❝ 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚠𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚐𝚘 𝚊𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚍 ❞
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I've been sitting outside the jewelry shop in my car where I just came back from picking up the ring for Serenity. I honestly don't know when I'm going to propose to her but I'm going to take my time on planning the proposal since she never got a real one.
Given our first encounter.
A moment later, my phone begins to ring. I don't take my eyes off the ring as I pull out my phone from my pocket. When I take it out, I glance to see who's calling me and I see it's Serenity. Immediately, a smile is put on my face.
"Hey, love."
"Hey!"
"How's visiting New York?"
"I forgot how much I've missed the city! By the way, I got the invitations. They're so beautiful!"
"I can't wait to see them. How's Valentino?"
"Idiot really tried kicking me out yesterday morning because he was scared I would kill him in his sleep." I chuckle because I can imagine her rolling her eyes right now. "Hey did you know that there's another member of Valentino's team who didn't come on the mission?"
"Really? Who?"
"Her name's Leslie. She told me she was shot on her upper shoulder and it damaged her shoulder quite a bit so Valentino told her it was best if she stayed and rested. Speaking of Valentino, he's planning on calling you to ask you to return the favor to him in a few weeks. He said he's found where his two main enemies are hiding and he's now coming up with a plan."
"Tell him I'll be expecting his call and say I'll keep my word because he helped us. Would you come on the mission with us when the time comes?"
"Hell yeah! What we need is- oh fuck-" Next thing I hear is some quick movement then something hitting a hard surface.
"Serenity?" I hear some faint vomiting noises. "Serenity!"
"Second fucking time today. I'm going to kill Vanessa for making me try seafood. This is why I don't like it!"
"Serenity, slow the fuck down. Did you just throw up? Are you sick?"
"Yes, I just threw up and I think I just have a stomach bug or something from the seafood I ate yesterday night."
"As soon as you come back, I'm having my mamá do a checkup on you in case you still feel bad."
"Elijah I'm fine."
"No you're not-" I pulled my phone away from my ear midway through what I was saying since I felt it vibrating. What does my papá need? "Serenity, my papa's calling so I'll call you tonight?"
"Yeah, okay."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
I hang up and call my papa back. "Papá?"
"Elijah, I need to talk to you, hijo."
"What about?"
"I think it's best if you meet us at your office." He doesn't give me a chance to say anything else before he hangs up. What did he mean by us?
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While on my way to my office, my hand is still in my pocket, holding the velvet box that holds the ring that Serenity will hopefully soon be wearing. I open the door that leads into my office and I'm greeted with my papá and Jonathan. So this is what he meant when he said 'us'.
"Jonathan, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Sit down, please."
I narrowed my eyes at my papa. "Papá, what's going on?"
"Hijo-" I let go of the grip I have on the velvet box and pulled my hang out. Both of my hands are now formed into a fist.
"What the hell is going on?" They both look at each other before Jonathan picks up a file of papers from the top of my desk and hands it to me. I don't say anything as I take it from his hands and open the file. "Petition for divorce?! What the fuck is this?!" I yell, throwing the papers on the ground. "And why the fuck does it say that I'm the one who wants the divorce?!"
"Would you rather it be my daughter saying she wants the divorce?" Jonathan asks.
"You two didn't answer my question."
"You know why." Papá adds.
"Oh really? Please, enlighten me."
"The underworld is already starting to question whether your marriage was real or not. There was no wedding or announcement about you getting married."
"You want an announcement?" I ask, walking past them and behind my desk. I then pull out the velvet box and open it to reveal the ring. "Here's your fucking announcement." Jonathan looks away. "Jonathan, I want to propose to Serenity. I want to be engaged to her. I want to marry her with an actual wedding. But in order for me to do all that, I need to ask you for her hand in marriage." He doesn't answer and still has his back towards me. "Do you really want to do this to your daughter? Your youngest, may I add."
"Of course I don't! Do you think I want to do this? To see my little girl in pain after she signs these papers? I don't! We have no choice but to go through with this."
"Jonathan, I love Serenity with all my fucking heart. I will protect her with my fucking life." Not that she needs protection. She's her own protection shield.
"Elijah, don't make this any harder than it has to be." Papá says.
"Easy for you to say. You're not on the verge of losing the love of your life."
"Elijah, please believe me when I say that I don't want to do this. But it has to be done in order for you two to be safe. If a year or two from now you both cross paths-" Jonathan begins saying but I cut him off.
"Do you think she'll even want to be with me anymore? After what I'm about to ask her to do?" I ask, cutting him off. "Odette will be Serenity's lawyer. I'll call someone else from my backup law team." I say, changing the subject.
