As I read back the previous chapter, I checked on the date of my last update. It was 10 months ago😅
I even need to re-read the whole chapter to understand the story.
I'm sorry for not updating. Life as a grownup kind of exhausting. Every day is just about earning some money.
Thus, I could not manage to make some time to write anymore 🥲🥲
Sorry for ranting about my life.
I hope this novel will get support too.
Happy reading :))
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[Blue POV]
"Morning, Shaw." I greeted the Head of the Artist Development Team, when I met him at his office, this morning.
I didn't go alone tho, there were my bandmates; Simon, Royce and TK, and also our band manager, Mark, coming along with me.
"Morning, guys. How are you guys doing? Getting excited about the album release, huh?" Shaw greeted us warmly with a smile plastered on his lips.
However, each one of us didn't respond to any questions of his. We only stood there with our gaze lowered down staring onto the floor.
"So, what's happening here? Did I miss something?" Shaw asked getting nervous after seeing our reaction.
Mark was the one who tried to break the ice. "Actually, Shaw..."
"I was the reason why we came here today." I decided to speak up because this happened because of me and of course, I need to take responsibility for this matter.
"Alright! Just spill it out. I don't have all day... I still need to attend another event after this." Shaw replied with a long sigh; probably because we were dragging his time.
"I want to talk about my wedding, which is related to the album release."
Just before I continued with my explanation, Shaw cut it through, "Oh! So, you're worried about your wedding day clashed with the album release date? But, I thought I had informed Mark earlier about this matter, that the album will be released two weeks after your wedding. Mark, you didn't inform them about it?"
"No! Shaw, that's not the issue, here. And, we have been well informed about that matter. The thing that concerns us right now is...my wedding got cancelled. No! Actually, I had cancelled my wedding." I told the whole truth in just a breath.
And, all of us were staring at Shaw just to see his reaction to this eminent matter. Unsurprisingly, his eyes rounded and his mouth formed a gap. He was shocked, indeed.
Later on, there's a loud, scoff laugh from Shaw, which makes us puzzlement.
"Oh! Come on, guys...couldn't you guys come out with a better idea to prank me? But, honestly, for a second I thought it was real."
"Shaw! This is not some stupid joke. Why would we make up a serious matter like this?" TK spoke out with seriousness in his voice.
In a split second, Shaw's laugh was depleted. He took turns looking at each of our faces.
None of us were laughing together with him, and that just snapped him out.
"So, you're telling the truth, Blue?" Shaw asked again for conformation.
"Yes, Shaw. I had cancelled the wedding." I replied.
And, right after I said 'Yes', he stood up from his leather seat and slapped hard the table, which caused all of us to jolt up because the sound echoed over the room.
"WHAT THE F*CK ARE YOU DOING BLUE!!!" He shouted plus cursed at me, which I could expect to hear from him.
And then, we had to listen to him curse-nagging us, which he meant to say it to me; however, since my band mates and Mark also there with me, then they had to listen to it too.
"Do you even realize what you had done, you sh*thead?!! What are you thinking in that small brain of yours?!!! Did you even use it? Or it didn't function at all?!! How could you let something like this happen?!!! MARK!!!"
Mark was startled when Shaw summoned his name.
"Sir! Yes, Sir?!!" He was stuttering.
"What the sh*t had happened here? How could you let something sh*tty like this happen to my artist? I assigned you to take care of them, what you did?!! If you doing your job well, something like this will not happen!" Shaw scolded Mark instead of me.
Mark was out of words to answer his boss.
"It was my mistake. I was the one that caused all of this. You shouldn't blame Mark for this. He got nothing to do with my decision to cancel the wedding." I defended Mark.
Later, his knitted-brows and gritted teeth shift to look at me.
"That's good that you realise this is all on you, Blue. Then...TELL ME HOW YOU WANT TO FIX THIS?!!" He shouted right in front of my face and I'm pretty sure his saliva shattered all over my face.
He paused for a second and sat back in his seat. His eyes were closed and, a hard sigh was heaved.
"Tell me, Blue. Tell me what had happened between you and Ayden." His voice is lowered and I'm sure he was trying to control his emotion at that moment.
