Chapter 90: Chapter 90

(Dmitri's Thoughts)

"Dee?" she sweetly calls to me when she realizes it was she's meeting tonight.

But unexpectedly, she doesn't walk away form me, nor scream at me, instead, she just stands across from me, waiting for my response patiently.

Her eyes are locked on me, her damn beautiful expressive eyes: the ones that I yearned for to look at me again.

I gulp at the sight of her and couldn't answer immediately. She looks elegant in her old rose dress. My body automatically reacts, though, like a gentleman in front of her.

I stand up and leave my position, I walk over her, and kiss her on her cheeks. Then I guide her to sit and even pull the chair for her, one thing that I've been dremaing to do again for her.

She still seems surprised but she remains calm during the start of the night. And the best part of the beginning of this dinner is the way he called me.

I haven't heard her call me 'Dee' since the they she left. And I must admit, it makes me extremely happy. Everything seems surreal.

I go back to my seat and stares at her for a moment. I take a deep breath. I still can't belieave she is here in front of me.

I can see her looking back, her eyes are a bit shaking but she doesn't avoid my gaze, and somehow, I like the feeling.

Quiet befalls between us, but she's the first one to open the conversation, "Was that you? The man who brought me to my room last night?"

I smile and intentionally ignore her question, "Hi, Avery. You look ravishing tonight."

I see her blush and she looks sideways then she sips her complimentry drink. Right now, she's showing her demure side. She's more refined as if we are on our first date, as if it is our first time having dinner together.

"T-thank you," she shyly responds, "So tell me, Dee, was it you? D-did something happen between us?" she repeats the question and add another one that intesify our conversation.

"Yes, that's why we are here? Shall we order?" I immediately divert the topic, trying to keep the good ambaince between us.

"First, just tell me, your yes is for which one?" her eyes are filled with fierceness.

"Yes, and sadly, no," I answer shortly.

I see her smile a bit and releases a sigh, "Is it a sigh of relief?" I ask myself.

"Okay, thank you. Will you pass the menu?" she asks. I hand over the menu and she looks at it with her peaceful face.

As she looks at it, I can't thank the menu enough, at least I get to see her gorgeous face like this. How I wish I could wake up and sleep right next to his face of yours, Avery.

Then, she raises her head, "Uh, I think I have my order," she says. So I call the waiter and let her order hers before mine.

I add up her favorite wine, the same wine that I gave as a gift on their engagement.

I see her lips twitch a bit when I ordered it.

While we are waiting for the food, I open another conversaiton, "So, Avery, how long are you going to stay here in Germany?" I ask her.

She taps her fingers on the table, and she doesn't answer immediately, "Uh, probably not too long," then she gives me an indirect answer.

"So, you don't want me to know?" I smile at her, "It's okay, I understand, and I have my ways," then I wink at her.

"What are you doing here by the way? Isn't it amazing, us, together, in a foreign land?" I even add a jest.

But my jest doesn't seem appealing to her. She frowns a bit, "Are you sure you didn't follow me here?"

I couldn't help but scoff, "Well, I can't blame you if you are going to have some trust issue, but believe me, for the first time in my life, I experience fate, thanks to you. Or should I call it destiny?"

She becomes quieter, then she begins to speak, "We are here for my tour, my school tour."

"I see," I shortly answer. As we are talking about her job at the museum, our orders finally come. And the two of us eat peacefully.

After the meal, I call the wiater to serve the wine, but she prevents me from doing so.

She looks around and whispers to me, "Uh, Dee. Is it okay if we go elsewhere? We can bring that right?"

I look at her puzzled, then she hesitantly shows me her engagement ring that makes my heart twitched, "My classmates might see me dining here with you, and they, uh, kinda, know Jeff is my... so I..." she stutters.

I can see that she is still considerate of me, since she avoids calling Keff as her fiance in front of me.

And I guess I should be grateful enough, that she still cares about my feeling. So I didn't let her finish her sentence,

"Do you want to leave now?" I propose.

She seems restless and her cheeks are quite red. I stand up and put my coat on her when I notice she's a bit cold.

Then I whisper as she stands, "Where would you like to go?"

""Somewhere quiet, somewhere hidden? When no one knows us or could see us together?" she seems unsure and hasty with her answer.

I can also see she's flustered, even before drinking, is she okay?

"Manor Sullivan, do you think it would be fine?" I suggest as we walk out, but she shakes her head, "Uh, no, I can't. We have an early tour tomorrow, I can't make it in time."

The waiter calls for us, "Sir you forgot your drinks," I look at him and ask for a moment.

I have an idea, but I don't know how she would react, "Then how about this..." I gulp before I share it with her.

"How about my suite room? It is on the highest floor, and I am the only one who has the keycard?"

Her eyes widen at my idea. She bites her thumb like an innocent kid, but eventually, she softly utters, "Okay, j-just talk, Dee? Okay?" she wants assurance.

I smile and nod, "Yes, Avery. I promise."

Then she nods, so I tell the witer to deliver it to my room and add some snacks and choco trufffles with it.

And we go straight to the elevator.

***

I open the door for her and offer her a seat, “Have a seat, Avery. Feel at home,” I say genuinely.

Some minutes after, the tray carrying the food and wine arrives, “Would you like us to serve you, sir?” the waiter asks in German. So I respond using the same language, “No, need. I can manage.”

I open the wine and hand a wine glass over to Avery. Without any delay she consumes it and asks for seconds.

“Easy, love. We have all the night,” I jest. But my endearment seems to put her in more awkwardness.

Then, she continues where we left our conversation trying to break the utter silence between the two of us, “Uhm, how about you, do you have any business, here?”