Jonathan apologizes again before he leaves my office. Now it's just my papá and I. "Please don't make me do this, papá."
"I'm sorry."
"I hope you know I'm not going to marry that stuck up Veronica girl." He shakes his head and crosses his arms. "I'm not going to make you."
But you're making me serve divorce papers to the woman I love.
"Plus Veronica disappeared into thin air not too long ago. Samuel last caught her on camera with a man boarding a private jet. I think they went back to her country." I could care less about her and whoever she's seeing.
"Does mamá know you're doing this?" His silence is all I need for him to know his wife doesn't know about this. "Just what I thought."
"Elijah-"
"I would like for you to leave me alone for the rest of the day." He whispers a simple 'okay' and nods his head before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. As soon as I fall down into my seat, I begin to cry. I don't even know when the last time I cried was. All I know is that I can't remember when it was.
I just got back from buying the perfect engagement ring for Serenity and came to find out, I won't even be able to propose to her now. I won't be able to experience a wedding with her
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I stayed in my office for about an hour before I went back to my room and changed and went to the gym to begin hitting the punching bag. Over and over again.
Please, forgive me for what is to come soon, Serenity.
"Hey, Elijah! Do you want to help me make dinner because- oh my god!" I ignore Natalie and keep on hitting the punching bag. "Elijah, stop! You're hands are fucking bleeding!" Before I know it, she pushes me away from the punching bag. "What the hell has gotten into you?"
"Natalie, I need to be alone."
"No, you don't. We're going to your room to clean your hands." I don't even try to fight back because she'll just tackle me to the ground. "This may hurt." She says as she dabs a cotton ball on my cuts that has rubbing alcohol soaked in it.
At this point, I don't even flinch or wince at the pain because the only pain I'm feeling is the fact that I'm going to lose Serenity.
"I'm not going to ask you what's going on because I know you won't give me an answer . . . instead I'll tell you something that I think will make you uplift your mood."
"What will make me feel better than what I'm feeling right now?"
Natalie stays quiet and finishes putting the bandage on my hands. "I'll be right back." She then leaves the room. I take the opportunity to pick up and throw away the stuff she used. When I come back, she's sitting on the bed and has a rectangular box in her hands.
"What's in there?" I ask, sitting next to her.
"Here. Open it." I take the box from her and carefully untie the bow that's holding it together. I set the ribbon aside and pull off the top. Inside I see two pregnancy tests, both are positive. I pull one out, taking a closer look at it before looking at my sister.
"Are you?"
"I'm pregnant, Elijah. You're going to be an uncle." She softly says with a smile. I can see she's trying not to cry but she's failing. I put the test back in the box and set it aside before wrapping my arms around Natalie to hug her.
"I don't even know what to say."
"This is the part where you say congratulations." She says pulling away, causing us to both laugh.
"Congratulations, Natalie. I know you'll be a great mother."
"Thank you, brother."
"Does Samuel know? Mamá or papá?"
"No, you're the first. I was going to tell Samuel tomorrow but you could use the news to make you slightly happy."
"Well. I'm honored to be the first person to know. I love you."
"I love you too . . . soon to be uncle."
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As much as I wanted to help Natalie make dinner, I couldn't face my papá yet and I couldn't tell her what's about to happen. But Aria said she could help her cook dinner last minute so I didn't feel as bad. Natalie brought me a plate of the food she cooked which I didn't ask her to but she didn't want me to not eat because I was in a bad mood.
I was also supposed to have a meeting tonight but I canceled it and just sent Grayson and Jayden to check on tonight's shipping after dinner. They should be on their way back soon.
I decided to read one of the many books I have on my bookshelf in the room. In this case, it's one of Serenity's favorites that she picked up to read one day and didn't put it down until she finished it. Even to the point she ignored everyone because she said the book was that good. I can see why she didn't put it down because it's really good, I'm halfway finished with it.
As if on queue, my phone rings and I see Serenity's name. I flip the book upside down on my lap so I don't lose my place and I take a deep breath before I answer the call.
"Hello? Elijah, are you there?"
"Y-yeah. I'm here."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just tired. I had a long day . . ."
"It must be two in the morning over there because it's one here and Chicago is an hour ahead." I stay silent not knowing what to say without breaking down. I look over at her vanity where the velvet box is on.
"Elijah, are you sure you're okay? You're quieter than usual."
"Don't worry about it, love. Get some sleep soon, okay?"
"Okay . . . Elijah?"
"Yeah?"
"Goodnight. I love you."
"I know . . . goodnight."
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This chapter was hard to write😭
Honestly these upcoming last chapters are all going to be hard to write. I'm probably gonna end up crying at some point while writing this ending.
—cristal