Chapter 2

5 years later

 

"And that concludes today's meeting, ladies and gentlemen. Before you leave, feel free to help yourselves to some coffee and pastries." I placed the papers on my desk and glanced up at the board of directors, predominantly composed of men. Only two women, including myself, were present. I couldn't recall the name of the other lady in the red blazer.

"That was impressive, Miss Vasilios. Your company's continuous growth is truly remarkable," Mr. Ashram remarked, offering me a warm smile. He was the one who provided me with an internship during my second year at Harvard. "Your parents must be incredibly proud of you."

I returned his smile and nodded. "They are," I replied, sweeping my gaze across the room, taking in all the satisfied faces before speaking up again. "I apologize for not being able to stay longer. I have another meeting to attend. Enjoy the rest of your day, ladies and gentlemen, and don't forget to indulge in some coffee and pastries."

With a final nod, I exited the conference room where I had been since seven in the morning. Glancing at my Swarovski watch, I realized I had only fifteen minutes left before my next meeting. I smoothed my blazer and made my way to the elevator.

"Miss Vasilios, your car is waiting outside," Daphne, my personal assistant, appeared out of nowhere, causing me to take a step back to avoid colliding with her. She held a Starbucks coffee and a donut in her hand. "I brought you breakfast. I'm sure you haven't had a chance to eat this morning."

She was right. I had woken up at five to put the final touches on the presentation, rushing to the office for the 7:30 start. Now it was already ten, and I felt utterly drained. It had been ages since I had a restful night's sleep or a leisurely morning. Ever since graduating from Harvard, it had been the same routine every single day: work, home, eat, sleep, repeat.

"Thank you, Daphne," I gratefully took the coffee and donut from her. She truly was a lifesaver in times like these. "I'll be back in my office at two in the afternoon."

She nodded and left, but to my surprise, I heard her heels clicking behind me again. "Wait, Miss Vasilios. Should I reschedule your appointment then?"

Confusion etched across my face. "I have an appointment this afternoon?"

"Yes." Daphne retrieved a small planner from her Louis Vuitton bag. "Lunch with Angelica at twelve," she read aloud before looking up at me with raised eyebrows.

I inwardly cursed. How could I forget? I had already canceled our dinner date last week, and if I rescheduled the lunch, she would be furious.

"Where did we agree to meet?" I asked, softly massaging my temples. A headache was slowly creeping in. When would I ever have time for myself?

"The sushi place in Long Beach."

"It's quite a drive from here, but I'll be there. Don't cancel it."

Daphne nodded and jotted down a note in her planner. "Very well. I'll call her later to remind her about it."

"Is there anything else?" I hoped not. Please, let the answer be no.

Thankfully, she shook her head. "That's all."

"Good," I curtly replied and hurried toward the elevator. I would be late for the meeting if I didn't hurry. As I stepped outside, the car was already waiting for me.

The driver opened the door, and I slipped inside.

The heat outside was sweltering, and I felt an immense relief as I settled into the cool comfort of the car. Sipping my coffee, I gazed out at the passing skyscrapers. This daily route to work never failed to captivate me; its beauty was a stark contrast to the bustling streets of New York City, where I had spent most of my life.

It's still hard for me to believe how far I've come. After graduating with a degree in Business Administration from Harvard University, I made the immediate decision to move to California, despite my parents' objections.

They wanted me to return to New York, but I had my reasons for not wanting to stay there for longer than a week. My visits to the city were limited to holidays, and even then, I kept my stay short. My parents and Milan couldn't understand why I didn't want to spend more time there. They often complained that I worked too hard, but the truth is, if I hadn't, I wouldn't be where I am today.

Hard work and dedication have shaped me into the person I am now.

Over the past five years, I've done my best to avoid the Billionaire Boys Club whenever I was in New York, especially during the holidays when they hosted their annual ball. I always found excuses to skip those events—I simply didn't want to cross paths with Zane, the first boy who broke my heart.

I thought my anger would fade as the years passed, but deep down, I still harbor so much resentment towards him. I can't seem to get over the fact that he chose her over me, someone he had only known for four months, disregarding our ten years of friendship.

That's when I realized that knowing someone for a lifetime doesn't guarantee they'll stay by your side forever. And that's how I developed trust issues.

Thank you so much, Zane.

His name leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. To me, he no longer exists, and I go to great lengths to avoid him. So far, I've been successful.

After that fateful homecoming night almost six years ago, I never spoke to him again. I even switched high schools, much to Angelica's disappointment. My parents had no idea why I wanted to transfer, but they allowed me to without pressing further. I went from Stuyvesant High School to Manhattan High School for Girls.

