Elena
“I’m stealing you away for lunch. And before you even try to protest, Jess cleared your schedule last week to accommodate me.” The voice of Isaac came as he burst through my office door.
I look at my watch; 3 pm already.
“Wait, you had Jess clear my schedule?” I ask, blinking in surprise when he nods.
“It seems to be the only way to get some bloody free time out of you!” He says, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I have to schedule myself into my own sister’s life.”
I sigh as he says this, especially when a sad look crosses his eyes.
Getting up from my office chair, I walk around my desk and take his hands in mine. “All you had to do was call me, you tart. I always have time for you,” I say, offering him an apologetic smile.
He shakes his head again, bopping his red curls. “I’ve been trying for the last month, love,” he says, slipping his arm in mine. “But now that I have you for the afternoon, you’re not to answer that damned cell of yours unless it's the day mother or Sebbie.”
I am about to mention that I have a few things to finish off, but he silences me with a finger to my lips. “No.” That is all he says before grabbing my handbag, coat and cell phone.
I nearly doubled over from laughter at the sight of us and what Isaac had to do to get some free time out of me. If this doesn’t attest to my busy schedule running my life, I don’t know what does.
“The usual?” I ask.
He nods happily as he opens the car door for me. “Always the usual,” he replies with a smile, and instead of getting into his car, I walk around and wrap my arms around his waist.
“Thank you, Isaac,” I say, unsure of why I was thanking him but knowing it has something to do with me needing a breather from everything.
He gives me a squeeze, and then we both hop into his car and set off to our usual lunch haunt.
I have to admit that I am still reeling from the fact that my own brother had to schedule himself into my days. How pathetic is that? My little family always used to come first, above everything else. Now, look at me turning into a person I used to despise.
“So, how have things been with you and Matthew? Is Jane coping well in her little daycare?” I ask, remembering our last conversation about how they battled to get Jane to go to daycare. The little girl hated being separated from her dads.
Isaac shrugs. “As well as can be expected. I’ve been on leave for the last week before I fall back into my routine. And Jane’s settled at least; she’s stopped throwing her wobblies and has made a few little friends as well.” He says with a content smile on his face.
I wonder if I used to look like that.
After the server brings out our wine and starters, Isaac levels me with a gaze. “And you? How are things with your CEO and kids?” He asks.
I pick up my glass, taking a big gulp before looking at him again. “Sebastian’s okay; he’s been out of town and country on most days, so I barely see him. The kids are… doing well too.” I answer him, feeling horrified that I have no idea how my children are actually doing.
Isaac seems to pick up on this and raises his eyebrow. “Is everything okay, love? You don’t seem like your usual perky self.”
I put down my wineglass and sighed. “No. No, I don't think things are okay at all,” I admit, looking down at my hands on the table.
Isaac reaches over and places a hand over mine. “Well, I’m here, so talk to me. What’s worrying you?”
Tears slip down my cheeks before I even get a word out, and Isaac gets up and walks over to me, getting on his haunches and wrapping me in an embrace.
“I don’t know where we went wrong, Isaac.” I admit as he rubs my back. “We used to be the perfect couple with plenty of romance and intimacy. Now the only level of intimacy we have is when Sebastian crawls into bed next to me and slips his arms around my waist.”
“I miss him! I miss him so much that my heart aches every time I think about him or see his picture on my desk and phone screen!” Gosh, I hate blubbering like this, but at this moment I did not care - I’m sad, damn it!
He then pulls away and hands me a tissue. “Well, what’s caused this? Why is there a sudden rift between you two? Don’t you love him anymore?”
I look at him, horrified. “No, that’s not it at all! We’re just… we’ve just become too busy with our careers that we’ve slipped out of intimacy and into a rut.” I say, wiping my nose with the tissue.
Isaac lets out a sigh and places his hands on my knees. “Then why don’t you get your man back if you still love him? Show him how much you’ve missed him in bed, turn up unannounced at his work or do what I did; schedule yourself into his time.” As soon as Isaac says this a bitterness sets into my heart.
Scheduling a time in my husband's busy diary to see him for an hour.
He sees my expression and tilts my chin up to look into my eyes. “Elena, make time for one another before it’s too late and you regret it.”
I nod. “I know, and I’m sure Sebastian feels the same way, but what am I to do? Right now Sebastian isn’t even in London!”
Isaac sighs. “Well, first things first - what do you have scheduled for tomorrow?” he asks, looking at me quizzically.
I frown at this question. “Tomorrow? Well, work obviously then at about 7 pm, I have an important dinner scheduled with the CEO of one of the biggest literary houses in the UK. Why?” I ask, cocking my head to the side.
Isaac blinks and goes quiet for a few seconds - then he gasps. “Elena, do you know what tomorrow is?”
Why do I suddenly feel like the only one left out of a joke? First Jess and now him.
“It’s Thursday, innit? What about it?” I ask.
He pinches the bridge of his nose and breathes out a long sigh. “For as long as I’ve known you, you and Sebastian have always celebrated it together. Come what bloody may. Now you’re telling me you’ve forgotten about Valentine’s Day?!”
Excuse me; TOMORROW IS VALENTINE’S DAY?!
