Just Before My Wedding: Trapped By My Ruthless Boss novel Chapter 132

Chapter 132

KISAREL

The car came to a stop in front of Elgin’s house.

I stepped out and walked to the door with that bittersweet smile still plastered on my face as I knocked.

The door swung open, and Elgin stood there in his silk robe with his hair still wet from a shower, and one eyebrow raised so high it nearly disappeared into his hairline.

“Well, well, well.” He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “The prodigal best friend returns. And look at that smile.” He clicked his tongue. “So this is what sin looks like after three business days.**

“Elgin.” I rolled my eyes. “The moment I saw you, I knew you’ve been waiting all morning to judge me professionally.”

“No, please.” He stepped aside and let me in. “Come in. Bring the glow. My house could use some lighting”

I walked past him, pressing my lips together because the stupid smile wouldn’t leave.

He closed the door and followed me into the living room. “I was worried, you know.”

“I texted you.”

“You texted me once a day like a hostage allowed supervised phone privileges.” He pointed at my face. “And now you arrive smiling like you have personally discovered electricity. Forgive me for using my brain.”

I dropped my bag on the couch and turned to him. “I’m not smiling.”

He stared at me and laughed.

“Chérie, your mouth is one bad memory away from singing/

That finally pulled a small embarrassed laugh out of me. I covered my face with both hands, but that only made him worse.

“No, no, don’t hide it now. I suffered through three days of imagining Mr. Stark bending you over every piece of furniture in that apartment. I deserve compensation in the form of details. Every. Single. One. And don’t you dare spare my delicate sensibilities. I want the filth. I want the scandal. I want to know if he has chains hidden somewhere because that man absolutely looks like he owns chains. Tell me. Don’t be cruel.”

“Elgin!”

“What? You disappeared with the most emotionally constipated billionaire in this city. I had questions. Natural questions.”

1 sank onto the couch, still laughing despite myself. “You’re disgusting.”

“I am curious. There’s a difference.” He sat forward with his elbows on his knees, and his eyes bright with the kind of curiosity that had no boundaries.

Elgin was the only person who knew where I had been. The only person I trusted with the truth.

“It was..” I searched for the word. “Everything. And nothing. I don’t know. It was just… him. And me. And the rest of the world didn’t exist.”

Elgin’s expression softened. “That sounds dangerous, chérie.”

frappe tot God forbid you travel like a normal citizen.” He stood and motioned toward the kitchen. “Come Ind

Reak coffer. Nor whatever romantic poison he has been feeding you

follement him into the kitchen, laughing under my breath.

(ete minutes, it was easy. Elgin poured coffee, complained about the brand I liked, asked whether I had at least nherent to drink water, then made a face when I told him Oceans had ordered food twice a day.

Then my phone lit up on the counter.

The name flashed bright on the screen, and the atmosphere changed before I touched the phone.

Rigin hart seen it, and his smile disappeared.

“Tr’s just Nessa” I said, picking up the phone.

“Yes” he said flatly. “I can read.”

She’s probably checking on me.” My thumb hovered over the ‘answer‘ button.

Of course Saint Nessa of Convenient Timing.*

I sighed You’re doing it again.”

“Good. Then my personality is intact,” he rolled his eyes.

Pigin the’s been helpful”

So is a knife when you need to cut fruit. I still don’t sleep with it under toy pillow.” He replied, taking a sip of his coffee

“Plan

My position has not changed, Arel.” He dropped his cup of coffee on the counter. “I don’t like her. I have never Bvery instinct I own stands up and screams when that woman’s name appears on your screen.”

Jesus. El she’s been nothing but good to me.” I heard my own voice climb and tried to bring it down. She broug She came to the hospital. She listens to me. She’s helping me with-

“Helping you with what?”

I should have stopped there. I knew so well I should have.

helping me look into what happened to Gerald.”

resta face me fully, and his volee sounded lower than I hart ever one hrane pighing

“What did your just

My fingers tightened around the phone. “Elgin

“What,” he said again, a bit slower, “did you just say. Kisare]?”

He never called me Kisarel. It was always Arel, or Chérie, or some affectionate thing. The sound of my full mouth made my stomach drop.

I swallowed. “I told her about Gerald”

I watched the exact moment his countenance dropped.

“You told her about my grandfather.” The hurt on his face made my heart sk

“Stop” He held up a hand. His jaw was trembling. “Stop talking. You told her. You told that woman about Grand–peer a how he died. About the number, the night, all of it.”

“That was not yours to give!” It cracked out of him uncharacteristically loud. He pressed the heel of his hand to his foreheart and turned away from me, breathing hard. “That was my grandfather. My family. My grief. And you handed it to a stranger I have begged you – begged you not to trust, like it was gossip to trade for her friendship.”

“It wasn’t gossip.” My voice rose. “She showed me footage. She’s been helping me find who hurt me.”

The free fear slid down my face.

“I am scared.” I continued. “Every time I step outside, every time someone calls me, every time a car slows down near me. 1 wonder if this is it. If this is the next attempt. So yes, when someone offers to help me and a thread, I take it.”

“Elgin, please-”

“Tell her, Arel.”

“I can’t promise that.”

His brows narrowed, like he hadn’t expected that firm refusal from me.

“If Gerald’s death is connected to the person trying to hurt me, I can’t just drop it because you don’t trust Nessa,” I added.

“It is my grandfather.” He pointed a finger to his chest.

“And it is my

life.”

He looked at me for a long, long moment.

And what was left in his face wasn’t anger anymore. It was pure hurt.

The silence that settled around us made it crystal clear that we were standing on a line neither of us had wanted to draw.

Elgin’s mouth trembled slightly before he pressed it flat. “So that’s it…” he said softly. “Your life…”

“That’s not what I-”

“It’s exactly what you said.” He shook his head slowly, and a tear finally slipped down. He didn’t wipe it off.

“Elgin-” I reached for him, but he stepped back.

That small movement hurt more than anything.

“I think,” he said, and his voice was terribly even now, the theatrical music all drained out of it until he just sounded tired. T think we need a break. You and I.”

The kitchen tilted as my stomach dropped to the floor.

“You don’t mean that.”

“I do.” He swallowed. “I love you. You know I love you. That’s exactly why I can’t stand by and watch you choose her over me.

He moved toward the doorway. “I need some space, Chérie.” The endearment slipped out and seemed to wound him worse than me.

He walked out of the kitchen without looking back.

I stood there, completely confused as to how things spiraled this quickly.

And for the first time in three days, I wasn’t smiling.

I’d spent seventy–two hours terrified of losing Oceans someday.

I hadn’t once thought about losing Elgin.

And I’d just lost him in under ten minutes.