- - - - - Two Weeks Later - - - - -
~ Audrey ~
“Happy birthday, Audrey!” the entire room cheered and clapped as Audrey stepped into Culture’s VIP area.
For her twenty-second birthday, Mikey and Olivia talked to the Vanderbilt brothers about renting out the entire VIP section for Audrey. The brothers, of course, agreed. Mikey and Olivia then invited Audrey’s colleagues at work as well as old friends from high school. They went all out because this would be a special year for Audrey. Her last single birthday ever.
“Aw, guys, thank you!” Audrey gasped and she got teary-eyed. Everyone was there from her assistant Marie to Sebastian, to her old classmates at Catholic school. Mikey and Liv even went the extra mile to get her favorite band, All Time Low, to play the happy birthday song.
“Your last birthda
~ Killian ~Killian and Audrey managed to sneak out from the back door without the other guests noticing them. The next thing he knew, Killian was sitting in the back of the limo with Audrey next to him. Her body was shaking a little, and he wrapped his jacket around her in case she was cold.“I’m sorry for what he said,” Killian said after a while of silence. “He didn’t mean it,”Audrey threw her gaze out the window and watched as the car rode through the city. “Do you think this is a charade too? Is what we’re doing even real?” she sighed.Killian cupped her cheek and tilted her face back to him. “I promise you, it’s absolutely real,” he said. “No one can make me feel what I feel when I’m with you. You have my heart, my soul, and my everything, Audrey Huntington,”
~ Audrey ~When Audrey opened her eyes next, the dawn was breaking and the morning sun was slowly rising through the sky. She could see the purple and orange hues lighting up the darkness through her bedroom window, signaling the start of another day.Behind her, Killian was sleeping soundly. His arms were wrapped around her body, and she felt warm and secured. After their excursion last night, Killian must be exhausted. Audrey would’ve been sleeping too, except she heard a noise coming from the living room, and it woke her up.She lifted Killian’s arm from her body and lay it down gently. Then she got up to her feet and pulled a robe to cover her body. Audrey made her way to the living room, thinking that maybe her friends came to deliver her presents from the party last night. But instead of finding Liv and Mikey, Audrey saw Caspian standing before her.&
~ Killian ~Killian’s steps were filled with conviction. Normally, Killian was always calm and levelheaded. He’d think and re-think his decision before taking any action. But this time, there was no time to think. Killian knew he had to act fast. Otherwise, he would regret this for the rest of his life.Flipping a fúcking coin, he scoffed to himself.Fúcking worst decision I’ve ever made.Caspian was now busy talking with Audrey’s dad and Audrey was talking and laughing with her friends. Killian didn’t think twice and he stood right behind her. Mikey and Olivia saw him first and they gestured for Audrey to turn around.“Kill, hey,” Aud
~ Caspian ~Caspian only took his eyes off of Audrey for one second, and now he couldn't find her. He was busy talking to Maxwell about the wedding that was scheduled in three month’s time. Maxwell said that they should have a company meeting between the heads of the two empires, discussing the possibility of strengthening each other. This would mean a lot more work and stress for Caspian. But since today was his engagement day, Caspian refrained from rolling his eyes or complaining again.After the talk with Maxwell, all Caspian wanted was to find Audrey so he could relieve some stress. He went all around the garden looking for her, but she was nowhere to be found. But luckily for him, Caspian managed to find Audrey’s two best friends by the open bar, and they told him that she went inside the mansion with Killian.That’s odd. Why would they do that?
~ Caspian ~“You started this,” Caspian roared. “Everything was going just fine before you start running your little mouth!”Caspian had never been this angry towards his brother before. He felt like Killian had stepped over the line. They had a bond. They were brothers. But Killian went behind his back to sabotage his happiness. Killian was the one person Caspian would trust with his life. But what he did hurt more than any betrayal.Caspian was fine growing up being second best to Killian. He knew Killian was ambitious, so he stepped back and let his little brother took the spotlight. Caspian was more interested in other things in life anyway. He didn’t mind that his father clearly favored Killian over him. And he didn’t mind being considered the lesser Vanderbilt.But this? This is too much. This I can’t stand.
~ Audrey ~Audrey had spent the last hour listening to everything Caspian and Killian had to say. She didn’t open her mouth to say one word, but now she had to. If she didn’t step in, something bad would happen and it would be her fault. This all happened because she couldn’t make up her mind and choose between the two of them in the first place.If only I could choose… maybe things wouldn’t end up like this.“I’m done. I can’t go on like this anymore…” Audrey spoke up and broke the silence in the room. Killian and Caspian both glanced at her instinctively.“We all can’t go on like this,” she said again.Her hands shakily reached for her neck and she unclasped the heart necklace she got from the brothers on Christmas. She swallowed hard and let the
~ Audrey ~After three days of locking herself in her apartment, Audrey finally stepped outside for the first time today. She was careful about it too, she left very early in the morning so she wouldn’t run into the Vanderbilt brothers. She walked out of the building with two large suitcases and Sebastian was waiting outside in the town car.“Thank you for coming to get me,” Audrey said as the car rode through town. Her apartment building grew smaller and smaller from the rearview mirror.“Of course, Miss Huntington,” Sebastian replied politely. He was already dressed in a sharp suit even though it was only five in the morning.“Did you get everything I sent you?” she asked.“Yes, Miss Huntington,”“You know what to do?”“
~ Audrey ~“Hi, thanks for meeting me,” Audrey smiled and took a seat.“Thank you for calling,” Anthony smiled back. “I thought I was never gonna get a shot,”A week had passed since Audrey had a talk with her dad. Just as she promised, she agreed to give Anthony Cavanaugh another shot. They met up for coffee at a small sidewalk café near Central Park. It was a beautiful summer day, the sky was blue, the air was warm, and the green tall trees were on display before them.“I heard about your engagement,” Anthony said. “I was gonna say call and say congratulations, but…”“The media beat you to it,” Audrey laughed drily.“Exactly,” he nodded.Only three days after her engagement party to Caspian made Page Six, the news