Aftermath

Chapter 2

The thought of seeing Styles makes me giddy-or is it too much champagne? Either way, I'll do everything I can to avoid him.

Was he the real reason she approached me; to inform me of his arrival here tonight? Or was it to find out how I got an invitation.

Where are you, Zach?

As I move through the crowd, I grab another glass of champagne to calm my nerves as I keep walking. The more I search for my date, the more anxious I become.

As I move around the edge of the room, my hands begin to tremble.

I keep walking until I am back at the entrance.

The sound of clicking cameras and someone calling out "Come on, Mr. Styles, give us a picture, please." Has me coughing on my fruity champagne.

I pray it's another person with the same surname, but the sudden uproar inside of me tells me it's him.

Styles. He's here.

And one glance over my shoulder confirms it. The sigh of his powerfully built body hidden beneath a black suit with a white shirt and the top button undone, sends a shudder through me.

The physical reaction hits me before my brain can commutate a thought.

My hands tremble even more as he walks in my direction, tall, proud, and bursting with confidence and an obvious air of class.

And then, I feel the hit to the chest as I take in the tall woman at his side. The gorgeous blonde with the short white dress is all legs and hair as she struts along the burgundy carpet. They look well suited: gorgeous and very imposing as they ignore the photographers as if they've done this a million times before together.

And perhaps they have back in New York. Maybe she's more than a bed filler. Maybe she shares her days and life with him?

"Coco, one picture please." A photographer calls out.

If I don't move, they'll be running me over within seconds.

So, with my gut clenched tight, I shuffle backwards until I hit the wall. The sight of a huge leafy plant to my left has me taking two steps to hide beside it.

Through the leaves, I peek at them, now able to notice the finer details of his strong jawline and those pale blue eyes that had chilled me more than once from a glance.

Not even the heads up about him being here could prepare me for this.

I have so many emotions surging through me. But I'm mostly sad and angry: sad because of what happened between us, and angry because of the twisted person he turned out to be. I should have listened to my instincts when we first met since I didn't like or trust him. Yet I found myself sucked in by his charm and good deeds that were nothing more than lies to hurt me.

Not that it matters anymore, because he's nothing to me-nothing. And I refuse to let his presence ruin my night.

Besides, what would Zach think if he could see me hiding from one man, when a room full of people are now witness to my stupidity?

On that thought, I step away from the wall and into view. Let him see me, see how well I'm doing. The only drawback, Zach is not by my side.

Ashley comes to an abrupt stop when he sees me.

I gulp.

My stomach flips and something hits me deep at the core as my heart thrusts against my chest. I wish I could say that seeing him again doesn't affect me, but it does, of course it does; I'm a living being with way too many emotions.