His Best Friend Loved Her First

Chapter Four

Eric pov

I left the office by 7:30, a quiet excitement settling deep inside me as I stepped out, something I had not felt in a long time.

I was strangely happy to pretend to be a call boy, because to me, it was more than just a role I had to play. I had been waiting patiently for this day, holding on to a feeling I had buried for too long. She was a lady I loved, yet she had never noticed me.

Daniel had already told me the time and the exact location, and everything was clear in my mind.

I wanted to meet the love of my life, not as myself, but as someone she would accept, even if it was only for a moment. I got prepared, got into my car, and took off, heading straight to Serena’s house, my hands steady but my heart anything but calm. The closer I got, the stronger the anticipation became.

When I entered, I saw her sitting there, staring at her phone, lost in her own world and completely unaware of my presence.

For a moment, I paused, just watching her quietly, taking in the sight I had imagined so many times.

Then I pulled out my mask and wore it, becoming the man she was expecting instead of the man I truly was.

Slowly, I moved closer, stepping into her space from behind, the smell of her perfume filling the air, minty and sophisticated, wrapping around me in a way that felt impossible to ignore.

I reached out and held her from behind, my touch careful but certain, and she reacted almost instantly. “Eric,” she mentioned my name softly, her voice carrying something I could not explain.

“Ride me tonight… in my bed.” In that moment, I let myself become exactly who she believed I was.

What followed was not just physical, but something deeper, something that blurred the line between pretense and reality, leaving behind a sweetness that lingered longer than the night itself.

Early in the morning, I went into her kitchen and prepared her breakfast quietly, moving around as if I belonged there, even though I knew I did not.

I left a small note card on her table, something simple but meaningful, before stepping away without a sound. It was easier to leave before she woke up than to face what might come after.

Later, I went to prepare for the gala night, adjusting myself slowly as my thoughts remained fixed on her.

Truth be told, I do not like going to parties, they have never been my kind of place. But Daniel had told me she would be there, and that changed everything.

I told myself quietly, with a certainty I could not deny, that I would surely be there… because of her.

Serena pov

I woke up early in the morning feeling strangely happy, a soft unfamiliar warmth settling inside me, but when I turned slightly and reached beside me, I found that Eric was no longer there, and for a moment I just stayed still on the bed staring at the empty space as reality slowly returned to me, reminding me of what this was and what it was not, because I was asking for a child and not a husband, so why was I even expecting him to still be there beside me like something permanent.

I pulled the blanket off my body slowly and got up from the bed, my bare feet touching the cold floor as I walked quietly toward the kitchen, and the silence of the apartment wrapped around me in a way that felt different from before, not heavy, not lonely, but thoughtful, as if something had shifted inside me overnight.

When I got to the kitchen, I noticed a slice of bread and fried egg neatly placed on the table with a glass of milk beside it, and for a second I paused, surprised by the simple gesture, before my eyes caught a small card lying quietly next to the plate, and I reached for it and picked it up gently, unfolding it as I read the words written inside.

“I love every beat of time I spent together with you.”

A small smile formed on my lips without effort, something soft and unguarded that I did not try to hide, but before I could think further about it, my phone suddenly rang, pulling me back to reality, and I placed the card down before picking up the call.

“Hello, ma,” Daniel’s voice came from the other end, calm but slightly careful, “just a heads up, the charity gala you are attending tonight, your ex-husband, Mr Desmond Reed, will be there too.”

I stayed silent for a brief second, absorbing the information without letting any emotion slip into my voice before responding simply, “Okay, thank you.”

After the call ended, I walked back to my room and stood in front of the mirror, my eyes scanning my reflection until I noticed the faint marks on my neck, soft but visible enough to raise concern, and immediately memories of last night flashed through my mind—Eric’s touch, his lips against my skin, the way he held me—and I quickly looked away from the mirror as if trying to steady myself.

Without wasting time, I opened my wardrobe and began searching for something appropriate to wear for the gala, something elegant yet covering enough to hide the marks on my neck, and after trying a few options, I finally settled on a dress that fit perfectly, both beautiful and strategic, allowing me to maintain control over what others could see.

Eric pov

The gala night arrived with its usual elegance and noise, the hall filled with influential people, soft music playing in the background, and glasses clinking as conversations flowed from one corner to another, and at a distance,I stood quietly with a glass of wine in my hand, positioned at a corner where I could observe everything without being noticed too much, my expression calm but his eyes sharp, watching the movement of people as they came and went.

