The CEO’ s second choice novel Chapter 51

　　Elena

　　I scan the horizon and let out a miserable sigh. How did it come to this? I went from being the happiest woman in the world to the most depressed all within the space of an hour. Sebastian and Isla wrapped up in one another’s arms a sight I never thought I would see. What happened that he needed to seek refuge in her arms? Was I not a good wife? Did I not treat him well? Did the money and power eventually go to his head?

　　Well, I could wonder about it until I was blue in the face, and still not come up with a viable answer. Tears still did not come as I ran my hand over my belly. I was about to tell him the news that I was pregnant with his child, a child Mirabelle begged me for and instead, I ran straight into heartache. A small part of me wondered what would have happened if I let Sebastian explain what I had walked in on. What excuse would he have dreamed up to take the image away? And would I have been stupid enough to believe him?

　　I would always be a beautiful fool for him and he knew it.

　　Hugging my coat closer to my body, I walk back inside my room at The Royal Hideaway and lay down on the soft couch. Would Sebastian find me here? I bought tickets to different places and booked into different hotels, but in the end, I came back to the first place I had ever run away to Tenerife. I have switched my phone off since I left London 3 days ago and didn’t dare to switch it back on. Why would I? Just so I can get more lies spewed to me from Sebastian and Anabelle? Everyone I loved and cared for has betrayed me, lied to me, made a fool of me, and for what? What did I ever do to deserve this?

　　Regarding Anabelle, I haven’t officially broken my friendship off with her even after 5 months of me finding out she was a snake. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it, even though I knew she hated me. Which begs the question as to why exactly she wanted to see me fall. What exactly did I do wrong except expose Nicholas?

　　My head hurts, I need to stop overthinking things and focus on the present. I had a baby growing inside of me. There was no time to wallow and feel sad. Maybe a walk along the beach would help clear my mind, so I grab my sunglasses and call an Uber to take me to Playa La Caleta beach.

　　The moment the sea breeze hits my face, the nausea evaporates and with a smile on my face; I walk along the rocky coast to make my way to the hidden beaches. I don’t know what it is about Tenerife that I love so much and apart from being roofied last time; I loved it here. I felt… free and unguarded. Sebastian would find me soon enough and race here, this I know, but for now, I could embrace my pain and think of what to do next. Again my thoughts swerve between hearing him out and just not forgiving him for the sight I saw. The mere touch of another man, besides Isaac, repulses me to the point of a near panic attack, so what made his embrace with Isla so special? Why was she even there???

　　I think my sadness has turned to anger because for the rest of the way I am filled with a burning in my chest that I cannot explain. I gave Sebastian all of me, ignored other men’s advances and gave him the most intimate part of me. Only for him to turn to his ex-lover for some or other reason. Was I really that replaceable? Was I still truly the second choice in everyone’s life?

　　I ponder these thoughts as anxiety has me in its grips once again when I realise that I was alone on this beach. Or so I thought. In the distance, I spot a speck standing at the edge of the water gazing into the horizon. Should I turn around? Should I run? Maybe this person was dangerous. I mean, I was all alone on this beach with a stranger standing in the distance. Instinctively, my hands flew to my belly as I walked, but somehow I couldn’t stop being drawn towards this person. The closer I got, the more familiar the speck got until it was the shape of a tall, handsome Adonis with long, curly blonde hair.