait any longer.
A month had gone by, yet Christian didn’t remember her even once. He kept in touch with everyone else but Skylar. It broke her heart, and she wept at night into her pillow. Why did she feel so heartbroken by his behavior? She had no answers to that question.
A couple of message alerts on her mobile phone got her attention.
I’ll video call after lunch. This is urgent!–Sienna.
Where are you all? Eva and I are here in my apartment.–Alyssa.
I’m at Preston Island across the St Lawrence River from Alexandria Bay.–Sienna.
What are you doing there?–Hayley.
Lucas and I are getting married this Sunday, girls. You all have to attend my wedding. We’ll talk later.–Sienna.
Skylar smiled, excited at the prospect of meeting her friends. She hadn’t met them for ages! Suddenly, she remembered Christian’s promise to accompany her to Sienna’s wedding. She would just message him and leave for New York.
Hope you are doing fine without me! I’m going to New York this weekend to attend Sienna’s wedding. I’m not expecting anything from you. This is just to inform you. Not that you care much, though.–Skylar.
Her phone beeped a second later, and she checked to see his reply.
You’re right. I’m quite happy without you, just like you are. I’ll come down to Cleveland this Thursday. We can attend Sienna’s wedding together as a couple.–Christian.
Skylar scoffed at his message as anger coursed through her body. How could he be fine without her when she was missing him so much?
No need! We aren’t a couple. Anyway, I’ll leave on Thursday.–Skylar.
We’ll go together on Friday. No more arguments.–Christian.
His message made her blood boil. After staying away for a month, how could he call themselves a couple?
It was her lunch break at work when Sienna video-called them. Skylar smiled at seeing her friends. Their smiling faces made her feel happy for the first time in months.
Eva and Alyssa were together at Alyssa's apartment, and they agreed to come over by Thursday.
“I can come over right away,” said Alyssa. Eva pushed her away.
“No, we’ll go on Thursday. I have to have my leave application sanctioned at the hospital first,” said Eva when Alexander stormed up behind them.
“What’s going on?” he asked them.
“No, don’t tell him!” screamed Alyssa, but Eva had already blurted out their plans.
“What? You guys are going over to attend Donnelly’s wedding? Alyssa, are you out of your mind?” he yelled angrily.
“Bro, Sienna is marrying Lucas. We have to be there for her. Why are you being so childish?” asked Alyssa. Everyone glared at him while Alex turned towards the camera.
“I’m not letting these two go alone. I’ll be there as well,” he said in a displeased tone and walked away, leaving them gaping.
“What was that? Why doesn’t he want you to attend my wedding?” asked a bewildered Sienna.
“He's just being immature. He used to study at the same school as Lucas and his brothers. They were enemies back then,” said Alyssa.
“So? Are you guys coming or not? I don’t want Alex to come here and fight, please!” said a worried Sienna.
“We won’t take him along. We’ll sneak out tomorrow without telling him the address,” said Alyssa with a giggle.
“Are you sure?” asked Sienna, feeling alarmed already at their plans.
“Chill! I’m used to his ways. He’ll calm down after a few days. It’s not me who’s marrying into the Donnelly family, after all!” said Alyssa with an eye roll. They all laughed. Hayley would arrive by Thursday evening. She made a list of things that Sienna would need for her wedding.
“I’ll get these with me on Thursday. Okay? Anything else?” asked Hayley.
“No, that would be all. Who’s getting my bridal bouquet?” asked Sienna.
“I can. Give me your specifications. By the way, we’ll wear turquoise bridesmaid dresses, girls. Agreed?” asked Eva.
“Great! We’ll look like mermaids,” said Skylar. “I’ll come with Christian on Friday. He won’t let me out of sight. I’m his prisoner, you see,” said Skylar with an eye roll.
“Is he hot?” asked Alyssa with an eye roll. Skylar stuck out her tongue at her. As if they hadn’t seen him four years ago!
“Drooling hot!” said Hayley with a laugh.
“You’re welcome to swap places with me,” said Skylar with a laugh.
“No, thank you,” said Hayley. They all laughed and discussed the wedding more, planning more.
“Do you have enough dresses? We’ll be organizing a bridal shower party as well on Friday,” said Alyssa.
“No, get me as many as you can. Lucas whisked me away here without letting me pack for myself. Now with this pregnancy, all I’m doing is eating all day. There aren’t any malls here anyway,” said Sienna.
“It’s quite normal, Sien. Relax. Do you have a wedding dress?” asked Hayley.
“Yeah, Lucas bought me one,” said Sienna.
“That’s great,” said Eva. They talked more and finally, Sienna disconnected the call.
Skylar couldn’t erase the excited smile from her face the rest of the day. Would Christian come two days later, as he had promised?
Christian read her message over and over as a goofy smile lightened up his face. A million violins played in his head and he closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. This was what he had been waiting for the entire month. He wanted her to make a move. For a month, he had been traveling around the world, refusing to go home until she missed him. His heart ached to see her, yet he didn’t give in to the temptation. He called Lillian regularly for an update. He knew she was hurting, but he waited for her to confess it.
The message was her first move. It was proof enough that she was missing him, else she would have left for New York without informing him. Maybe she wanted him to accompany her!
“I’m coming to get you, Skylar. This time, I’ll make you admit you missed me. Then I’ll marry you forcefully. Yes, I’ll have a contract marriage with you unless you beg me to do otherwise!”
Christian couldn’t wait to return to Cleveland. He wrapped up his work as quickly as he could. He wouldn’t wait until Thursday! By evening, he was on his private jet, all set to return to his only love! He didn’t inform a soul about his change of plans. It would be fun to see Skylar’s reaction when he arrived unannounced. He wanted to see the genuine reaction to her features!
The next day, it was seven o’clock in the morning when he stood on Caleb’s doorstep and rang the doorbell. The door immediately opened and Caleb peered out.
“Hey, man! Weren’t you supposed to return on Thursday?” he exclaimed, much to Christian’s horror.
“Shh! Can you keep it low? I want to surprise Skylar!” he whispered, and Caleb grinned at him.
“Oh, right! Go right in. She’s getting ready to go to work.”
Christian smiled, relieved that she hadn’t left yet. The others gave him surprised looks, but Caleb hushed them up. “Shush, all of you! He wants to surprise Skylar first!” he whispered. Christian colored a little and stealthily headed towards his room.
“Here! Take the spare set of keys. How else will you go in?” said Lillian, tossing the keys to him.
“Thanks. You’re a lifesaver!” he said, catching them and going up to the door. He could hear her shuffling inside, unaware of his arrival. Excitement coursed through his body as he thought of ways she would welcome him back. Would she yell at him? No, maybe she would argue with him! She could also show her indifference towards him! What if she didn’t show any reaction at all?
With a thousand questions flitting across his mind, he unlocked the door slowly and pushed it open. His eyes scanned the room for his fiancée, but she wasn’t there. He could hear her in the en-suite. Well, he could wait! Closing the door, he locked it and sat on the bed opposite the en-suite, waiting for her to emerge.
The door clicked open, and Christian’s heart skipped a beat!