"I cheated on him," I answered shortly but enough to give a reasonable cause of why my wedding got cancelled.
Once again, his emotion was enraged after I said that. "YOU WHAT?!! YOU ARE THE DUMBEST PERSON EVER LIVE BLUE!! Do you even realise what you missed for the rest of your life?!! Oh god!! Why would you act so stupid!! You cheated on a guy that everyone wishes to be with?!! That makes me wonder who is the person you cheated with; is he better than Ayden?"
I looked at Mark when Shaw asked that question, and I saw him gulp down his saliva. He might get nervous if I ever mention his name to Shaw, what would Shaw do to him?
But, worry not, I would never bring up his name on this matter because he has never really been involved in this since the start.
"I was drunk at that time, Shaw. I didn't know what I had done." I lied.
Only two persons that knew what exactly happened, they are Simon and Mark. Even Royce and TK did not know the whole truth. Because, I think the less people know about it, the better.
"Did Ayden catch you red-handed? Or he knows it from someone else?" Shaw investigated more into it further.
"He caught me red-handed."
"Sh*t!! Blue!! That's why I told you...you didn't use your brain wisely. You wanted to cheat, but you aren't smart enough to cover your own sh*t!"
"I didn't know that Ayden would come to find me."
"When this happened," Shaw asked further.
"During my birthday party," Simon answered for me.
"It was like...2 weeks ago, right?" Shaw makes a guess calculation.
"Yes."
"And, you only informed me now? Were you even aware that your wedding will be in the next weekend?"
"There will be no wedding anymore. I've told you from the start that it got cancelled." I said without thinking straight, which caused me to get another episode of cursing from Shaw.
"I know that your wedding got cancelled, you d*mbass! But, the fans and the people out there are still clueless about this matter!! "
"Oh! I'm sorry, I misunderstood your question."
At that time, my mind wandered around. Maybe it was because I got cursed a lot that I felt so hopeless and useless.
"Sorry? Does that even mean anything right now, Blue? Why don't you look at your friend's faces right now? Look at them and try to ask them whether that is the word that they want to hear from you. After everything that you guys have been through, are you going to destroy all of your friend's dreams and hopes, Blue?! Isn't that selfish of you, to drag all of your friends down just because of you?!! Think about it, Blue. Think about how you going to fix this! If you think by coming to me... just to ask me to solve your sh*t! Nah~ I wouldn't do it. It is your own sh*t, then you need to clean it up yourself."
I looked into Shaw's eyes and I told him, "I decided to hold a press conference."
Shaw let out a dry laugh. "You think that will save your career? What are you gonna tell them at the press conference? Are you going to confess to them that your wedding got cancelled because you cheated on Ayden Isaac Lockhart? That will just make your fans hate you more...and not just you, but your whole band will be banned by the people."
"We intended to talk to Ayden and smooth it out with him about this matter," Mark spoke out.
Again, Shaw was laughing at us and also mocking our idea of solving this problem.
"How could you want to smooth out about something like this with the person who got cheated on? If you can smooth it out with him from the start, the wedding does not have to get cancelled then."
"If the wedding didn't work as planned, his company would also get affected by it. Looking at how the public looking forward to our wedding, for sure it isn't just our band would be affected by it...his company and family name also at a stake." I presented my ideas of how I would handle Ayden into agreeing to the press conference.
The scoff or dry laugh was no longer heard from Shaw. He seemed to get the idea of how I would fix this matter without affecting either the band or Ayden. Besides, this is the only solution that I could think of. The outcomes might be positive and negative; we might lose some of our fans but it is better than losing all of them.
"Fine. Just do it your way, then. And, make sure you discuss with him the answer that both of you need to give to the media during the press conference, properly and thoroughly. And, Mark, I need you to update me about it too, after the meeting with Ayden. Do you get it?" Shaw replied.
"Okay, will do, sir."
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[Ayden POV]
Today is the last day I came to the office before I took the three weeks off work; for the wedding and honeymoon. Thus, I've been showing up here since 7 in the morning, just to settle all of my work.
