HE LEFT AN hour later.
I hoped that it was only for a few hours and that he would not come back drunk again.
He looked so disappointed in me. But he also looked disappointed in himself as if he was chastising himself for ever trusting me in the first place. I had spent half an hour leaning against his door voicing my apologies but I was forced to stop when he started blasting music.
I was in my room when he left. I hadn't even heard him exit his room, all I heard was the front door being slammed shut. By the time I had rushed out (barefoot) the elevator doors were already closed.
At first, I thought, maybe he just went out for a smoke (he smoked like once every two or three weeks) but after an hour I realised that was not true. I still had faith that he would return tonight so that we could properly talk it out. Earlier, he did all the speaking and I simply sheepishly listened.
But, by two in the morning, I finally admitted that he wasn't coming home tonight. This meant that he was truly angry about this situation and that I really messed up.
Diego changed his schedule for me. And I was lying to him.
I couldn't blame him for leaving, I certainly deserved it. I had been waiting for him to care about me and when he does I ruin it. God, I am an idiot.
I call the first person that comes to my mind. Marco. They were best friends and hopefully what Diego really needed was cool-headed advice and who is better than Marco? And, there is a good chance that if he told Camila, she would have ordered to have my head by now. Marco is too sweet to even hurt a fly.
"He's with me, you don't need to stress," He says the moment he answers, "And hey," He adds afterwards.
"Is he really angry with me? Or is it disappointment? I feel like it's the latter. God, he hates me, doesn't he? Oh, he probably does. He is never coming back, is he? He will probably cut me off and then I will forever be alone. He is angry with me, isn't he? Damn, damn, damn, da-"
"Violetta, I just told you not to stress," He laughs.
"I am sorry, your ears are probably bleeding. I always seem to ramble when I'm stressed, it is this weird quality that generally annoys everybody. Especially when I wrote exams, I would be spurting out formulae, dates, landforms...and I'm doing it again," I clench my eyes shut in embarrassment.
He is never going to want to talk to me ever again all because I can't keep my mouth shut.
"It's okay Violetta. I like that you are worried about him oddly enough. It shows you care and considering you are married to him I think it is reassuring for a best friend," He says and I breathe in relief. Thank goodness I did not scare him away.
"Will we be okay?" I ask him. I bite my lip nervously. I know that in some way I have done worse than this but why did it feel like nothing I could do would top this?
"Of course. He can't stay way for too long, I will make sure of that. He is pretty angry and disappointed. Furious with you but disappointed in himself but not why you think. I mean his rage you can understand but he is despondent because you had to lie to him."
"I don't understand," I say in confusion. He chuckles.
"He didn't know that you saw him as unapproachable and he really wishes you didn't. He had hoped that you could tell him everything. This pretty much told him that everything he thought you two were, you weren't," He explains and I smack my forehead.
"Can I speak to him?" I ask hopefully.
"Unfortunately not. My best friend is already passed out on my bed. He told me everything at a pretty rushed pace. Before I gave him advice I thought I would get him a cup of coffee. By the time I got back he had already kicked his shoes off, literally, taken off his jacket and fallen asleep. It has been a long day," He tells me and I nod.
I'm about to say goodnight when an idea pops into my head. I desperately needed Diego to forgive me. But not a half-hearted, forced forgiving but a genuine, whole hearted one. I hear him curse and do a mental dance of triumph.
"What am I doing exactly?" He asks and I sense apprehension in his voice.
"I heard you are quite the tracker," I say smirking.
"Was it Camila or Diego? Wait, is what you are about to ask me legal?" He asks me and I scoff.
"Is tracking people without their consent legal at all, actually tracking in general? You're not exactly the FBI," I ask him and he sighs whispering touché.
I grin to myself and start to explain my plan. It was probably more complicated than I thought but it was all I had. And surely it couldn't end that badly, at least some benefits would have to come from it.
It's only fair.
And at two a.m. it was all that I could come with and I needed to sort this situation out as soon as possible.
It can't be that bad.
Okay, now I just have to believe it.
"So then you'll send Greg, and he'll be back by Tuesday?" Marco asks.
"Yep, Wednesday is too late. I will probably be dead because of guilt by then. And hopefully, he won't return empty handed," I say, trying to not let my uncertainty overcome me.
"I feel like this isn't thought out enough," Marco says and I can hear the anxiety in his voice.
"Oh, it definitely isn't! But can you do this for me?" I ask him, crossing my fingers in my lap.
"Of course I can, I can do anything. But am I going to do it? I guess so, you're just lucky I actually like you," He says and I can already sense his regret.
"Then get tracking!"
He moves and I soon hear him push himself across the room in a chair. He had a chair with wheels, I always loved those. I hear him tapping on a laptop. His fingers must have been moving incredibly fast.
Luckily he had a photographic memory and remembered everything the first time we saw the document so I did not need to look for anything.
I wish I could say that I waited patiently but that is quite a lie. I needed the answer immediately, I wanted to send Greg off first thing this morning with at least some form of a letter.
I thought it would be quite rude to just go there without any solid reason. Or at least without anything in writing. I also didn't know exactly who I was dealing with so it was best if I tried my best and gave myself enough time to write a draft. Or three.
Three minutes after the typing had started the typing had stopped. Either my plan failed or Marco really was talented.
"Done," He says.
My plan is now in action.
I DECIDED THAT if this didn't work the way I wanted it to, it would not be the end of the world.
