Separate Weddings, Separate Lives novel Chapter 57

Louisa didn't have many Facebook friends. The only person she chatted with had caused her a huge misunderstanding.

She stared blankly at the message.

Just then, another notification popped up. "Are you here?"

Louisa's eyelids twitched. So, he was here, too? Could it really be such a coincidence?

They had kept in touch online for years but had never met in person. He had once suggested meeting up, but Louisa had refused, and he had never brought it up again.

That was why their online friendship had lasted—he understood boundaries. He knew how to avoid making her feel awkward, and he never crossed the line.

Then, a third message appeared. "I'm in Sadena, too. I'm quite close to you, actually. So, do you want to meet up?"

He asked cautiously, but Louisa's answer remained no. She hadn't met him before, and there was no reason to change that now.

These past couple of days had made her realize she probably shouldn't continue talking to him, either. The recent misunderstanding had reminded her how different online was from reality.

Her fingers hovered over the chat box as she began typing. "From now on, I—"

"I was wondering why you hadn't gone back. It seems you've been sneaking around behind my back."

Elijah's voice suddenly came from behind, making Louisa jump and almost drop her phone.

When had he gotten here? Why hadn't she heard a thing?

Louisa clutched her phone, her heart pounding as she spun around to face him. Thank God for her sunglasses. Without them, the guilt written all over her face would have been plain as day.

Although Louisa hadn't done anything wrong, she felt like an adulteress caught in the act.

"Did you walk here?" Louisa asked. There was no sign of his car behind him.

"If I'm not taking you, isn't your love rival going to?" Elijah replied.

She felt a chill run down her spine. How did he know everything? Had he planted a bug on her? She glanced down at the outfit which Elijah had prepared for her.

"I'm not that pathetic," he said, reading her mind yet again.

Louisa looked at Elijah fearfully.

Just then, he hooked her waist and reeled her into his chest. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I'm scared of getting hurt, honey."

His voice sounded vulnerable, as if she had truly hurt him. Unable to fathom how Elijah switched his emotions so effortlessly, Lousia froze.

When he finally let her go, his arm brushed over her hand, which still held the phone.