Milan also found it odd that I no longer wanted to attend the Billionaire Boys Club events. I came up with a lie, claiming that my current high school overwhelmed us with excessive homework and tests. He didn't buy it completely, but he didn't dig deeper either.

"Miss, we have arrived." The driver opened the door and assisted me as I stepped out. Entering the imposing building, I headed straight to the conference room on the twentieth floor.

I knew this building like the back of my hand since I frequented it for meetings and presentations.

As I entered the conference room, everyone was already seated and waiting for me. Taking a deep breath, I launched into the meeting.

After what felt like an eternity, the meeting finally concluded. I hurried outside, realizing I was already fifteen minutes late for my lunch date with Angelica.

Angelica was studying Hospitality Management at California State University, enjoying her second year so far. Her only challenge was the long-distance relationship with Axel, her high school sweetheart. He resided in New York while she remained in California, but their affluent backgrounds facilitated frequent visits.

Upon my arrival at the Sushi Place, I found Angelica already waiting for me, seated in a corner and engrossed in her phone. Dressed in a vibrant pink, flowery dress, she seemed to be typing away furiously, likely composing a message for me.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Vasilios," she sarcastically remarked, setting her phone down as I took a seat in front of her. "Don't tell me it was traffic."

I chuckled, as I had used that excuse so many times that it had become a habit whenever I was running late. "Late meeting," I honestly confessed. "How have you been? It feels like ages since we last met."

"And that's entirely my fault, considering I canceled our dinner last week."

"Angel," I groaned wearily, placing my bag beside me. "Being the CEO of a fast-growing company isn't easy."

"I know," she sighed. "But you also need to take some time for yourself. When was the last time you called your parents or Milan?"

"Um... Two weeks ago?" I replied uncertainly, biting my lip, well aware that it had been more than two weeks.

Angelica looked me straight in the eyes. "Really, Amari? You haven't called them in a month. They understand that you're busy, but they're worried about your well-being."

"I'm fine, honestly. I'll call them tonight." If I don't forget.

"You better, because they have some exciting news for you." Angelica's eyes sparkled with joy as she mentioned it, making me feel slightly anxious.

"What news?" I inquired suspiciously, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Before I forget," Angelica retrieved an envelope from her Gucci bag. "Here. This is your invitation. Your parents sent it with me when I visited Alex two days ago."

"Invitation? Is it for their wedding anniversary?" I gazed at the exquisite gold envelope in my hand.

"Open it," Angelica urged impatiently.

I tore open the envelope and skimmed through its contents.

With great pleasure,

Yasmin Shadid and Milan Vasilios

invite you

to join them at the celebration

of their marriage...

I didn't bother reading any further. My eyes widened, and I looked at Angelica in shock. "My brother is marrying Yasmin? When did the engagement happen? How did I not know?"

"Yes, and the engagement was two months ago. Your mom mentioned it to you."

"She didn't."

"She did!" Angelica nearly shouted. "You messaged me the news the same night when your mom told you about Milan's engagement. Remember?"

I remained silent for a moment, trying to recollect the events of the past few months. Then I facepalmed myself. Of course. That one night, Mom called me in the middle of the night to share the news that Milan had proposed.

I distinctly remember texting Angelica right after the call.

"Oh yeah, now I remember," I sheepishly replied, fiddling with the invitation card in my hand.

"You really need to take some time off work," Angelica insisted. I waved my hand dismissively at her. "I just... forgot."

"How can you forget your own brother's engagement?! Anyways, that's not the point. You'll have to be in New York next month for two weeks."

"Two weeks?!" I exclaimed, bewildered. She knew I didn't like staying in New York for more than a week. "Why?"

"In case you haven't realized, the wedding is being held in New York," Angelica answered, rolling her eyes at me.

"I read that."

"And Yasmin wants you to be her bridesmaid," she said, grinning. "But... that's not the best part." The cheerfulness in her voice made me even more suspicious. I knew whatever she was about to say wouldn't be good because Angelica's idea of "best" usually meant something troublesome in my dictionary. "The best part is that... Zane is going to be one of the groomsmen. And guess who he's going to walk down the aisle with?" She wiggled her eyebrows at me. "This is going to be so exciting," she mumbled softly under her breath.

No, don't tell me. Please, let it not be true. Is he still with Savannah, by the way?

Anxious, I gulped before stammering, "W-Who?"

Angelica's smile widened. "You, silly!"

"What?!"