AUDREYI didn't get any information; there's nothing in Daniel's office that can help me reach him. I'll have to look for his family, maybe go to his parents' house because going to his apartment is out of the question. No one else lives there, and if he's not there, it's useless to find out anything.I spend the afternoon searching for Daniel's parents' address; they have never shared it with the company or employees, so it's not easy to find.A thought lands in my head."Mr. William and Fabian," I murmur to myself.Well, Mr. William is also ruled out. It's best not to approach him if I don't want to receive a rude gesture from him. I don't know why he's like that with me.But Fabian is different, very different from his father. He's polite and kind to all the staff. Now I understand why his fiancée is so in love with him. I've seen her a few times, but that's enough for me to see the love they share.I hope to someday feel that way with Daniel, or maybe others have already seen it,
AUDREY"And now, how are we supposed to get to the estate?" I look around when we exit the airport.I knew this wouldn't be easy, but we're here now."Well, we have the address; we can tell a taxi driver to take us there."I shake my head."Getting to Brisbane isn't that simple."I remember when Daniel brought me to Australia. A car was waiting for us at the airport, which I remember was in another place. After that, we went to a port, where we boarded a maritime transport that, after almost an hour, stopped at the port of Brisbane."It's a good thing you've been here before. You can tell the driver where to take us. Anything you remember will help."I nod. I point to an empty taxi and we hurry towards it. Once I provide the information I have, we get in. The journey is quite long from the airport to the port.Meanwhile, I lose myself in the clear sky. I had forgotten that here the sun is always shining; I haven't even felt the heat because I'm so focused on Daniel.I want to know how
AUDREYFinally, we arrive at Tabby's estate. This place is unforgettable, so unique and relaxing that every time you're here, you want to stay and never leave.But without Tabby, it won't be the same. She was the shining light of this place, and even though I didn't know her well, I'm sure anyone who did must feel the same way I do.The driver stops the taxi outside the high gates of the property. Nelly and I get out after paying the man. Each of us has our suitcase in hand as we take in the surroundings and then walk toward the fully open gate. From here, we can see the number of cars parked in the house's courtyard.We walk along the brick path that leads to the main entrance of the house. Upon reaching it, we enter, and again, the door is wide open. However, there is a crowd here, not packed but spread out everywhere, in every corner of Tabby's house.Did Tabby have so many relatives and friends? Well, Daniel's family is well-known in Manhattan, and I suppose in Brisbane too. Tabby
AUDREYSeeing him like this, affected, my heart sinks with sadness. What can I do to make him feel better? Maybe there's nothing I can do, but I still want to try to ease his pain.Nelly touches my shoulder, reminding me that she and Henry are standing beside me. Daniel's friend nods in my direction, giving me the initiative to approach his friend. With a small, kind smile, he watches me one last time and then looks at my friend, indicating the door we entered earlier.He offers her his arm for her to accompany him out of the room. Henry is so gentle and chivalrous that I don't worry about leaving Nelly alone with him. I know she'll be fine. But I'm not sure if he'll be, knowing my friend, she'll probably take her flirting to another level.I stay rooted in place when we're completely alone, Daniel and I in the small room. It doesn't take him a minute to realize that he's no longer alone. He lifts his head from his hands, where he had been holding it, and our eyes meet.His neutral ex
DANIELImages constantly flood my mind. After seeing those photos, my self-control and everything in me spiraled out of control.I could have tolerated the damn rumor, but those damned images, the ones where my girlfriend is secretly with her lover in her own apartment, that ended up killing me.I never thought Audrey was that kind of woman, one who cheats and lies to you, telling you she wants to be with you. I shouldn't have asked her to be my girlfriend; we shouldn't have tried it. I'm not made for a stable relationship.I hate to admit it, but my mother was right.I couldn't think when I saw those damn images; anger consumed me, and all I wanted was to beat that guy to a pulp. But what would I gain from that? Absolutely nothing. In the end, she doesn't belong to me but to that bastard.Never in my life have I cared about a woman enough to beat another guy up for her. That they're sneaking around to sleep together, that eats at me even more.I had considered letting her go. But dam
AUDREY"Wow! That guy Henry is amazing," I don't pay attention to anything Nelly says; it's like I only hear murmurs. "Hey, calling Audrey back to Earth!" She lifts her voice while waving her hand in front of my face to get my attention."I'm sorry," I shake my head, snapping out of my daze. "What were you saying?" I focus my gaze on her.Nelly sighs and rolls her eyes."Are you serious?" She exclaims in annoyance. "Did you not hear anything I said earlier?"I shrug and apologize again, embarrassed."I'm sorry," I say again. "I haven't been feeling well lately."I don't know whether to tell her what happened with Daniel. I don't know if I'm ready or if I'm just not ready to accept that it's over between us, and I should settle for a fake relationship.If I didn't do it at the beginning, I certainly won't do it now, especially since I just realized I want him."What's wrong? Why the long face?" Nelly senses my distress, and I hear concern in her voice. "And I'm not willing to hear an '
AUDREYWhen I feel ready, Nelly and I leave the room. She starts talking about going outside for a while and seeing what's in the backyard. I mention the huge, beautiful garden that Tabby adored and cared for more than anything else.As I mentioned before, I didn't know Tabby for long, but in the short time I had the opportunity, it was enough to get to know her very well. She was like an open book, easy to read, and open about her thoughts and personality to anyone who wanted to know more about her."I would have loved to have met her," says Nelly with a big smile."You would have loved her; I did in just one day of knowing her," my friend's smile and words infect me.To get to the garden, we have to cross the living room we passed through before reaching the room we just left. However, we don't make it any further because voices and laughter stop us in our tracks."Oh, Daniel, come on, let me do this," a syrupy, high-pitched voice invades my ears."What the hell was that?" Nelly rai
AUDREYI furrow my brow; confusion and pain are written all over my face. I'm sure that if someone saw me, they would notice it easily.He looks away from his companion, and our eyes meet. I sense something in them—remorse, perhaps? I don't know; I can't quite decipher it. All I feel is pain, nothing more. I don't perceive anything in myself and in Daniel.My chest tightens, and with a heavy heart, I ask myself, "What am I doing here, standing and watching this whole scene?" There's nothing good in seeing him smile with another. I need to run; I need to be anywhere but here; I need to be far away from Daniel.To hell with him and everyone else; I'm out of here.I avert my eyes from him, turn, and leave the room in quick steps with my friend following behind me. The only thing that worries me is that he hasn't noticed how affected I was by seeing him with another. I don't want him to see the pain that a simple scene, which for me meant the greatest humiliation of my life, can cause me.