chapter 296
The evening was shaping up to be beautiful, even the most beautiful evening of his life. A proposal of marriage, he was afraid of misplacing his words, but he knew she would understand. He took the box out of his pocket and opened it, taking another good look at the ring inside. He’d been ready to spend his entire fortune to buy her a proper engagement ring, but in the end, he’d realized that she was worth more than all the jewels put together, so he’d chosen the one that suited her best. He’d been trying to reach Gina all day to find out where they were, but she wasn’t answering. He hadn’t told her what he was going to do, even though she’d asked. At five o’clock in the evening, he decided that it was finally time to go home, because he knew that by then, everything would be ready. When he parked in the courtyard, he hurried out. Given how quiet everything was, he was glad to know they were still outside, and that gave him plenty of time to get ready. As he passed through the door into the hall, he saw that everything was just as he’d asked, just as well decorated, but the orchestra wasn’t there yet. He knew that with the time it would take to get ready, the orchestra would eventually arrive.
An hour later, dressed as planned and, above all, elegantly dressed, he finally left his room, not forgetting to take the jewel case with him. He saw Gina staring at him with eyes full of compassion and he couldn’t for the life of him understand why she was like this. She was supposed to be with Vlad and Elena, yet she couldn’t see them anywhere. it wasn’t looking good.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
-I asked you to keep them outside and now I can’t see anyone. Where are they?
-We didn’t go out. Can I ask who you’re proposing to today, Finn?
-You’re really thinking of someone else if not Elena? She’s the woman I love and she’s the woman I intend to marry. This woman makes me happy Gina and I think I’ll make her happy too. Where is she?
Gina didn’t know how to answer. She’d suspected during the day that if Finn was keen for her to keep Elena out, it was for something, and she told herself that if she’d known it was for this, she’d be doing everything she could to hold her back. She didn’t even know how she was going to tell Finn she’d left.
-Gina, why aren’t you talking? Where’s Elena and Vlad? Has something happened to them?
-No, but I’d prefer you to sit down first, Finn.
He complied because he didn’t really have time to waste and he wanted to understand quickly. He looked at Gina to get her to speak, but she acted as if she still wanted to beat around the bush, and he didn’t like that.
-Do you want me to take the time to look for them myself, Gina?
-They’ve gone, Finn.
-Gone? I don’t know what you mean. When I left this morning, Elena and Vlad were still here, so can you tell me exactly what you mean by gone? It doesn’t make any sense.
-I know it’s surprising but it’s the truth. I don’t know, but since this morning, she’s been very sad. She just told me she was leaving and I don’t think it was a decision she’d made since. She did it on the spur of the moment.
She was perfectly right about one thing, she was sad and only the night before she’d cried and Finn didn’t know why. He had no idea what he’d done to this girl to make her do such a thing. Yet he loved her and had thought she loved him too. Vlad didn’t have a passport because he kept it, so there was only one thing left to make him hope that she hadn’t left Russia yet. He got up quickly and went to his office. He looked at the place where he’d put Vlad’s passport and didn’t see it. He dropped back into his office chair and cupped his face. He desperately wanted to understand where he’d gone wrong, because he didn’t understand. He was certain she was in New Orleans and he had to get there. First, he needed to get his friends to come and take care of things while he was away. He asked Filip to call Alexei.
An hour later, when he heard the knock on his office door, he didn’t even have the strength to speak. Seconds later, when the door opened, he saw his friends arriving, and Filip’s smile didn’t please him at all.
-You’re not going to tell us that Finn is inviting us to the wedding, because if you are, I’ll never forgive you. Where’s the bride, I want to see her please. She’ll certainly be very happy because she’s going to become the wife of the Russian billionaire.
Finn wasn’t really in the mood for his joke. He looked at him with a look that was an order for him to stop this nonsense. Filip understood very quickly and stopped talking.
-Seriously, Finn. You’re not going to tell us you’ve brought us all this way just to stare at us like you want to kill us. We saw the hall decorated as if there was a ceremony here. We want to understand what’s going on. You’ve finally realized that you’re in love with her and she’s told you it’s not mutual?
Another thing that could be true. She certainly hadn’t told him that, but he thought that if she were to tell him that she wasn’t in love with him, what was he going to do about it? Maybe suffer alone.
-You guys got it all wrong. She left before I even came and I don’t understand what I did wrong, I don’t really understand where I went wrong. Yesterday she was sad. Not all day, but when I got to our room, she wasn’t there, and when I got to Vlad’s room, she was and she’d even cried. Again this morning, she cried and I still don’t understand what I did wrong.
Alexei began to stroke his beard. This happened a lot when he wanted to think, and Finn hoped he’d give her a solution and not talk nonsense like Filip.
-What if she’d heard what you said yesterday, Finn?
-I don’t see what I said yesterday that was hurtful, guys.
-that she’s just your submissive, Filip reminded him.
He remembered this and called himself an idiot. He hoped she hadn’t heard that, because if she had, he was sure she’d never forgive him for it. He blamed himself to death and the only way to fix it was to show her that she’d been wrong all along to think she was his submissive.
-What are you doing, Finn?
-I’m going to New Orleans. I don’t know when I’ll be back, and I’m counting on you to take care of everything.
He didn’t give them time to answer and left his office. He hoped to arrive very soon.