The Wallflower's Revenge

AWR Chapter 22: Troubled past, present nightmares

Many years ago…

"Finally, I met the luckiest woman. It is a pleasure to know you." Nova shook her hands as she smiled. Stella glanced at Carson who was also smiling from what was happening.

From the moment they both saw each other in person, she couldn't help but to feel awkward now that she finally met Nova, Carson's childhood sweetheart and ex-girlfriend.

Is she the woman Carson is telling her about? Upon looking at her physical features more, she could say, she's much more beautiful than her. She could see that Nova has fine, curly black hair that's not even in its proper place because of the frizz and everything. That is maybe the reason why she cut her hair very short. At least if she'll almost shave her hair, her fine curls will not look like a mess somehow. She has a brown skin tone while Stella is a fair one with naturally blonde straight hair.

However, Stella noticed that Nova is effortlessly charming. Her smile and giggles were very contagious. She's very approachable as if she knew how to talk to different personalities people have.

They were two, totally different individuals who happened to love one person. Nova was his past and she's her present and definitely his future. However, why is she being like this? Why does it feel like she's insecure at her from the moment she laid her eyes on her?

"N-Nice to meet you too," She shook her hands because she had no choice. She was caught off guard by Nova's approachable gesture.

"Stella, she's the one I'm telling you about," Carson smiled at them as she put her arms around Stella's shoulders. It made her heart skip a beat. At least, from Carson's gesture, her worries and doubts fade away in an instant.

"What? Oh, Carson...what did you tell Stella about me?" Nova giggled in response.

"I just told her about you because you're also invited to our wedding in the coming three months."

"Oh," She smiled in response but Stella could feel the slight pain in her eyes as she saw how sweet the two of them were in front of her.

Stella held onto Carson's arms as she smiled. It's as if she wanted to let Nova know that he's hers now.

"Well, what more can I say but congratulations! I am happy for the both of you," She shook her hands again and tapped the shoulders of Carson. Stella glanced at them and she can see how they look at each other. It bothered Stella all throughout the day that she's being quiet.

"Hey, why are you silent? You know, I am not used to seeing you like that…'' Carson said between chuckles as he sat beside her. They were now staying on the chairs located on the front porch of the house that they rented for vacation.

"I'm just…" she gazed on her fiancee and sighed as she looked away. She shook her head and smiled instead that Carson frowned a little.

"What?"

"Nothing," She said as she shook her head.

"How could it possibly be nothing if I can see it on your face?"

"I'm just worried." Stella bravely answered as she looked into his eyes.

"I knew what happened from the past between you and Nova." She added as she met his eyes. She's not blinking.

"What about it?"

"Look, Nova is your ex-girlfriend, okay? How can you just be so comfortable hanging around with each other like nothing happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"I only fear a lot of things, okay? I guess it was too much that I can't explain everything to you in detail. Maybe you have ideas about it, right?"

Stella saw Carson burst out laughing because of the way she said everything. It's as if Carson just heard an amusing story coming from her fiance just now.

"Can you blame me? I'm just worried about everything." She added as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I choose to marry you. It is you that I proposed to. What is it exactly you're worried about?"

"You both have a history of being together. I can't help but feel jealous about Nova."

Stella felt Carson's hands and arms encircled around both her shoulders as he hugged her from his side. He kissed her cheek.

"You're one, cute jelly." She pouted her lips as she frowned.

"Of course, you're the one I have chosen. Even Nova couldn't stop my love for you,"

"But she knows you more than I do. It's like, I'm back from scratches while her? She almost knows you from the little details from the tip of your hair down to the sole of your feet."

He couldn't help but chuckle again and it made Stella frown a little. "That's an exaggeration, Stel." He said while caressing her hair. "You will always be the right one for me. I have chosen you and I think that is more than enough, right?"

"Stel?"

"Huh?"

"You fell asleep during our meeting. Our boss wanted to see you immediately."

She gasped in shock as she blinked and rubbed her eyes. She remembered now. They were inside the meeting room when she felt very drowsy. She never knew what happened after that. All she knew was she just closed her eyes because she could feel her eyelids were getting heavier. She couldn't fight her being sleepy despite drinking four cups of coffee that morning alone, even before their corporate meeting began.

