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Flashback
"So that's all about my life. I was the happiest woman in the world the day I finally sealed the deal with him at the wedding altar. But...i guessed we can't always get the things we wanted," Eden thinned her lip trying not to break. The image of the day she and Lionel officially signed the divorce papers was still a fresh wound to her. She still couldn't get over him and how he tossed her out like she meant absolutely nothing to him.
Her eyes were already going glassy and she sniffled audibly preventing her tears from falling from her eyes. Julian watched her carefully and wished he could ease her pain. No, to take all her pain and suffering away. He hated seeing her in this state. It was their first year in their course of finances and they had gotten to know each other pretty well now to converse their life histories together.
He reached out and held her hands squeezing them softly. Eden let out a chuckle and tried to make light of the entire situation. The waiter had now brought their order to which Julian nodded a thank you. He was offering the course as an addition to his CV while Eden as you guessed was literally pushed into accepting the course by Susan and her mom.
The waiter left and Eden cleaned her face with a towel and smiled widely throwing all those hurtful and painful memories about her now shattered marriage at the back of her mind but knew she wasn't going to forget anytime soon.
She turned to Julian, "Now you know about me and what brought me here. Now, it's your turn." Julian smiled a bit. "First of all, I gotta say, your ex husband is truly an asshole for what he did to you. Am sorry but I have to point that." Eden smiled widely this time but didn't find his words at all funny. On the contrary, she didn't want anything said against Lionel despite all he did to her and her daughter.
Julian dug into the steak and placed some into his mouth with the fork and spoke. "Well my story is a but different. Well am a kind of guy who always goes with the flow, you know. Am also a romantic, a trade secret of mine," He winked at Eden who was stunned by his words. She never expected a serious person like Julian to be a romantic. Now she was interested in knowing more about him.
She leaned forward and gave him her whole attention. Julian saw that and as his cue spoke further, "Well I work at a tech company. My parents are in Bogota perfectly enjoying the life there from my expenses, after all they're the reason for me being where I am today. They never really wanted to enjoy or live the American dream you know," Julian took a pause and sipped a bit of his wine. Eden didn't say a word but was so interested in knowing more about him.
"Then when I was settled, I met numerous ladies and wanted something serious you know. I wasn't the guy to just have a fling or one night stands. I wanted something serious and the ladies who came my way weren't interested in any of that until I met a special woman. Paula Nunez." Julian went into thought as soon as he pronounced her name in his deep voice and the sound that resonated out from his lips was no doubt alluring.
A faint smile swept across his face recalling her. She was very different from the rest to him. According to him, she was the one or so he thought. "Paula Nunez, she was a wonderful and an intelligent beauty. She came as an intern to the company I worked for before getting this current work of mine. She was damn beautiful and we hit it off quickly. We got to know each other and more since I was assigned to be in charge of the internship program. Everything went well and we found out we were both interested in the same things and also...we wanted a stable relationship."
Eden could tell he was deeply into her and wandered if they were still together but the way he spoke of her in a past tense was saying they had ended things but she didn't speak and allowed him to also vent out.
"We started dating after a week and it was blissful. I thought she cared about me but what I didn't know was that she was also an ambitious woman as well." His expression changed into a pained one and he felt his tongue turn bitter by the second.
"She often came to my apartment which was a lot smaller because my position at my old job wasn't at great. At one point I proposed marriage to her after we were dating for more than six months and then she outrightly refused me and ended things with me. A few days later, I got to find out that she was having an affair with my boss while we both were still dating." Eden's eyes widened in shock and she then recalled hers with Lionel.
He might not admit it but their situation was kind of the same and their loved ones both leaving them to pursue better opportunities. Lionel had also saw her as being completely useless and low for his standards while Paula left him because she was interested in building her career over to the top.
"I was very heartbroken by what she did to me. It was only clear that she got close to me just to secure her spot and get a job at the company after her internship program was over in the coming seven months....but then saw how our boss was lusting after her and she went to him instead because she knew he could raise her career by only spreading her legs like the fucking.... Tch." Julian's face became hardened recalling the whole thing. "I quit my job the very next day not able to stand my boss openly flirting and grabbing her anyhow he liked and she all the while pulling out a smiley face. And...that's how I managed to bag this amazing job of mine where I work at a tech company." Julian sipped his wine again before he exhaled loudly.
Eden didn't know what to say but held out her other hand on his that were holding her hand and held it tightly while placing a wide smile on her face. She could clearly understand him as their situation was clearly the same but on different angles but still the same outcome. They were both tossed out by their lovers like they mattered not to them. And since then, they had become inseparable as friends.
End of Flashback.
"Eden?" Julian was utterly shocked to see her at his doorstep. Eden's face was twitched in anger as she stared at the woman from head to toe before darting her eyes at Julian.
"Is she the same Paula Nunez?" That was all she asked still staring at him and expecting his response. "Yes am Paula Nunez and...who are you?" Paula blinked her long heavy artificial eyelashes.
"And I clearly wasn't talking to you so butt out." Eden tried to sound polite but her tone of voice came out sharp. Julian was wandering from where her sudden anger came from. He was never expecting her to be at his home of all places especially at this time with the storm outside and occurring.
