Chapter Twelve (UNEDITED)

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"We all fall in love. One way or another. We hold back or go head first. Love brings out the best in us but also brings out the worst. Maybe just maybe... Well find that one special person who makes us do all those things and more." ― Madison Camilleri

Tristan's POV

*Wellington, New Zealand

I was having a meeting with the workers of my dairy farm - in the barn when my cellphone rang. Damn it. I forgot to turn my phone into silent mode.

"Excuse me." I took my phone in my pant's pocket and checked the caller. It was my cousin, Eros.

I went outside and my dog, Rocky tagged along with me.

"Eros."

"Hello cousin." Eros replied.

""I'm in the middle of an important meeting. Whatever you want to say, say it fast man."

"Sorry to bother you, Tristan. I just want to let you know that I'm getting married in a month!"

I felt numb. Like the world suddenly shattered into pieces.

"You're getting married in a month?" I repeated his words, making sure that I heard him right.

"Yes, man. Haha!" The excitement in Eros voice was so evident. It was obvious that he was very happy in getting married to Stella. Does he love her? Are they in love with each other?

Jealousy. Rage and sudden misery. The emotions I felt was so hard to bear. I didn't know what was happening to me. Eros' news of getting married was a very bad news to me, like I was going to attend a funeral, instead of a wedding.

"Why so soon?" I asked. I didn't like the thought of Eros and Stella getting married. Living together and having kids. It disgusted me.

"Why not?" He replied. "Anyway man, I'm expecting you this Saturday, okay? It's our engagement party. Be here in New York."

"No. I don't think so. We're going to launch our new commercial aircraft."

"Okay. But make sure you'll be in our wedding. You're my bestman."

"No way man. Pick anyone else, not me."

"You're the closest cousin that I got."

"Why don't you pick Iñigo. He's your best friend."

"I cant. I was his bestman on his wedding. It could be bad luck."

"I'm sorry man, I can't. I don't want to be anyone's bestman. I hate weddings."

"Tsk. Tsk. But you're coming, right?"

"Do I have a choice?" I decided, I still wouldn't go.

Eros laughed. "Not anymore. You'll be one of the groomsmen and I wont take no for an answer."

One of the groomsmen. Meaning I'd still have to be there in their wedding. Damn it.

"I have a...."

"Oh come on, man. Everyone is going to be there. It's my wedding day, you can't be absent." Eros interrupted me.

I inhaled deeply and said. "Okay. I'll be there."

***

"He's marrying Jade Collins, his personal assistant." My stepbrother, Kobe said.

Jade? Not Stella? I was surprised that Eros was not marrying Stella... I thought....

But Kobe couldn't be wrong. He always mingled with the Petrakis. He considered them as his close relative – although they were not really blood related.

"You mean, Jade, the one with black hair and big black-rimmed glasses?"

"Yeah and wear vintage clothes."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure, bro."

I sighed with relief. I didn't know why, but I felt elated, like a big thorn was pulled out of my chest.

"Hmm... His taste in women obviously changed. He used to like women with colored hair, like the one he met in the bar years ago. I remembered how he couldn't stop talking about her... how beautiful and amazing she was... I guess he got tired of looking for her."

"Or made a mistake of hiring lame detective and investigators. HAHA! They couldn't find the woman for years." Kobe laughed so hard. "It's good that Eros realized that he was just wasting money looking for that girl."

"Maybe she was worth that money."

"I don't know man. Anyway, I'm his bestman."

"You are? How come?" I frowned at my brother.

"I volunteered."

I almost choked on the beer I was drinking.

Stella's POV

I faced the humiliation. The stares of everyone who knew about my previous arranged marriage with Eros. The talk and whispers of women whenever I passed by. The plastic sad smiles and the pats on my shoulder as if I just failed my bachelor's degree board exam and that 'better luck next time look' that made me cringe.

I shouldn't have come here in the Grand Ballroom of St. Regis New York – the engagement party of Eros Petrakis and Jade Collins.

My family were the first ones who arrived. I was with my parents and brothers, Xander, Manuel and Franco.

It was really hard. Smiling all the time and pretending to be fine. But the moment I came face to face with Eros, all my composures were gone. The hatred I felt for him surfaced. How I hated his arrogance, his being insensitive and that superiority complex attitude. He always thought that he was God. I hoped Jade would put him down on earth sometimes to remind him that he was human, just like the rest of us.

