3

Erika's POV

I held my breath and watched Charles glare at David.

David was scared one bit. He didn't back down, not even with a step.

"Are you dating him, Erika?" Charles asked me. " Seriously?"

" Stop talking to my woman that way," David warned him. " I don't mind who you think you are, but I will fuck you up so badly right now."

" Who am I?" Charles laughed angrily. " Trust me, you wouldn't be asking that."

" Back off my girlfriend," David warned him.

" You back off her!" Charles fired back. " You have no idea who or what you are dealing with."

"Ah?" David said. " You would be damned to think I give a fuck who you are supposed to be."

" Enough of this, Charles!" I couldn't just let it go on anymore.

Charles was being very disrespectful towards David and I wanted him to stop immediately.

I couldn't believe that he was trying to behave as if he cared about me when he was the one who dumped me five years ago.

I watched as Charles' jaw tightened and he pushed his hair behind his back.

He came closer to me, but not close enough to invade my private space.

" Erika, please." His voice was low, begging. " I just want to speak to you privately for a few minutes. Can you get this guy to leave?"

" If there is anyone who should leave, it should be you." David huffed. " Why are you being so persistent with a lady when she is with someone else already?"

" Yeah, David is right." I stood my ground. " You should leave. You didn't want to speak to me at our engagement party years ago, you shouldn't know what to do now."

He was getting frustrated, he didn't even try to hide it.

He scrubbed at his jaw and babbled words, but he couldn't find them right now.

" Trust me, I have my reasons." He said. " Just get this motherfucker to shut up and get lost so we can talk."

That's it, I'm done with this right now.

I stood up and started to walk away.

It wasn't a very successful mission because the dance floor was occupied.

Before I could force my way through the crowd, Charles had caught up with me again.

His hand was firmly clasped at the upper part of my hand and from his grip, I knew he wasn't going to let me go.

" Give me a chance, please." He begged. " Let's talk about this."

" After you discharged me in front of hundreds of guests years ago? Yeah, I don't think so."

" Erika–"

" Please, I'm trying to be polite here." I sighed. " Just let me be."

I shrugged him off.

David had appeared by my side and he was offering me his hand.

I took it and gave Charles one last look before I left.

I saw the dejection and frustration on his face as he couldn't stop me from leaving, but it was nothing compared to what he did to me five years ago.

****

David agreed to drive me home all by himself.

No guards, no sirens, no entourage, just us.

He was a very careful driver so I had very little to worry about as he drove.

" Thank you for helping me, David." I smiled at him.

" You know that I would do anything for you, love." He smiled back.

No, I wasn't thanking him for driving me home, I was thanking him for pretending to be my boyfriend and making Charles jealous.

Yes, I knew that what I did was pretty petty, but I wasn't glad that I did it. David was handsome and our story was believable, but he was just a friend and former college mate.

Charles deserved worse than I did to him, and even more for what he did to me five years ago.

" So that's the infamous ex of yours huh?" David glanced at me. " Such an interesting guy."

" I should have told you from the beginning that he's Charles Evans, CEO of the Evans company," I said. " The one you are supposed to meet up with."

" What?!" He widened his eyes at me. " That's Charles Evans?! That's him?"

I exhaled and pushed my hair back.

" That's him, David," I admitted. " An asshole, isn't he?"

" But how come, Charles Evans, is such a dick?" He frowned. " How come Charles Evans treated you so badly?"

" That's in the past, remember." I cautioned him. " There's no reason to keep malice with him when you both are business partners. At least not for my sake."

" Nothing has been signed yet, nothing is official." He maintained.

" But Wilson's company is going to benefit from the deal," I begged. " Don't lose so much money because you don't like my ex."

" The whole meeting with him was suggested by my father. " David sighed. " I wouldn't have hesitated to cut him out."

I smiled and held his hand. That was one thing I liked about David, he always listened.

He finally got to my house.

Unlike my busy life, my house was quiet. The white-painted mansion was my version of peace after a tired day.

David turned off the engine.

"Thanks for the ride home." I took off my seat belt and leaned in to kiss him.

I kissed his cheek and made to move away, but he held me in place.

His eyes went from mine and down to my lips.

" That guy, Charles, he's a real asshole." He repeated. " But that doesn't mean that I am. I have pleaded with you to give me a chance, I will make you and Rose happy. I will give Rose the complete home she deserves."

I looked away from his eyes, this wasn't the first time it was happening.

He loved Rose, my daughter, and he would give his life for her, but it would be a fraud since I didn't love him.

He was the perfect man, but he wasn't just for me.

" Oh, David." I sighed. " You know that it's not you I'm rejecting, I just don't have the time nor mental stability for a relationship commitment right now."

His hand left me, I could feel the sadness in his heavy breathing.

" Of course." He forced a smile. " Your happiness was the most important thing to me."

I touched his face. Sometimes I wished that I was in love with David, but I wasn't.

He was everything I admired in a man, but not a lover to me.

"Good night, David."

" Good night, Erika."

I hugged him, a brief one before I got out of the car.