Sebastian I’ve been stranded at Heathrow for the last three hours and it is pouring with rain. My flight to Tokyo has been delayed due to some unforeseen weather conditions and because of that, I have missed out on an important merger. Bollocks. Luckily I asked my assistant to let the four CEOs know about the delay and she is yet to get back to me on what their answers are. So for now I am stewing in my anger while sipping bourbon in my private jet. I’m not angered at the fact that my flight is delayed, no, I am angered because this was supposed to be my last international meeting for the next three weeks or so. I wanted to spend that time with my family, I wanted to make time for them because truth be told, I barely see them anymore. Yes, I am married, but I might as well not be with how busy I am. This doesn’t mean that I love Elena any less, not at all. She’s the love of my life and completes me; however, I
Sebastian The following day I had a bouquet of Elena’s favourite flowers delivered to her office along with her favourite delicacies. I apologised for not being able to join her that evening for a Valentine’s Day dinner. In return, she sent me a timepiece with the same apology. I had felt incredibly uneasy since Elijah’s visit yesterday. His words hit home and made me wonder just who exactly I am working myself to the bone for. Granted, I am doing this for my family, but who says they will all still love me when my workload starts to lessen? So, I asked my PA to begin compiling the resumes of suitable candidates to stand beside me as my COO. I just have to face tonight, and then I will be free to spend my time with my family again. I hope after this Elena will still feel the same about me, surely our love wouldn’t crack under this little pressure, right? Shaking my head, I dive into what leftover work I had yes
I stared at my laptop, not believing what I was seeing… Then I let out a shriek so loud that even my mother came running into my room.“What in the world is going on, Elena?” she cried out, staring at me with eyes as big as saucers. I turn my laptop screen around and point towards it, “I got accepted, mother! Harvard has accepted my application!” I respond with glee, to a very confused mother.She raised one expertly plucked eyebrow at me, “Excuse me? Harvard, as in The States?”Fighting the urge to roll my eyes at her, I nod and could not help but grin.Harvard Law School, my dream Uni has accepted me! Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing could knock me off this high. I’ve done it! I have proven to myself and my family that I could get somewhere without their influence. I mean, I could have chosen Cambridge or Oxford, but that would be too close to home and the Wiltshire name. I would immediately hav
Dressed in a burgundy empire evening dress with a sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves, I put on my Mary Jane Louboutins and was ready to face the Dumonts. I left my hair to cascade in curls down my back and didn’t bother with over the top makeup. I had no one to impress, so why bother with frivolities? As I descend our winding staircase, I spot my sister in the foyer. She was on the phone and seemed rather upset. The clicking of my heels alerts her to my presence and she kills her call. Turning to face me, she plasters a fake smile onto her face and walks towards me and catches my frown. “Wedding problems,” she answers with the roll of her eyes. I knew she was lying, but who am I to say anything? She clearly did not want to tell me what was going on with her.I offer her a tight smile, “Eliana, you know…” I start, but decided against it with the shake of my head, “Never mind. Is everything ready for this evening?”
You could hear a pin drop. Eliana, my sweet sister, would be causing a scandal with her news. The worst type of scandal in the upper class and nobility circles. Affairs and babies born out of wedlock. Sebastian had gone pale, my parents were reeling from this news and the Dumonts? Well it seems that even they did not know this last little titbit. Mirabelle walks towards them, “You’re pregnant?! A child born out of wedlock, how shameful!” She shrieks and I could tell this upset her incredibly. “I knew there was something about you that I didn’t like.” Eliana throws her head back and laughs, or rather cackles, “Mirabelle, there will be no scandal. Robert and I will wed before the child is born. Then you will finally be rid of me.” I do not think I have ever heard my sister speak in such an acid tone, especially not towards Mirabelle Dumont. I could feel the shame radiating from where my parents were seated. Mirabelle goes completely
A knock at my bedroom door draws me out of my reverie. I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide in here forever. “Elena?” came the voice of my father. This made me frown. He hardly ever came into my room. I would have expected it to be mother or Eliana to run after me.Not the head of our family.“Come in, father,” I called out, then I sat up, straightening myself out as a lady should. He then opens the door and pokes his head in. “May I come in?”I nod and grab a tissue from my bedside table to dab my eyes with. Did he honestly expect me to tell him he could not enter my room?My father takes a seat on my bed and takes my hand in his, “Elena, I do not wish for you to go through with this marriage.” he starts abruptly, causing me to stare at him in surprise. Didn’t he just agree with everyone downstairs?“What do you mean by that, father? You just agreed with everyone downstairs that I should g
“This one looks beautiful, Elena!”Can you guess where I am right now? What a way to spend a peaceful Sunday.Currently swaddled in lace and silk, my mother and Mirabelle had kidnapped me so we could go hunting for a wedding dress. “Why can’t I just wear Eliana’s?” I had asked, and both of them looked like I had spat in their faces.Okay, then.So here I was, being a doll to my mother and Mirabelle. After trying on at least 10 more dresses, I started losing my temper.“Let me find my own dress, mother. Give me a few minutes,” I say in an exasperated tone to the surprise of the two ladies with me. If this was going to be my wedding, I might as well choose the damn dress since I didn’t get to choose the groom.I walk into the back section of London Bride Couture and sigh. This wasn’t how I pictured myself when I eventually had to choose a wedding dress. I thought I would be a lot happ
I spin around at the voice behind me and look straight into the eyes of Sebastian. Anger flared in his honey-coloured eyes as he took in the scene before him; Nicholas cupping my cheeks and my arms around his waist.I feel the anger radiating off Nicholas when he lets go of me and faces Sebastian, “We were just saying our goodbyes. There is no reason to be rude, Sebastian.” He says, meeting Sebastian’s angry stare.Wait, why the heck was he so angry, anyway?Stepping forward, I walk towards my supposed fiance and meet his gaze, “Nicholas was my intended before they forced me to marry you, Sebastian. I am saying goodbye to him, that is all.” I say to him and he peers down at me.“Irrelevant. I will not have another Eliana as my betrothed. You will go with me right this instant as we need to discuss a few things regarding our pending marriage.” He says and turns on his heel, “I don’t like to be kept wait