This is all because of Liam. He is the one who insisting me to take the leave.
Sigh~ I could not blame everything on him though, because these are all of my ideas. I was the one who was asking for his help.
"Alright, Ayden. You need to focus on your work, now. Stop complaining." I spoke to myself.
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[Third POV]
"Welcome to Lockhart Holdings, sir. Is there anything I can help you, sir?" Millie asked the gentleman who just appeared in front of the receptionist counter.
The gentleman was wearing casual attire; a white t-shirt with a jeans jacket on top of it and matched with skinny jeans and a pair of sneakers.
"I need to meet with Ayden. Sorry...I mean Mr. Ayden Lockhart. Is he here?" He proposed his request to Millie.
"Do you have any appointment with Mr. Ayden, sir?" Millie asked another question; she just followed the protocol as per security measures.
"Umm...No. I didn't make any appointments with him. But, I really need to see him. It is an urgent matter!" He insisted.
"I'm sorry, sir. You need to make an appointment in advance, in order for you to meet with Mr. Ayden." Millie spoke further.
However, that gentleman did not give up. He insisted on meeting with Ayden. "Okay, I know that I need to make an appointment first, but this is an urgent matter. I really need to talk to him."
"I'm so sorry, sir. I couldn't help it. If I allow you in, I might lose my job."
"Then, can you please call and ask him first? Can you at least do that?"
Millie pulled a plain smile and said, "Okay, sir. I could try to ask him first. But, if Mr. Ayden is not available...please take your leave, sir."
"Okay, that will do. Thank you so much." He was thankful.
Millie picked up the handset of the landline phone and before she pushed the dial pad, she asked the man, "I'm sorry, how should I address you to Mr. Ayden?"
"Oh! I'm sorry; I forgot to give you my business card." He responded coherently before he took out his card from his jacket's pocket and handed it towards Millie.
Millie took it in and read through it. "Mr. Mark Miller, Artist Manager."
"Yes, that's me."
Millie just flashed a smile and dialled the number that would connect her to Ayden's office.
"Yes, Cathy speaking." Cathy who working as Ayden's secretary picked up the call.
"Cathy, this is Millie speaking."
"Yes, Millie. May I help you?"
"I have a guest here, Mr. Mark Miller. He said that he needed to meet with Mr. Ayden for an urgent matter. Can you please check with Mr. Ayden whether he is available to receive the guest?" Millie said briefly.
"Okay, please wait a minute, Cathy. I will ask Mr. Ayden and will get back to you."
"Okay, thanks, Cathy."
Cathy just clicked a button on the dial pad which automatically connected her to Ayden's landline phone in his office.
"Yes, Cathy," Ayden answered while his eyes were focusing on his MacBook's screen, checking through any emails that piled up in his inbox.
"Sorry to disturb you, sir. But, I received a call from the front desk, telling me you have a guest, sir."
"A guest? I thought I didn't expect any guest for today." Ayden further questioned, and his focus deviated towards the phone.
"Yes, that's right, sir. But, this guest insists that he had an urgent matter to discuss with you, sir."
"Did he tell his name?"
"Oh, yes, sir. His name is Mark Miller, sir."
Upon listening to that name mentioned by Cathy, Ayden was surprised. His eyes rounded and his mouth formed a gap. He never expected that Mark would show up at his workplace.
"Sir? Sir Ayden? Are you still there?" Cathy asked over the phone when she didn't receive any respond from her boss.
"Yeah! I'm sorry. Please let him know that I'm not available to receive any guests."
"Okay, sir."
The phone line was ended.
Ayden leaned his back onto the high-quality leather seat while puffing a hard sigh. He was wondering, what is Mark doing here? What is the urgent matter that he wants to talk about with me?
Even with all of those curiosities playing around in his mind, he still could not bring himself to confront Mark face to face. He was afraid that he could not refrain from punching Mark right into his face, after what had happened.
"I think it is better this way," Ayden spoke to himself before he continued with his work.
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[Third POV]
Millie received the responds from Cathy that Mr Ayden was not available to receive any guests, thus she delivered it to Mark who was waiting with hope.
