A DEBATE ABOUT HER BETROTHED

"It is nothing. Let's eat so you girls can leave. Mark will drive you all." I state, opting to change the subject, but my bad!


They just know how to mess with my brain.

"Why don't you invite him over for breakfast?" Grace says, and they all nod their heads with mischievous grins.

Okay. They are not going to ruin my already gloomy morning, will they? "Who?" I play dumb again, but my heart leaps at the notion of having breakfast with him.


"The one and only Prince Charming is tickling you. It is obvious, so don't even try to deny it!" Grace again.

"And he deserves a treat after all that he has done for you, Ellie! Don't be an ungrateful brat!" Sherry chips in enthusiastically.


Brat? That is harsh! When was I ever a brat?

"Sure. And breakfast isn't even enough. That guy needs a really special treat. Perhaps a retreat, even just for two days." Rose is the romance queen.

Retreat, huh! Do we even have time for love right now? The guy is striving to balance his schedule for managing two great companies, excluding his gym and his responsibilities to me. Oh, did I mention that he still has yet to decide on running his father's side business? Hopefully, he won't lose his mind over all this because, heck! How on fuck can he manage all that?

The poor guy might be drowning in responsibilities. But honestly, I feel sorry for him. It is not easy at all to carry all those burdens, and it's all for me. I want to help him. If only they were away.

"Seriously, Ellie? Is this so hard that you have to think about it for so long?" Rose asks again, snapping me back from wonderland.

Huh! They should go easy on me. I am having it really hard here, you know. Eyes roll! "No, no. It's not like that." I defend myself.

"It is not? Then why are you zoning out on us again?" Sherry backs Rose.

"You won't understand, guys," I mumble.

"Then make us understand. What's difficult in you calling Damian up for a simple breakfast?" Grace speaks.

I guess there really is no way of deterring their questions, huh? "It's... Things have gotten pretty awkward between us since I discovered his real identity." I speak with a faint tone, and a long moment of silence falls between us.

"What is awkward, Ellie, is you being so in love yet you are rebutting that fact," I narrow my eyes as Rose speaks, as if she has a boyfriend. What does she know about love and relationships? 'What is awkward is that Damian has proven his love for you as your stranger, as your fiance, and even now as your betrothed, yet you can't show even a little bit of appreciation for him. Only an angel kind of man would do that for love, Ellie. Such men do not exist nowadays, my friend. You tossing away such a rare gem. I wish you understood that before it is too late."

Okay! That is deep. Why does she have to scare me like that? He hurt me. I was hurt. I am just trying to heal from the heartaches he caused me and all that has happened. And I never said I wanted him gone from my life.

'Say something, Ellie!" Sherry startles me.

I shake my head. I know they won't leave. Ever since they came here, they have forgotten that I am their best friend and not this Damian. The tables have really changed. "I appreciate what Damian has and what he is still doing for me. Believe me, I do. But you guys have to understand where I am coming from. He is a combo of two different identities, and I am finding it difficult to know which one to choose. Don't forget his betrayal too." I explain.

"It is simple, Ellie. He is the same Damian Almeda you fell in love with, period! Stop complicating things. And about his betrayal, I am sorry, but I understand where the guy is coming from. You always spoke of your betrothed with so much resentment that it made everybody want to hate him too. Can you really blame him?" Sherry queries.

"Besides, Ellie, you both were victims of this whole thing. I told you that that night last night we were together before you eloped, remember?" Rose again.

Well, I remember them talking me into going through with my engagement party that night. But fate had other plans—or was it the devil?

"And you know, your story is such a sweet tangle. Your parents hooked you up together, and you both loathed that idea and did everything to break that entanglement, but eventually, in the most beautiful way, fate aligned you together as strangers and gave you a chance to know each other and fall in love before knowing that you were indeed betrothed to each other. If I were to choose, I would choose this kind of sweet love story. This will go down in history, you know. It sounds more like a fairytale." The crazy Grace.

I wonder why she hasn't talked of that boyfriend of hers for those days she has been with us. It is weird because I remember how horny she turned, even at the mere thought of him.

Well, what if this is indeed fate? What if I am wasting my second and only chance to be happy?

"And, where are you going?" I didn't know I was on my feet until Grace spoke.

"To get my phone." I chirp.

"Ooh! So, do we have a wedding to plan?" Sherry asks.

Eyes roll! Annoying, sweet fools!

"No. I am just being nice and returning the favor. The rest can follow slowly if this really is fate," I grin. That thought has a different nerve; I am still gritting from envisioning my life with him again.

"Don't say we didn't warn you when a sharp bitch snatches him under your watch while you are still deciding whether to take him back!" Grace says.

Ouch! That hurts like hell!