The Billionaires(#1)

69

4th May 2017; a Thursday like any other. From local newspapers to the world’s top newspapers, social media, local radio stations, TV shows - they were all buzzing with Logan Parker’s engagement and the sudden wedding.

MJ stood at the balcony outside Jorge's beach house in Cape Town. She was wearing Jorge's oversized black sweatpants and a T-shirt. The cool breeze blew her brown hair as she leaned over the railing with a faraway look. 

Jorge walked in quietly with two mugs in his hands. “Tea?” He asked and handed her one of the mugs.

MJ turned around and took the tea. “Thanks.” She said and took a sip of her tea. She turned back around and looked at the beautiful view of the ocean from the balcony. Jorge stood next to her, slid one of his hands in his pocket, and drank his tea. They drank their tea in silence, with Jorge stealing quick glances at MJ whenever she was not looking.

“I can’t believe he’s getting married in less than two weeks.” MJ said after a long silence.

“Me too, I can’t believe he didn’t tell me that he had made a girl pregnant, and let alone tell me that he was engaged.” Jorge said and sipped on his tea.

“I had hoped that someone would tell me that it was all a joke, but his statement…” She trailed off and laughed humourlessly.

Jorge stared at her for a while. “MJ, are you still in love with Logan Parker?” He finally asked.

MJ snapped her head in his direction angrily, but he did not flinch.

“Love?” She asked rhetorically; she knew that whatever she felt for Logan was neither love nor hatred. Her heart was filled with a sort of bitterness she could not decipher. This was clearly Logan’s way of getting back at her; it was his revenge. He had known about her identity all along but did not say anything, and then he proposed to Carmen the day after her birthday.

“Love makes people do stupid things; it is blind.” She said bitterly, and Jorge averted his gaze. There was still some tension between them, but there was no bloodshed. After MJ came back from her trip with Logan, she went to the beach house, because that would be the last place Logan could ever imagine finding her; he probably thought she left the country. MJ sighed and stared off into the distance. “I lose my senses when I’m with him. My chest ached when I found out that he is engaged, and I feel guilty every time I have to look into his eyes and lie to his face. I can’t take my mind off him and whenever I think about him; my heart does things I do not understand.” She said quietly and turned to look at Jorge. “If that is love, then yes; I’d like to imagine that I still love him, that I never stopped loving LJ and that I tried to forget about him.” She said with a plain face, her voice void of any emotions. “I’d so kindly like to believe that I’ve tried to shove all the memories we had together in a cage, lock it, and just throw the key away, but I guess you can’t deny your heart of its desires.” She said and took a step towards Jorge, and stood in front of him.

“You can still fix this.” Jorge said.

“It’s too late for that now.” She said flatly. “Get the private jet ready, we are heading out to Ireland to deal with that douchebag who refuses to work with you. I don’t even know why I bother, because my company is not bankrupt.” She said before Jorge could push the issue with Logan any further. She gave him her half-full cup of tea and took a stepped away from him.

“Sure.” Jorge said and gave her a weak smile.

She nodded and walked towards the door, but stopped halfway there and tilted her head in his direction. “And, Jorge?” She called, and Jorge looked up at her. “I am not like you; I do not love.” She said in a curt voice before disappearing into the house.