This was my thought while I was at my dressing table drunk on caffeine writing a letter.
The explanation behind the aforementioned thought was that since Diego was already unbelievably infuriated with me it would be impossible for that feeling to intensify.
Humanely impossible.
But again that was last night.
I am no longer sure if that suffices anymore.
I woke up this morning in my bed, under the blanket which was carefully brought up to my collarbone.
I knew it was him.
I had told him exactly where I liked the blanket to be whenever I slept which where the blanket was. And his scent faintly lingered in my room which meant he was here for longer than just a minute to put me in bed.
I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I thought about it. He didn't hate me.
But my smile disappeared soon enough. This meant that once my plan is brought to its climax he could possibly hate me. In fact, if it didn't work even in the slightest way he would definitely hate me.
I finally get out of the bed. I finally get ready and put on a pair of track pants, a vest, and a hoodie.
Greg did not disappoint and arrived soon after I called him. I told him to take the private jet and to feel at home in it. After all, I was sending him on an impromptu trip, the least I could do was give my full consent to wreck the jet if he wanted.
I mean he wouldn't because he is way too poised for it but he can treat himself to champagne.
I give him the address that Marco found and the letter. I hadn't read through it to check for grammatical or spelling errors. I was incredibly tired and was proud that it was at least legible.
I walk into the hallway and past Diego's room when I come to a halt. I backtrack and stand in the doorway of Diego's bedroom. His cupboard doors were open. They weren't open yesterday. I slowly, fearfully, walk into his room and look into his cupboard.
At least half of the clothes from his shelves were gone.
I fall back onto the bed and bury my face in my hands. How could I lie to him? Why did I have to assume the worst of him at the wrong time?
This plan of mine has to work.
It has to.
I was on the Macbook looking for dinner dishes when my phone starts to ring. I hoped it would be Diego but instead, it was Greg. I sigh in slight disappointment.
"Hey Greg," I say with my head resting on my forehead.
"Good afternoon Violetta. I just wanted to inform you that we will arrive tomorrow afternoon. When would you like me to bring them to you?" He asks.
"Tuesday evening around six. Gives them the rest of Monday and most of Tuesday to sleep," I tell him and he murmurs in agreement. "Are they excited?" I ask him.
"Well they are not exactly enthusiastic but it could be worse. They are coming willingly after all," He says trying to cheer me up.
"I guess you are right. Thank you, Greg," I say gratefully.
"Anything for Mr. Hernandez."
Guests. Check.
"Hey Andres," I say and he immediately breathes in relief.
"Thank hell you are alive! I thought Diego was going to kill you...and then us," He says, his voice vibrating and I guessed it was because he shuddered.
"It takes too long to break in a new wife," I explain and he laughs.
"So, what do you need?" Andres asks me.
Was I really that predictable?
"What makes you think I want something. I am shocked you think so little of me," I say in my best hurt voice I could muster.
"Cut to the chase Vilu," He says and I groan.
"I need you to cook a dinner for me on Tuesday. It needs to be perfect, your best dishes ever!" I say.
He agrees pretty quickly, he's always up for any cooking job. He says he will ask one of the new guys to cover for him. The newbies were always gullible. After taking note of the number of people he cuts the call to go and look through his cookbook. He was currently in the process of putting together a book of his very own recipes.
I had never been so thankful for my friends at Black Mint.
Food. Check.
Now, probably the most difficult part of my entire master plan. So far everything had been going exactly the way they should. Maybe I am getting pretty good at this. This is working out better than things I come up with when I am not dog tired.
He didn't pick up the first fifteen times.
I knew that he wasn't at work today, he didn't take any suits. So he was just holed up in Marco's place deliberately ignoring my calls. Rude but understandable. I called another four times. He continuously sent me to voicemail.
He probably expected me to give up by now.
But no. I had put in too much effort (that's a lie, all I did was a write a sloppy letter) to let him be the reason it all falls apart.
I call again and surprisingly he actually answers the call.
"For fuck's sake are you dying?" He asks me. His voice was husky and laced with annoyance.
Don't back down now Violetta!
"I know that you feel the utmost contempt towards me right now but I want you to make it up to you. I politely request your presence for dinner on Tuesday. Quarter to six," I say trying to stay as civil as possible.
"Why should I?" He asks.
"Because I really need you to. Really really really really really really really really really rea-"
"Okay!" He says, the aggravation clear in his voice.
"Really need you to," I finish my previous sentence and he sighs in defeat.
"I'll be there," He promises and I smile in victory.
"Oh, and thanks for last night," I add on.
He cuts the call.
Hey!! Sorry if this chapter was a little boring but I didn't want to give away too much and I wanted an entire chapter of Violetta feeling guilty. Also, now she messed up so she has a big scheme to try and make it up to him. I thought it was her turn. And besides, I like Diego being mad at her.
So that's your chapter. I hope you kinda do have an idea of who the guests are. I hope you liked the chapter nevertheless.
For some reason I am able to write these chapters pretty quickly and this is nearing the end. I am pretty devastated about the fact it is near the end to be honest.
And, I know I said I wanted to publish everything by December (or I may not have, I may have written it in a future chapter) but I have changed my mind. I will try and finish writing this (including the Diego chapters) and Heaven by December (I'm going on holiday which means long plane rides) and then publish everything by April!
And, the gif I used for like C50, forget it? I'm using it for another chapter. Yep. That's it.
Anyway, thanks for reading 🙈 Sorry for any errors 💚
~Lexy 😈