Chasing Her Discarded Ex-husband

HER CONFESSION

ABEL BLACKWOOD'S POV

I arrive at the grand lobby of the prestigious central city hotel and head to checks in at the front desk.

"Excuse me, I'm here to meet Aubrey Ravens," I say to the neatly dressed bellhop behind the counter.

"Right this way, Ms. Ravens is expecting you," he replies, stepping out from behind the desk. I follow him down a wide hallway to an exclusive wing of the hotel.

We take a beautiful spiral staircase up to an open dining area where several people are eating at tables. For a moment, I have never felt so grateful for the outfit Aubrey sent me. Its like she wanted to make sure I will blend in with the elite rich, which seem to be working as some of the well-heeled diners turns to glance at me.

In fact I overhear a teenage girl at a nearby table tell her mom "That has to be the famous runway angel!”. I never thought that I would no longer be walking around earth in complete anonymity.

The bellhop leads me down a short hallway and stops at an ornate golden door. "Ms. Ravens is waiting for you inside," he says, opening the door for me.

As I step into the luxurious suite, I am struck by the elegant silver decor, the plush chairs, the table set with fine china.

Seems like my boss booked a luxurious suite in the city's biggest hotel for our meeting. Too bad I am about to tell her I couldn't attain the big deal to work for Starlight Styles.

She is already seated at the elegantly set table looking adorable in a strapless, floor-length, silver satin dress.

"You came." She observes with a smile, coming over to greet me.

"We had an agreement."

"You look amazing!" she says, giving me a quick peck on the cheek. "Come. I chose this private suite where we can find a little privacy." She takes my hand and leads me back to the table.

A waiter approaches to take our order for the first course.

"I bought you a little something," Aubrey says suddenly, reaching into her handbag. After what feels like an eternity, she pulls out a sleek black box and slides it across the table.

"Open it," she urges, taking a sip of her champagne. Intrigued, I lift the lid to reveal a stunning diamond-encrusted watch.

"A token of my appreciation for all your hard work promoting my agency," Miss Ravens says with a warm smile.

"It's beautiful," I say, overwhelmed. "But it's too much. I don’t know what to say."

Does she go around buying expensive gifts for other models or is it just me?

"Just say you'll wear it," she insists, reaching across the table to take my hand. She fastens the watch around my wrist. Her immaculately manicured fingers caressing my hand in an odd manner.

"It's a perfect fit. Thank you" I reply, pulling my hand back, suddenly aware of the boundary we are crossing. She is my boss, and while the gesture feel nice, it also feels inappropriate.

Our meals arrive and we get busy talking and eating at the same time. I am surprised when she mentions that she wants to start her own fashion brand. Vanessa and I were still together when she launched Starlight Styles, and I know firsthand that it's not exactly an easy thing to do.

"Vanessa Sterling's brand is crumbling," Miss Ravens smirks referencing the ongoing scandals sorrouding Vanessa's husband, Cyrus. He is facing lawsuits for design theft and is dragging Vanessa's brand down with him. Vanessa made the worst mistake making him the head designer of her brand. But what does Starlight Styles collapsing have to do with Aubrey starting her own brand?

"Vanessa wanted to offer you a contract to save her sinking brand. Yesterday I thought it will be very profitable to have you work for her brand. But then I discovered a golden opportunity. Why help her when I can benefit from her downfall?" Aubrey continues and I raise an eyebrow.

"How exactly will starlight collapsing benefits you?" I question. "If anything it will be a loss since there will be less one brand to hire models from your agency. Wouldn't it be more profitable saving her brand?"

"I’m not interested in saving anyone, Abel. I’m focused on building my empire. If Starlight Styles collapses, it will be the perfect opportunity for me to take a chance and start my own fashion empire." She explains.

I’m stunned. She’s planning to capitalize on Vanessa’s misfortune. If Starlight Styles fails, it’s not just a loss for them, it’s a golden ticket for her, she can fill the gap in the Market.

"Sounds like a genius plan." I commend.

"It is. But you must be part of it." She says, and I raise an eyebrow. "You will be my star model, the face that draws in the crowds. With your popularity I can compete with those other brands that have existed for decades."