I lift my wine glass and drink, “Hmm, nothing beats the taste of this, right, Avery?” I ask and she just nod.

“Well, to answer your question, I am buying this hotel, and right now, we are closing the deal,” I explain to her. Her jaw drops and smiles.

“I almost forgot you are indeed a billionaire, Dee. You’ve shown me many things and introduces a lot of things, and yet, you still surprises me from time to time,” then she silently drinks, and then licks her lips.

I hold the wine tighter and quench the fist that’s inside my side pocket. I curse at myself, “Oh, god! How gorgeous can she be! Everything she does is just so tempting.”

I gulp and divert my attention to something else, “Well, that’s what I need to do in order to keep the company running. And this hotel has the best location near that famous street. Although, they fail to maintain it properly, so now they are in the brink of bankruptcy.”

“Is that so? How funny fate can be! They brought us in the same hotel at the same time,” she exclaims.

Then she sadly looks at me and then looks down, “Can I have some cake? I think I’m going to need a lot of sugar in me, tonight.”

“Sure, help yourself,” I am about to hand the cake to her, when she goes near the tray and takes a bite.

Her shoulder accidentally brushes to mine, and damn, it feels so good. When she walks in front of me, I can smell her scent, it hasn’t changed even after two years.

I stare at her while admiring her pure image.

“You know, a lot of things changed about you, yet, still some things stay the same. You are still the Avery that I know,” I giggle.

She stops eating and looks at me again with those melancholic eyes, “No, I am no longer that Avery,” she corrects my statement.

Then she walks to me, her cheeks are all red, “Dee, I’ve learned something that’s been bothering me. Could you help me understand?” she said with her drunk voice.

Then she leans to the wall while holding one of my sleeves, then she utters, “Tell me, Dee. Why did you do that? Why did you send those wine and truffles? Why did you help Jeff in his proposal? Why?”

Yeah! That’s right. I almost forgot. She looked very sad walking out of the restaurant that night when she knew about it. “Is that what’s been bothering you all along?” I ask her concerned of her being.

She shrugs her shoulders, still holding my sleeves while holding the glass with her other hand, she drinks, and responds, “That’s one of the few. Answer me please. I need to know.”

“I just don’t know. When you walked to the restaurant with him, I saw how happy you were, and… I thought, Jeff deserved you for being bold and man enough to take responsibility of his feelings,” I sigh and pause, “And, I thought I could…”

“You could what?” she asks, her eyes are speaking to me.

“I thought I could live without you by my side, as long as I see you happy. But I can’t Avery. I can’t even stand seeing you next to Jeff,” my stern voice carries my conviction. I let out my true emotions.

Her eyes are sad, and she just looks at me, “Damn it, Avery! What’s with your eyes? Don’t look at me that way, or else, I can’t promise we will only talk!”

“Did you know, I almost went crazy thinking maybe those wine and chocolate truffles were signs that I shouldn’t marry Jeff. Well, in fact, you were behind it all along,” she says and I hear her scoff.

“I was a fool worrying about the signs that have been staged!” she emphasizes.

I am about to rebut but she speaks again, “But… but you know, I kinda like it. It made me think of you. I wanted to remain honest, but right after I saw you, I just couldn’t stop thinking about you,” her words are becoming more intense. The way she speaks is more electrifying.

I haven’t felt this way in a long time. Only Avery has this kind of effect on me.

“I still love you, Avery. I still do,” these are the words that I could only say in my mind.

Then she pokes my chest, “And you! I saw the livestream with Jen Storm,” then her voice quivers.

“Y-you really had your way of revenge, huh?” she says then she hiccups.

“Avery, you are drunk!” I get the wine glass from her hand, but she refuses to give it, and the wine spills to both her clothes and mine.

“I said I want to talk, and I’m going to need it if I were to speak with you, Dee!” she pleads.

“I think I prefer talking to a sober Avery,” I insist.

“Dee, was it also true? That you got kicked out from being the CEO?” she adds another question.

“I’ll answer if you stop drinking. Come on, let’s get you change,” I ask her. And as I am about to touch her, she slaps my hands away.

“J-just talk, n-no t-touch, Dee,” she says angrily.

“I know, I just want you to clean up, I’ll get you some clothes,” I explain.

“No! No! I’ll just be quick, I’ll change in my room. Just listen,” her voice is quivering more, and her hiccups continue.

“All this time, I was the only one who had suffered! I hated you for ruining my life. Because of that stupid scandal, all I’d build washed out. Here I thought, you lived comfortably, but now, knowing how much you suffered, i-it pains me, Dee.”

I sigh and rub my temples for a bit, “Avery, you have to take a rest. Come on!” but she refuses and she struggles.

“Tell me, why do I feel so guilty right now? Why am I having regrets? After two years of hiding from you, living without you, with just a piece of information how you were, why do I waver now?”

“I am about to get married to a guy who does nothing but love me, but why, why do I always findmyself running back to you?”

All her words struck me, I don’t know how to answer all of it.

“How can I unlove you? Please tell me, how do I unlove you?” these questions of hers have been running through my mind like crazy.

If there’s someone who needs the answer to those questions, it is going to be me.

After all, she has already moved on with Jeff, and I am the one who is still left behind. Now, she’s telling me that she’s still in love with me?

My blood rises, and for the very first time, I get to yell at her,

“How cruel of you! You were the one who left when I was ready to fight for you. I searched the world for you, and now that I found you, you were betrothed to another man. Tell me how! How do I unlove you?”

Tears fall from both our eyes and the next thing we know, we are kissing each other, deeply and passionately, as if the two years of longingness for each other has finally been released.