"I'm sorry, sir. Mr. Ayden said that he was not available to receive any guests for today. Perhaps, you could make an appointment beforehand. I will assist you." Millie offered another solution.
Mark was frowning upon knowing about that.
"What should I do, now? Ayden wouldn't want to see me...and, he's also blocking my number. Jeez!! What should I do now?!! Shaw would have my head if I didn't solve this matter as soon as possible!" Mark was talking inside his head.
"Sir?! Sir?! Are you okay?" Millie asked when the person stood before her did not react to her.
Mark was flabbergasted for a moment because he was out of his way to reach Ayden.
"Umm...Can you please ask him once again? I desperately need to meet with him. Please! I'm begging you." Mark was being persistent.
Nervousness caught Millie at that moment when Mark insisted on meeting with Ayden. She was afraid that Mark would cause chaos if he did not get to meet with Ayden.
Thus, she thought of the last resort to handle Mark, which was calling for security.
As she was about to click the button which directed for the security from under the counter, she saw the head of security, Mr. Eli Mc Kellen approaching her.
Only then, she is able to heave a sigh of relief.
"Is there any problem, Millie?" Mc Kellen asked as he was at the counter.
"This gentleman over here, he is-
Just before Millie proceeds with giving the full details on what happening to Mc Kellen, both of the gentlemen are calling each other names.
"Mc Kellen?"
"Mr. Miller?"
"Do you guys know each other?" Millie asked getting curious.
Mc Kellen turned his head towards Millie and told her, "its okay, Millie. I will handle it from here."
"Okay, sir," Millie answered shortly.
................
[Ayden POV]
In the middle of checking on the files and the reports of the projects, I heard a knock on my office's door before I responded with, "Come in."
I thought Cathy would be the one, who appeared from behind the door, but end up, my dear bodyguard.
"Oh! Eli. What's the matter?" I asked him with a smile.
However, he looked at me with a straight face and said, "There's someone who insists on meeting you."
"Huh? Who is it?" I asked clueless and nervous at the same time. Because I was hoping that person wasn't the same person mentioned by Cathy just now.
"Please, come in," Eli called out for that person who was waiting just behind the close door.
Anchoring my gaze towards the door my heart was beating like crazy.
"Good morning, Ayden." That person greeted me once he stepped into my office.
My eyes widened and my heart almost stopped for a second, upon seeing that person who appeared from behind the door.
Yes, that's right. He was Mark Miller.
The person who was cheating with my fiancée. I mean ex-fiancee.
If I was not in my right mind, I would just throw the pen that I hold in my hand, right towards his face.
However, I tried to control my emotions. I cannot lose my mind just because of this a**hole.
"Why did you bring him, here?!" I asked Eli sternly.
"I'm sorry that I made this decision before consulting with you, Ayden. But, I believe that Mr. Miller did have an important thing to discuss with you. That's why I had to bring him to meet with you." Eli explained his reason.
I gripped the pen in my hand tightly, and I shifted my gaze into that a**hole eyes. If a gaze could kill someone, then, he would be dead at that moment.
However, he looked restless and avoided his gaze from meeting mine.
"I give you 2 minutes to tell me!" I said sternly.
"Wh-what?!! Only 2 minutes? I don't think that's enough for me to discuss the matter with you, Ayden."
"A minute had passed. You've got another 1 and a half minutes left." I said while setting up the timer on my apple watch.
"Wh-wha-what?!!" Mark got nervous about the lack of time allocated for him.
I was smiling inside, when I saw his reaction. It feels so good to be able to control someone like this; especially when that someone is your enemy.
"Alright! Alright! I came here to invite you to a press conference." Mark spoke out.
"What kind of press conference are you referring to?" Eli asked.
"We need to inform the press and the public regarding the cancellation of your wedding before the D-day," Mark answered.
It was my turned to ask him, because he managed to catch my interest, "And, why is that?"
"Ayden...you need to look at this matter in a wider view. Because this wedding cancellation doesn't only affect Blue and you. It might affect a lot of people."
"That 'people' that you're referring to just now, are your fans, am I right?" I said with a smirk.
