A surprise visit

Chapter 10

Annette

It has been three days since Cole opened up to me about his feelings. He confessed that he loved me when we were younger, and now I feel foolish for my anger when I discovered he left without a word.

As he recounted his past experiences, I couldn't help but feel a sense of revulsion towards his so-called wife. If my ex's actions were wrong, what Cole endured was nothing short of brutal. I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone—the agony of living for years with an abuser. While we sat by the waterfall, I held his hand, and it seemed to bring him some peace.

He cried as he shared his story, and I felt utterly heartbroken. His outward appearance masked the turmoil he felt inside. I asked him, "Are you okay now?" and he smiled, replying, "Yes, I feel free. Thank you for listening, Annette." I returned his smile, realizing Mrs. Rachel was right—he does have feelings for me. However, I must guard my heart; I doubt I could be a good partner for someone like him.

Can someone who is broken heal another broken soul? I'm not sure, but I'm willing to offer him my support as a friend. Perhaps, in time, it could evolve into something deeper, but that's uncertain. I can't pursue a relationship with him; despite the nature of his marriage being a contract, he is still legally bound. Becoming his mistress is not something I desire, even if I don't feel sympathy for his wife. I have my own dignity to uphold.

We lingered by the waterfall a bit longer before he suggested driving me home. Since that day, I haven't seen him again. Although we exchanged contact information, our communication has been limited to texts, primarily because I've been swamped with work. The snow is getting worse each day, which means more responsibilities for me. I haven't even had a moment to catch up with Emilia since her return.

With a sigh, I admitted to myself how exhausted I felt. This was the last house I had to clean for the day. On my way home, I bumped into Diane. "Look who it is, the one and only Annette," she said with a smile that instantly annoyed me. Her feigned friendliness in front of others while being insincere was grating. I chose not to respond and waved down a nearby cab. "I see you're still upset about me taking Rodney from you," she taunted. I scoffed but managed a smile, ready to play along. "You can have him; he's like my vomit. I don’t go back to my vomit, so enjoy your day," I said as I climbed into the cab.

Once inside, I took a deep breath. I had far more important things to focus on, like the money I needed to give Emilia for school and other matters, rather than wasting time feeling bitter over a man or being jealous of someone else's childish behavior.

Suddenly, the cab came to a halt in the middle of the road. Thank goodness I had my seatbelt on; otherwise, I might have hit my head. "I apologize, Annette. It seems the cab has developed a problem," the driver said. This day was turning out to be quite chaotic. "Here, take half the fare," I offered, extending my hand with the money, but he shook his head in refusal. "No, Annette, you can keep it." Mr. Gab was genuinely kind, which made me chuckle. "Alright, thanks." As we exited the car, he joked, "Maybe someone will pass by and give you a ride; that's the perk of living in a small town." I laughed in agreement. A few minutes later, we noticed two luxury cars approaching, and I couldn't help but wonder who they belonged to.

Unexpectedly, the car pulls up beside us, and Cole steps out. I gasp; I’ve never seen him like this before. He’s dressed in a tuxedo, his hair perfectly styled, looking as if he walked straight out of a film. Two others emerge as well, both in black suits—one from the driver’s seat and the other from the back with Cole.

He looks so striking that I can hardly recognize him, and my heart races. Maintaining eye contact feels impossible with him looking so dapper. “Did the cab break down?” he inquires. All I can do is nod like an i***t. Thankfully, Mr. Gab chimes in, “Yes, it seems Miss Annette is on her way home.” Cole gestures to the other car, and someone came out from it and rushes over. “Mr. Gab, right?” Cole asks, and Gab nods in acknowledgment. “If you need anything, just ask him—a mechanic or something. He’ll handle it.” The person Cole referred to approaches Gab, and they begin to converse. He then turns to me, saying, “I’ll take you home, Annette.” Come on, say something, don’t just gawk at him like a lovesick teenager. “Thanks, Cole,” I manage to reply, and he smiles at me.

I got into the car with him as we sped away. "Just finished work?" he asked. I was feeling flustered and wanted him to stop talking. "Yes," was all I could manage. How was I going to escape this awkward moment? Wasn't this the same Cole I knew? "Did you go somewhere?" I inquired, feeling a bit more at ease. He nodded. "I took a quick trip to L.A.," he replied. Wow. "What about Collins?" I asked, pleased with my progress. He smiled. "I left Collins with his nanny; I wasn't gone long, not even 24 hours." There was something different about him today; he seemed unusually happy. I couldn't resist asking, "Did you win the lottery or something? You seem off." He laughed, "Do I look like I won the lottery?" he said playfully. "You shouldn't respond to a question with another," I pointed out. He glanced at me for a moment, and I wondered what was going on in that handsome mind of his. "I'll tell you later," he said. Seriously? I pressed my lips together, and then something unexpected happened—Cole touched my lips, completely disregarding the man sitting across from us.

I flinched and pulled back. "Seriously, man, that's harassment. If you're going to do something like that, at least give me a warning," I told him. "And if I do, will you let me?" he shot back. "Absolutely not," I replied firmly. He chuckled, "You clamped your lips together; I was just trying to help you relax." Innocently, he said it, but really, I wasn't sure I knew this flirting man at all.

We soon reached my house, and Emilia was waiting outside. I had informed her I was on my way, so she must have been worried since I arrived later than expected. "I'll head out now," I said, when suddenly the man sitting across from us stepped out of the car and opened the door wide for me. Was this some sort of royal treatment? Cole followed me outside and stared at Emilia. "Isn't that Emilia? She’s grown up," he remarked with a chuckle. She was just a child when he left. "Yes, she has," I replied proudly, and he glanced at me. "I'll call you when I get home," he said, and I smiled back at him.

He waved at Emilia, who looked stunned but waved back. Then he got into the car with the other man, and they drove away. I turned to see Emilia, still overwhelmed and with a look of surprise on her face. Finally, she spoke, "Isn't that Cole Rivers, the famous billionaire? What was he doing here? And he waved at me! Wait, is he the same Cole you always talk about?" I was taken aback—she knew him? "Yeah, it's the same Cole," I confirmed. She gasped and covered her mouth. "Follow me, I want to show you something."

We went to her room, and she opened her laptop. She typed "Cole Rivers" into Google, and I was shocked to see his face plastered all over the screen, including news about his finalized divorce.

There were several articles about him, the renowned billionaire from L.A. "See? He’s a well-known wealthy figure. My God, Annette, your childhood crush is one of the richest man in all of L.A."