"S-Shan, what did our boss say?"

"It might be over for your career if you'll not hurry to his office. He's fuming mad at you a while ago."

"Why, what happened?"

"My goodness! You really had no idea, huh? You slept all throughout, even the meeting began. You even snore that some investors shook their heads about the project. It is unclear if they will sign the agreement because of what you did."

Stella clenched her fist as tears swelled from her eyes. Her other colleagues looked at her as they passed by her there, with judgemental stares.

"Wow, the nerve to sleep in a meeting?" She could hear other people murmuring about her.

"Yeah. She thinks she's important. See? Our boss wants her in an instant."

"Well, maybe she's good at flirting with our boss? Who knows what's happening in those four corners of our boss' office behind our backs."

"Shh, I think she could hear us. Tone down your voice." She slowly clenched his fists as she took a deep breath. She wiped her tears as she walked past her other co-workers that's sitting around that area.

"He wants you there as soon as possible. You gotta go right now." Stella nodded and stepped forward, going to her boss' office.

As she knocked twice, she heard a male voice telling her to come in. She took a deep breath as she stepped in the room.

"What do you want?"

"Is sleeping included in our work ethics?"

"I apologize, sir. I was just very tired." She looked down. She tried her best to not look at their boss in his eyes. However, she could feel in her peripheral vision that he's melting her with his gaze. The gaze that's only intended for her alone.

"Yeah. I could see that your eyes were a bit swollen. Please tell me, what happened?"

"I guess it's not your business to meddle between the lives of other people, right?"

"Look, I am just trying to help, okay? I hope you will not put malice into this one."

"I guess my personal life does not concern you anymore, sir." Stella emphasized the word, "sir" as she ended her sentence.

"C'mon, Stella. For old times sake? Could you please stop calling me "sir"?" Sebastian stood up from where he's sitting and went from behind her and consoled her by massaging her shoulders a bit. She politely brushed it off and held his hands.

"Please, Sebastian. Don't do this, how many times will I ever remind you that I am married already?"

"I don't care. I can still get you if you will just let me."

"Please discuss matters relating to work and leave me alone with some other reasons."

"What happened? You looked stressed out. I can see it in your face."

"I think I can't tell you the reason right now."

"Why not?"

"It's just between my husband and me."

"That's the reason why I badly wanted to know about it. What if he doesn't make you feel worthy anymore? What if he's hurting you the way I expect it?"

"The way you expect it? Wait, are you wishing that my family will be ruined?"

"If that's what it takes for me to get you back in my arms, why not? I guess that's one, sweet wish."

"Sir, if you will not say anything more relating to my job, I'd like to go out now. I still have work to do outside."

"Think about what I said earlier. I said, I badly wanted you back in my life, Stella. '' I will do everything for you to love me again,"

She could still hear Sebastian's words as she's driving home. When she saw Miss Willow approaching her, she walked with big steps. She was able to shut her entrance door even before Miss Willow greeted her.

As soon as she's inside the house, somebody called her phone. She answered her phone with a puzzled look on her face. It was an unregistered number trying to reach her.

"Hello?"

"I already missed your voice, that's why I called." He sounded cheerful on the other line.

"S-Sebastian?" She asked the other line, hoping it was just another prank coming from somebody.

"Wow. How could you forget my voice right away? Aww, I felt bad all of a sudden."

"What do you want? My shift is over and I guess if I am not going to answer your call, I will not be fired, right?" Stella could only hear an amused chuckle on the other line. It's as if somebody is enjoying annoying her more.

"I'd like to invite you for dinner."

"Invite someone else." Stella answered but she bit her lip. She never understood her feelings in an instant. Why is it that she felt her heart raced fast upon hearing what he said?

She heard a deep sigh from the other line.

"When I saw your eyes swollen and how exhausted you are, I realized that I need to take care of you this time."

She turned off the call right away after hearing that. She even threw her phone two meters away from her because of shock. Good thing it fell on the carpeted floor that's why it never scattered into pieces.

Why is the past trying to visit her this time? Now, she's afraid that it will knock at her again for the second time around.