"It is not just our fans, Ayden. It also involves those investors in your company."
Those statements from Mark had caught me off guard.
I stood up from my seat and at the same time, the timer went off.
"Are you still interested in listening more to my reasons?" Mark asked with his eyes looking into mine.
Damn it! Am I the one being manipulated here, instead of him?!
"Fine! Just tell me." I decided to step backwards. Since he mentioned my company, I couldn't help from worry about it.
"Okay...I will give you more insight into this matter. As you are aware, when you announced the wedding, everyone was excited about it; especially Blue's band fans. And, as I was informed, your company stocks also rose up the day after the official announcement was made, am I right?"
"Yeah, that's right," Eli answered it for me.
"Then, what do you think that's mean? It means that everyone is looking forward to D-day. Even our fans club were posting and updating the countdown to the D-day. So, do you think what would happen if the D-day that they're looking forward to, end up in vain? The same goes for your investors...what would happen to them?"
It would be a doom for sure.
"Then, are you suggesting for us to continue with the wedding?!" I asked.
"Of course, not. The purpose of the press conference is to inform the public earlier about the cancellation and to explain the reason why it happened that way. So that, the public will able to understand and to coop better, giving to your situations. And, it is also an initiative to make them aware of your current relationship status. Yes, I cannot guarantee that this way will make our fans remain or your investors stay...but at least, we will not lose so much."
I was silent for a few seconds because I needed to digest his words properly.
"Ayden? What do you think?" Eli threw a question towards me when he noticed I didn't respond to Mark.
"Fine. I will do it. But, under one condition." I replied.
"Okay, just tell me your condition."
"The press conference needs to happen within 2 days, I will not tolerate more than that," I told him my condition.
The reason why; is due to my wedding with Liam which will take part in another 5 days.
"Okay, that's cool. Don't worry about that, I will make it happen as you wish for. However, there's another thing that I need your cooperation."
"What is it?"
"Before the press conference, you need to meet up with Blue to discuss the possible questions and answers that both of you need to tell to the press. This is important to maintain a good image for both of you."
Honestly, my heart dropped on the mention of Blue. As if I have another choice.
"Ayden, if you don't want to see him. Let me go on behalf of you." Eli spoke out before I gave my answer.
I present a smile towards Eli, just to assure him that I am okay. "It's okay, Eli. I can handle this."
"Then, I will inform Blue about this, okay?" Mark commented.
"Alright! Just text me the time and location." I responded lightly.
"Okay. Then, I will take my leave. Thank you for your time and cooperation, Ayden." Mark said his last remark before leaving the office.
As my gaze followed Mark's shadow until he disappeared from behind the door, I heaved a hard sigh and took a seat on the sofa.
"Are you sure about this, Ayden?" Eli asked getting worried of me.
"What do you think, Eli? Do you think I shouldn't do this press conference and put our company at stake?" I returned the questions.
"But, you know that...by agreeing to this press conference as if you're agreeing that the cause of break up in your relationship wasn't because of him." Eli commented further on this topic which I fully aware of it.
Of course, Blue's company would never let Blue becomes the bad guy who had destroyed our relationship. As what was said by Mark just now, it is important to maintain good image for Blue and I.
"I know, Eli. But, as I said...I want the best for this company. I would never put this company at stake just because of my personal matter."
"What about your feeling, Ayden? Haven't you give a thought about it?" Eli still not giving up.
But, I didn't blame him tho, because I know that he meant well. He just doesn't want to see me get hurt again.
I shifted my sight towards him and I said with a plain smile, "I no longer care about my feeling, Eli. Because, as for now...all I care about is my family and this company. That matters more."
Am I turning into a heartless monster? I guess, I'm not. Because, my physique hasn't changed. I still has one head, two eyes, one nose, one mouth, two ears, two hands, two legs and two feet. There's no thorns grow on my head, or wings on my back, or sharp fangs.
To conclude, I'm still a normal human being.
The only thing that change is, my feeling; especially love feeling had withered.
For the time being, I want to stop from looking for love or accepting love.
Period.
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