I open and close my mouth a few times, struggling to find the right words. She wants to use my popularity as a stepping stone for her success. I’ll think about your proposal,” I finally say, and her face lights up.

Just then, the waiter arrives with our dessert, interrupting our conversation.

As soon as he leaves, Ms. Ravens speaks. ““There’s something else I need to share with you,” she says and I look at her, curiosity piqued again.

"My interest in you is not purely business oriented"

I blink, trying to process what she just said. “What do you mean by that?”

“I have feelings for you, Abel. Real feelings.”

For a moment, I think I must have misheard her. Is this some kind of joke?

“I liked you from the moment you walked into that audition room,” she states openly. "I thought it's just an ordinary crash and I hoped it would fade away with time. But it only grew stronger I realized being close to you was the thing I wanted the most. You are adorable and I want you to be part of my life, not just as a model of my brand and Agency."

I sit quietly, stunned, unsure how to respond to her confession.

“I know this is a surprise,” she says, reaching for my hand.

Of course, it’s a surprise. I’ve always been the kind of person who needs a clear signal to realize someone is interested. I thought her gifts were just a friendly gesture.

“Ms. Raven… we can’t,” I stammer, pulling my hand away.

A relationship like this could ruin everything, my career, her reputation.

She is startled, eyes wide in disappointment and confusion. "You don't want me?" She asks in a tone full of disappointment.

I hesitate. It’s not that I don’t find her attractive, it’s just that I have no interest in dating my boss.

“I’m not saying that,” I reply carefully not wanting to make a big show of the issue or directly rejecting her advances either. “You’re my boss, and I don’t want to jeopardize our professional relationship.”

A smirk appears on her lips as she rises from her seat, and walks over to me. She perches herself on the edge of the table and leans in so close that I can feel her breath. “I have fallen in love with you, Abel. I don’t want anyone else. I promise, we’ll figure out a way to make it work." she solemnly vows before leaning in to kiss me.

I am inwardly grateful when the sound of the door opening from behind her intervenes.

Ms Ravens immediately springs to her feet looking startled and quickly steps away from me as a well-dressed man with stick-straight, shoulder-length brown hair enters. He looks to be in his forties, but very fit.

"Jonathan! I didn't know you'll be around!" Miss Ravens says as she walks toward him. The man engulfs her in a gorilla-like hug and kisses both of her cheeks. That's definitely not a casual gesture, maybe the guy is her boyfriend. He looks way older than her but I can see that he can’t take his greedy big eyes off her.

"My manager told me you were here. I couldn't leave without seeing you, my love." The man says and they fall into a whispered conversation before Ms Ravens guides him towards our table.

“Senator Jonathan, meet Abel. He is one of the best models of my Agency.” She introduces me to the older man, giving me an odd look that I don’t understand. She seems uncomfortable too.

"You are the runway Angel!" The man notes extending his hand for a handshake. "I’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to finally meet you. Ms. Ravens has made you quite popular. You'd better not let her down," He adds, his voice deliberately clipped and possessive. I know he’s staking a claim on Miss Ravens.

“You look quite dashing yourself, sir,” I reply. His sapphire hankie and necktie suits his arrogant ass well.

"If you'll excuse us now, Jonathan, Abel and I have some important business to discuss," Ms Ravens says to him with a smile, taking his arm. He nods, gives me a brief look, then follows her like an obedient puppy.

At the door, they exchange a few quiet words I can't make out. Jonathan then lifts her hand to his lips and places a gentle kiss on her knuckles before departing.

Ms. Ravens sighs as she returned to our table. "Jonathan is a family friend." she explains, noticing my quizzical expression.

I nod, waiting for her to continue. She takes a sip of her champagne before elaborating. "My father has always wanted me to marry a wealthy man like Jonathan. So he keeps pushing me to pursue a relationship with the senator."

She pauses her gaze drifting to my face.

"I don't have any romantic feelings for him, but I'm hoping he can be my ticket to launching my brand. He has plenty of money to invest in me and my business ideas."

"You're serious?" I ask in disbelief. Has she even thought about how this can backfire? What if Jonathan expects more from her in return for his investment?

She reaches across the table, placing a hand on my arm. " If you want to succeed in this cutthroat world, you have to be wise and seize golden opportunities when you see one."