Denis sat slouched over the bar, sleeves rolled up, and his third glass of scotch barely touched. His eyes were red, not from the alcohol, but from pain and regret.
Roger sat quietly beside him, sipping his beer, watching Denis spin the glass slowly between his fingers. He had seen everything unfold at the party, and it had left him stunned.
For years, he had believed Denis and Tania were ant to be, the perfect match since their school days. Never in his wildest thoughts had he imagined Tania could be so heartless and cunning, deceiving Denis and toying with his feelings from the very start.
Seeing the anguish in his friend’s eyes, Roger couldn’t keep quiet any longer. "You need to let her go, man. There are plenty of won out there who’d genuinely care for you. Don’t waste another second thinking about her. Try to look forward—this might be a blessing in disguise. At least her true nature ca out before you married her. I honestly never expected her to be that manipulative."
His jaw tightened with anger. "She was just after your wealth, your family status. That’s all she cared about. It’s a relief she was exposed before she legally beca your wife. Otherwise, she would’ve walked away with a fortune under the excuse of alimony."
But Denis barely listened to what Roger had said. "She played ," he muttered. "I gave her everything. I trusted her, defended her."
Roger sighed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I thought she loved ," Denis scoffed at himself. "Hell, I believed every word she said. And now? Now I’m the punchline of the family. A fool in a suit."
He took a sip, the burn hardly registering.
Roger looked at him calmly. "So what now? You gonna sit here and drink yourself into a blackout, or—?"
"I want her back," Denis interrupted, eyes blazing.
"What?" Roger exclaid. "Are you crazy? She did so many bad things, deceived you, and lied to you. Yet, you want her back. You are truly blind."
"I am not talking about Tania," Denis snapped back. "I want Anne back. I need her badly."
Roger blinked, stunned. "Wait – what? Anne?" He squinted at him with disbelief.
Denis nodded slowly. "She was the only one who loved for who I am. She saw the worst in and still... she stayed. And what did I do? I shoved her away for Tania, for so illusion. I was an idiot."
"Are you out of your mind?" Roger asked bluntly. "It’s too late. For God’s sake, she is your cousin’s wife."
"No, it’s not late yet," Denis said with conviction, gripping the glass tightly. "She still likes . It’s just that she is mad at . I need to talk to her, explain everything. She will understand. Ten years of love – it won’t vanish just like that. I’ll do whatever it takes. Flowers, chocolates, gifts, apologies—I don’t care. I want her back."
He clasped Roger’s hand. "Help , Roger. Help win her back."
Roger shook his head. "Denis, wake up. Anne’s married now. You need to let it go."
"No," Denis shook his head, drawing his hands back. "I can’t let her go. She is out there, waiting for to coax her, to pamper her. I’ll make up to her, show her the love she desired. She will co back to . I am sure..."
He picked up the glass and drank the remaining scotch in one breath.
"Denis—" Roger started, but Denis slamd the glass down on the counter, startling the bartender.
"She loved , followed for ten years. I know she still has feelings for . She might be married, but marriages break. I just need one chance. One."
Roger stared at him quietly, then exhaled. "You’re walking into a storm. Augustine won’t let you near her. And Anne... she is not the sa girl you pushed aside."
"I don’t care," Denis muttered, scrunching up his face. "I’m not giving up. Not this ti."
Roger watched him with a mix of disbelief and helplessness. He finally turned back to his beer, shaking his head with quiet disappointnt.
"You are going to get hurt, Denis," he said in a warning tone. "Maybe worse."
But Denis only looked ahead, eyes unfocused, voice low and stubborn. "I know it’s not going to be easy to get her back. But I’m not losing her without a fight."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The early morning calm was abruptly broken by the persistent vibration of Augustine’s phone on the nightstand. He groaned softly, rubbing his eyes as he reached for it.
The screen lit up with a na—Gustave.
"Why the hell is he calling this early?" he muttered, careful not to wake Anne, who was still peacefully asleep beside him.
He slipped out of bed quietly, running a hand through his tousled hair as he left the bedroom and stepped into the hallway. With a weary sigh, he answered the call. "Yeah, hello?" His voice was low and gravelly with sleep.
"Sir, sorry to bother you," Gustave’s voice ca through tense and fast. "But we have got an update on Enzo."
Augustine’s spine straightened imdiately, his sleep vanishing in a heartbeat. "Talk to ."
"The police just launched a rescue operation at West Lake. They recovered a subrged rental car. The sa one Enzo hired. But..." Gustave hesitated, "Enzo wasn’t found inside. No body, nothing. Right now, no one knows if he is dead or alive."
Augustine humd thoughtfully. "Keep following the investigation. I want updates the mont anything new cos in."
"Yes, sir. Also, about tomorrow’s trip—everything is set. But we need you at the office today. There is a backlog piling up."
"I’ll be there," Augustine said. "Give an hour."
As Augustine ended the call and turned around, he froze for a mont in surprise. Anne was standing a few steps away, her brows drawn together.
"Anne!" He strode up to her. "Why didn’t you stay in bed? It’s still early." A small smile tugged at his lips as he reached out, brushing his fingers tenderly across her cheek.
Anne stepped into his embrace and wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face into his chest. "I didn’t see you when I woke up. It scared ."
She had a nightmare, trapped in a dark room. The walls seed to have closed in, and she could hardly breathe... It felt so real. When she woke up and didn’t see him, she panicked.
He felt the tension in her body and pulled her in tighter. He stroked her hair gently. "I’m here," he whispered against the top of her head. "I’m not going anywhere."
Slowly, her breathing cald, the fear in her chest beginning to ease. She tilted her head up and looked into his eyes. "Who was on the phone?"
"Gustave," he replied. "There is so office work I need to sort out before we leave for the trip."
"Then I’ll co with you," Anne said without hesitation.
But Augustine shook his head, amused by her determination. "No. You should focus on our honeymoon—pack your things, go shopping if you need anything."
"I don’t need anything else. I already have what matters most." She reached up and ran her fingers down his jaw, her eyes full of love. "Besides, I can help you with the work."
"You really know how to get your way," he murmured, grinning. He leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. "Alright, partner. Let’s get ready for the office."
With fingers still entwined, they headed back to the room.
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