Julian turned to Paula who was also looking at him and demanding an explanation. "Eden. Come inside, you're completely drenched from the rain. Please." Julian ignored Paula's protest and motioned Eden to come into his spacious and large apartment. Eden was appalled by his behavior. Was he seriously asking her to come in and stay there with her? She couldn't believe her ears and looked at Julian dumbfounded. She knew that this woman had betrayed him and broke his heart and was allowing her to comfortably stay at his home with his clothes on her as well.
"Nope. Coming here was a mistake," Eden shoved the Montel wine bottle inside her bag and threw her damp hair to her back and gave a one eye glare at Paula before storming off heading towards the elevator. She heard Julian's pleas to stop but she hurriedly got to the elevator and was constantly tapping the bottons for the elevator doors to slide open already.
The elevator doors didn't open as it was in movement. Julian grabbed her arm while Eden jerked them off her before she turned to him. "Why are you so mad? Am the one who should be mad here and not you." Julian got a bit upset at her attitude right now. "You were the one who used me and kissed me to spite that bastard of a ex of yours, probably because you still had feelings for him and you're showing me attitude?"
"And is Paula any different?" Eden immediately cut him off. Julian stared at her in confusion. "Don't play dumb Julian. That woman in your apartment right now and currently in your shirt is the same woman who cheated on you with your boss and dumped you regarding you as nothing and here I find you housing that same woman and you say Lionel's a bastard, huh?" Eden demanded in a harsh tone. She was feeling guilty since last night about what she did and was even more bummed when he didn't respond to her calls but now knew it was because he was probably enjoying himself with her. With Paula.
"It is not what you think Eden, please let me explain," His features softened and tried to reason with Eden but she only jerked away his hands off her shoulders. "You know what. Am sorry for having disturbed you in your meeting with Paula...i think before you judge me about me still having feelings for Lionel, you should look at yourself and see if you've also forgotten Paula and moved on." Eden said and huffed as soon as the elevator doors slided open.
"Eden, that's not true. I don't love Paula..." The elevator doors closed off also reducing his voice. She felt utterly annoyed. How could he let her in his apartment and on top of that was wearing his shirt. He can't fool me. She said to herself and huffed again before she inhaled and exhaled out. The elevator doors slided open bringing her down to the ground floor. The sound of thunder claps and lightning roared out from outside and she wandered if she could get a cab in the middle of the heavy storm. She decided to wait over at reception and stood by the door when a staff came to offer her some towels to clean her soaked body.
She checked her phone and tried booking for an Uber. She luckily saw one after an hour and the storm had lessened a lot. The Uber was close by and in about fifteen minutes, the Uber arrived and she quickly got in. She couldn't wait to get out of there and back to her home.
***
Rosalinda rushed into the hospital after the news of her daughter and Lionel's accident got to her. She was in a panicked state and rushed over to reception and inquired. She was met with more shock when the receptionist informed her about the accident being a serious one.
A nurse directed her towards where the doctor in charge of the hospital was and then her phone rang. With shaky hands, she fished for her phone inside her bag and her bag fell over to the floor making her curse in her anxiety for her daughter. Her daughter was sick and on top of that was met with an accident today. She was frightened for her daughter's condition getting worse because of this accident.
Her phone was still chiming on the floor and she saw it was from her brother who was out of the country and in Europe. She picked up the call while packing all her stuff with shaky hands.
"Hello..." Her voice came out anxious on the phone. She heard her brother yell out in happiness and Rosalinda's eyes narrowed. "I called to bring good news sister. It's about my niece. There's been a miracle if I must say." Her brother Fredrick replied in a happy time. Rosalinda payed close attention and she followed the nurse who was leading her to where the doctor was.
"...about Monique..." She said confused. "Yes. I had a talk with a friend here about my niece's condition and today he finally called him to inform me about a very good and efficient Surgical oncologist who knows Monique's case very well and he can save her." Fredrick broke the good news and Rosalinda paused in her hurriedly steps. She blinked her eyes repeatedly wandering if she was in a dream. They had tried every possible way but found no solution until now.
"Madam? Are you okay?" The nurse asked in a worried tone. Rosalinda had tears circling her eyes. "My niece can finally be cured. He's the best surgeon for her case. I've sent his details to your mail and you can speak with him. She'll be fine." Fredrick said over the phone and Rosalinda's lips parted as she let out a few chuckles of happiness. "I... I have to go now. Thank you so much Fredrick." She hung up and cried in happiness before motioning the nurse to lead her to the doctor.
On the way, she checked her email and saw her brother had delivered all the information about the oncologist. Her heart leaped in joy as her only child and daughter was going to be saved after all. "Doctor, this woman is related to the woman and man that arrived this night." Rosalinda raised her head to meet a male doctor who turned from the nurse to face her.
"How are you related to them?" The doctor asked. "Am the woman's mother and mother-in-law to the man." Rosalinda replied and smiled a little still relishing in the good news she had received a few seconds ago. "Well am sorry to say but your daughter's condition...." The doctor trailed off. "What happened to my daughter doctor?" Rosalinda asked with her heart pounding in fear again. "Am sorry but due to the fall, she lost the baby."