"Hello, Stella. It's good to see you again." Eros smiled then dismissed me abruptly by turning around. I felt like I was just an acquaintance and irrelevant in his life. Damn him, I was once his fiancee! He should at least talk to me, and explained that 'I can't marry you Stella because I'm in love with Jade.' Not like this. I felt like a merchandise he bought and immediately dumped because he realized it was not useful to him.

I wanted to retaliate. To let him know that I was not some pest that he dismissed easily. I didn't mind anymore if I'd acted like a bitch.

"Where's your secretary?" I said sharply.

I got Eros' attention. He turned to me and smirked.

"I don't have any idea. But I'm sure I've invited Mrs. Wilson, she's here somewhere."

"I thought you're going to marry me. You made me believe that you will and all along... you have a relationship with your secretary. My family was even expecting it. I've waited for years Eros, years! This is a big humiliation on my part. I won't ever forgive you for this."

He smiled as if he hadn't heard anything. But his smile never reached his eyes. I got scared all of a sudden and somewhat regretted what I said.

"Well, thank you Stella, nicely said. Have you taken your medicine? Or you're just so hungry. Anyway, enjoy the food and drinks." Then he turned to the other visitors and shook their hands, ignoring me,

The arrogant jerk! He insulted me.

I wanted to leave the party. I wanted to hide. I couldn't take the humiliation anymore. The anger I felt for Eros was very overwhelming.

"Hi Stella."

It was Jade. She looked very beautiful and so radiant without her wig and glasses – like a sweet angel. No wonder Eros fell in love with her. A devil usually picks an angel to cover his dark sides.

"Hi Jade. Congratulations on your engagement." I was sincere when I said that. Though I hated Eros, I couldn't hate Jade. She was very nice, sincere and have no evil bone in her body. Eros was lucky to have her.

"Thanks for coming. I hope you can make it to our wedding also."

"Um... sure. I will." I replied. Oh my, I have to put an act again.

After dinner, there was dancing. I was talking to a friend near the bar when Eros suddenly approached me.

"Can I talk to you for a while, Stella?"

The smile on my face died when I turned and saw Eros.

"Sure."

"I know you're mad at me. I'd like to apologize for everything."

I was silent. I couldn't even look at him. He made me so angry.

"I'm so bothered. I just realized how badly I hurt you. I thought everything was okay... that the engagement we had before didn't matter to you like it was to me."

I glared at him angrily. "It matters a lot to me. I grew up being molded as your wife, never dated anyone or entertain suitors... I was reserved for you, to be served in a golden platter and all of a sudden you decided to marry another girl? What do you expect me to feel, celebrate that finally I have the freedom to go out with boys... isn't it too late for that? I'm twenty three, not sixteen anymore."

"I'm so sorry Stella. I didn't know that. I grew up enjoying my freedom and I was not thinking about our arranged marriage. Even though my parents reminded me about it once in a while, I put it at the back of my mind. Yeah, I'm always hardheaded, nobody can force me to do anything that I didn't want. I always believe that I have freedom to choose. That's why it never occurred to me that I have to ask for your permission when I decided to marry Jade."

"I don't know Eros. I don't even know why I'm here. I'm facing all the humiliation. Well, it's better to face it now, than later." I twisted my lips with distaste.

"I'm sincerely sorry, Stella that you have to bear all of these. What will I do, for you to forgive me?"

"There's nothing that you can do."

"What about a trip around the world?"

"You forgot, we have a lot of planes to take me wherever I want to go."

"You're right. What about an island in Greece?"

"We have plenty of islands already."

"Hmm... jewelries... signature clothes."

"You can't buy my apology, Eros."

"You gave me an idea. I'll give you a date."

"A date?"

"Yeah... I have a lot of friends and cousins who would be honored to date you."

"No... No... I'm not that desperate."

"I wish I have a power to turn back the clock. I will turn it back to the time you were sixteen. I will tell you not to believe our parents wish for us to marry, and you can entertain suitors and have a fill of dates."

His statement made me laugh and he smiled at me too.

"I'm glad that you're now smiling. Am I forgiven?"

"Umm... I think so..."

"Come on, let's dance."Eros dragged me to the dance floor and we danced.    

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