I was Desmond Reed’s best friend.

“Ethan Brooks,” a voice called from behind, breaking my quiet observation, and I turned slightly to see Desmond approaching with his mistress beside him.

“What the hell are you doing in a place like this?” Desmond asked with a mocking tone, “I thought you hated events like this.”

I gaze shifted briefly to Melissa before returning to Desmond, my voice calm but edged with something sharper, “Is this the kind of event you think it is right to bring your little companion to?”

Desmond scoffed lightly, placing an arm casually around Melissa, “What are you talking about? I have always been like this, haven’t I?”

“You should lower your voice, please,” I said,

“I don’t give a s**t,” Desmond replied carelessly, before smirking, “What’s up with you? You could have any woman in this room, yet you stand here alone, I am seriously starting to question your preference… or what, you got a little crush on me?”

I said nothing, my silence more cutting than any response.

Desmond’s attention shifted as he looked around the hall, scanning faces impatiently. “Where is she? She should be here by now.”

Almost immediately, as if on cue, Serena walked in.

Dressed in a beautiful, elegant pink gown, she moved with quiet confidence toward the entrance, Daniel walking slightly behind her, and the moment she stepped in, several eyes turned in her direction, drawn by her presence.

Serena pov

From across the room, I noticed Ethan Brooks, my ex-husband’s best friend, his eyes fixed on me in a way that felt too intense to ignore, as if there was something he wanted from me, something he wasn’t saying, and instinctively I adjusted my dress slightly to ensure my neck was properly covered, not wanting any unnecessary attention.

His gaze lingered longer than necessary.

Before I could think further, I heard my name being called, and I turned to see my aunt, Vivian, approaching with that familiar expression I knew too well.

“Serena, dear,” she said with a smile that did not reach her eyes, “I just saw Desmond, he was with a beautiful woman… Are you two having trouble?”

Daniel, standing beside me, let out a quiet scoff. “Vivian is always gossiping around.”

“What does that have to do with you anyway?” she continued, ignoring him, “don’t you feel sorry for her? She married the CEO of Reef Enterprise, and yet that does not make her special… after all these years, maybe your husband just does not want you anymore.”

I held her gaze steadily before replying calmly, “Some things are worth the wait, Auntie.”

My expression shifted instantly, embarrassment flashing across her face before she turned and walked away.

“Desmond is really crossing the line this time,” Daniel muttered, “the divorce is not even official yet, and he is already showing up with her.”

“He is in a rush to make it official, isn’t he?” I replied quietly, my voice steady, “if they are planning to humiliate me tonight, I am not going to make it easy for them.”

Daniel nodded in agreement.

Across the room, Melissa sat beside Desmond, deliberately drawing attention to herself as whispers began to spread among the guests, and without hesitation, I walked toward them.

“Miss Melissa,” I said calmly as I reached their table, “you are sitting on my seat.”

“I am Desmond’s plus one tonight,” she replied sharply, “I should be sitting next to him.”

Daniel stepped forward and pulled out a check from his pocket, his movement deliberate. “How much did Desmond pay you to come here tonight?”

I took the check from him and signed it smoothly before placing it in front of her. “I will pay you double.”

The room seemed to hold its breath.

Melissa stood up abruptly, anger flashing across her face as she pushed past me with her shoulder, and for a brief second I lost my balance, but before I could fall, a strong hand caught me.

Ethan.

Our eyes met for a moment that felt longer than it should have, and something about him felt strangely familiar, something I could not explain.

“Thank you,” I said softly before pulling away.

I walked past him and took my seat beside Desmond, while Ethan sat close enough to observe everything.

“Oh, I know you still have feelings for me,” Desmond said with a smirk, leaning slightly closer, “if you apologize, I might consider taking you back.”

I turned to him slowly, my expression unreadable. “Keep dreaming, Desmond, I am only doing this so our company stock does not plummet.”

“We shall see,” he replied.

From the side, Ethan watched everything unfold, a faint smile forming on his lips as if he had been expecting this all along.

It wasn’t a loud reaction.

Not surprising,not confusion,

Just that quiet, knowing smile… the kind that did not belong in a moment like this.

M

y chest tightened.

Because suddenly It felt like he already knew something I didn’t know.