The Wrong Number

I excused myself and left Henry to find Alfa. He had said many things to me, but I couldn't remember a single one. My mind was consumed by the sad look Alfa had given me before he disappeared.

"So this is where you're hiding from the party," I said, finding him in the backyard, away from the noise. He looked at me and smiled.

"I needed some fresh air," he replied. I walked over and sat beside him.

"The stars look beautiful tonight," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the sky.

"Yes, they do," I agreed, and we fell into a comfortable silence, simply staring at the night sky. They say love isn't just about looking into each other's eyes but also about looking in the same direction and loving it. Right now, I was loving the quiet moment we shared, just watching the stars.

"Why hasn't she messaged me? Rose, I mean. Not even a single 'hello,'" he said, turning to look at me, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. My heart clenched at the pain in them.

"She saved me from my loneliness, lifted me to the highest peak, made me feel invincible... but then she left me up there with nothing to hold on to."

"I... am... sorry," I forced the words out, my throat tightening.

"She left, and I was lost again. Then you came along, showed me warmth, found me... and made it impossible for me to differentiate between what I feel for you and what I felt for her. But I came too late. Tonight, I was reminded once again that I can't have what I desire."

I bet Henry must have told him something while I was with Isabelle.

"I..." I was at a loss for words.

He chuckled bitterly. "If you knew how your smile brightens my day, how your 'hello' lifts my spirit, how your laughter is my favorite melody..." He placed his hand over mine, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Your touch is the calm to my storm." He leaned closer, inhaling deeply. "Your scent is my flowery butterflies." He caressed my face, and I instinctively leaned into his touch.

"Your face is my heaven," he whispered before tilting his head back and closing his eyes. "If you knew how much you mean to me, you'd stitch us together permanently."

Then he stopped as if resisting everything he felt. I hated myself at that moment—for being weak, for letting my mother's situation rule my life, for allowing it to hold my happiness hostage.

He sniffed, brushed away his tears, and stood up. He walked a few steps away, kicked a pebble on the ground, then turned back to me. "Tell me where to go—to the right, where nothing is left, or to the left, where nothing is ever right."

I wished I could tell him that I was both the left and the right, that he didn't need to go anywhere because I would come to him.

"Once again, I have to trade my happiness for what I owe. Don't worry too much Dove, for me you see today you shall see no more," he said with a sad smile before turning to walk away. I could feel it, smell it in the air even, I was made aware by everything around me that if he walked away now, I wouldn't be able to see him again. So every fiber of my being, every muscle in my body, moved me toward him. I reached out and stopped him.

"Just for tonight, let's be happy," I whispered, clutching his sleeve. He turned to me, his eyes searching mine, and smiled sadly.

"Dance with me. There's nothing more I could ask for," he said before pulling me into a warm embrace.

This was what I needed—the silence, with only his heartbeat as my music. He had poured his heart out, and I was sorry I couldn't do the same. So, just for tonight, I let myself be in his arms. We waltzed around in slow circles, and all I could think about was holding on to him forever. I wanted him to open up his body and carry me wherever he went. I had never felt this way for anyone before—this was stronger.

And after tonight, I would walk into that house and give Henry a piece of my mind. I was done with his games. I would even report him to his sister if I had to. I was done being his puppet. And the fear of losing Alfa was more than a wake-up call for me.

His phone kept ringing as we danced, so he finally decided to pick it up.

"I'm sorry, Bunny, but it looks like our little fun has come to an end," he said, and I cursed whoever was calling.

"Ah, it's Chuks," he muttered after glancing at the caller ID. He excused himself and stepped away to answer the call. It was only three minutes, but it felt like forever.

"It was a friend of mine," he said upon returning. "That reminds me—I haven't told you about it. A worker in the company had a mother with a heart condition, so I sponsored her medical bills. Chuks is her son. He went with her to take care of her."

My breath hitched.

"Wait—you said Chuks and heart surgery?" I asked, my heart pounding.

"Yes. Henry told me about it. Come to think of it, I don't even know who the worker is yet."

"Wait—you were the one who sponsored the surgery?" I was now 100% sure he was talking about my mom.

"Yes. I personally took them to the hospital. She's such a wonderful woman, very religious. Too bad I haven't had the time to visit her since the surgery. Chuks always updates me."

I suddenly remembered Chuks mentioning a high-ranking official who had helped them settle in.

"So you know where they're staying?" I asked quickly.

"Yes, they're staying at my house over there. The doctors check up on her regularly."

"How did you even sponsor the surgery?" I asked because only the CEO had the right to authorize such a large amount of money.

"Of course, I'm the owner of the company. I may not be the acting CEO because it's boring, but I still own 70% of the shares, so my word is final."

"What?!" I screamed. "You're the boss?!"

"Technically, I'm the boss of your boss," he said smugly. "I own Maris Hotel and Suites. That's my mother's name. I inherited the company from my dad, though it's expanded under my leadership."

"So Henry isn't the owner?" My mind reeled. Henry never had control over my mother and brother—they had always been safe with Alfa. Alfa was my saving grace, not Henry. Relief flooded through me, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Thank you," I said before throwing myself into his arms, catching him off guard.

"You're welcome," he replied, still wondering what had gotten into me.

"I'll be back," I declared before rushing inside. It was time to give Henry a piece of my mind. I needed to end things with him before coming clean to Alfa—saving the best for last.

And the next time I see Alfa, I would finally do what I had wanted to do since the first time I heard his husky voice. I would kiss the hell out of him.