Arabel's POV
The girls release a squeal of joy at the announcement of having to spend the bridal night alongside the bachelor's.
The thought alone appals me.
I feel it is Ashley's way of indicating she wants no mistakes. The common mistakes men make by inviting girls for the bachelor's night and ending up having to sleep with them, or even forcing the groom to sleep with her as a way of putting an end to his bachelor's life.
I wish I can voice out my disapproval, but the happy faces of eight girls make me go tight-lipped.
I gulp down the remaining content of my wine before leaning forward with a smile in pretense.
Of all the girls, Ashley is the only one I know. It makes me wonder why she has to make me the bridesmaid when we just got to know each other recently.
When she told me, I was really honored. I couldn't reject it, but now that I think of it, I wish I had rejected it.
But then, it makes me realize just how much Ashley loves our friendship. I have put little or no effort into this friendship, and it keeps tugging at my heart with nothing but pure guilt.
I ought to do better.
“I saw him too,” Felicia, the girl right next to me, said in a low tone to another girl, Celine, beside her.
She suddenly squeals.
“He is so handsome. I heard he is single. A billionaire at that,” Celine mutters with a wide shameless grin, which makes me shake my head.
“Believe me, Ashley made the right choice. Most of Caleb's friends are billionaires!” Felicia's voice is loud now, attracting the attention of others.
“Wow!” Rhoda, the one opposite me, is truly wowed.
“This is what we should do to make it all the more fun.” Felicia begins with a suggestion, which I know I will definitely want to go against.
The past few years, my social life has been really boring. I could say this is the first event I have attended since I got divorced.
While Richard and I were married, I was always forced to make an appearance as the CEO's wife at the company's occasions.
But after the divorce, I shut down that part of my life totally. That was me. I hated the social life, the society's glamorous lifestyle, and the display and pretentious acts most people put on out there, especially as people of the high class.
“We are eight girls in total; Ashley makes it nine. The guys are also eight, plus the groom is nine,” she grins, staring at the other girls to see if they can guess what plan she has in mind.
“What are you thinking?”
“Is it what I am thinking?”
“Yes, it is. We take the men one by one. Ashley takes her groom, and that makes it even. The night is going to be glorious!” She shrieks again in excitement.
“But no intimacy, girls,” Ashley says as she walks in. She must have heard it all. I smile at her words, even though I really wish she would say no to the whole idea of spending the night with the guys or having to choose someone for the night.
That's totally absurd.
Felicia groans and grabs the bottle of wine before gulping it down for a few minutes in frustration.
“And no sex,” Ashley slouches to her separate sofa. “Ok, girls? It is my night, and you all are here to make it special, not get laid!”
They all laugh, and I smile.
“Bella, what do you think of the idea?” Ashley turns to me with a pretty smile, which has me smiling back.
Opposing the idea at this critical moment will grant me some enemies. I might end up being tagged pompous considering how silent I have been all through.
“Well, it's a good one.”
But I would love to be on my own tonight. Or perhaps spend the night talking with Ashley.
I want to include this, but I bit my lips to prevent myself from saying that. I know Ashley would definitely be against it.
She is to tag along with her groom tonight. She wouldn't want to be with me.
They all cheer, and Felicia shoots to her feet. “Let's go.”
Ashley grabs my arm, moving to another room as the girls all move out. “Are you truly ok with it?”
I smile. She has seen beyond my smile. “It's fine.”
“Are you sure?”
I nod again.
She bites her lower lips as if she has something to say, but she doesn't say anything.
“What is it?”
“Well, I know one of Caleb's friends who is single and…”
“A matchmake, isn't it?” I cut her short, and she bites her lips again.
“No… Yes, well, call it what you want. Girl, you need to go out there and date again. Having that pretty little girl shouldn't stop you from experiencing that lovely thing once again, does it?”
It does.
Ashley has no idea I was married once and divorced. She has no idea how I got Daisy. She has no idea that Richard is my ex-husband.
She believes I am a single mom who must have gotten pregnant out of wedlock, not by choice.
I smile.
“Ashley, I told you this already. I don't want a relationship…”
“Yet!” She interrupts. “That was what you told me months ago, which means you will be ready for it in the future, but not now. Come on, girl!”
I nod. She is right. I told her that, but deep down, I never want to be ready. I never want to go through what I went through in my marriage again. I never want to face the pain of the rejection I faced in my loveless marriage.
For a moment, I am tempted to ask her why she wants to get married, but I know her answer would be because she is in love with Caleb. I want to ask how sure she was about Caleb's love for her.
I want to tell her about myself. My marriage. My divorce. Everything.
The pain I go through each day. Having to confide in Alex, whom I no longer trust, and why I do not have any friends.
The only person I trusted was Alex, and he betrayed me by telling his girlfriend all about my pathetic life, which he is using against me now.
It makes me doubt trusting anyone else again, even Ashley.
“It's fine. I don't want you to be unhappy, so I guess it will just be for tonight.” I announce, willing to do this to make her happy.
“What if he strikes you in a good way and you like him? Will you date him?”
I shrug, even though I know I won't. After tonight, I am going to shut him off. Block him if he takes my number, and tell Ashley not to bring it up again.
For now.
That is the only way I can get to her.
“Ok.”
She shrieks. “Let’s go.”
With her arms around mine, we walk out just in time for me to remember I am supposed to call Daisy since it is close to her bedtime.
I wanted to come with her, but there was nowhere she would stay if she came since Ashley was the bride. If she wasn't, Daisy would have stayed with her.
Natalie suggested I go and be back immediately after the wedding. My flight has been scheduled already. I arrived this evening, and I will be gone after the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon.
“I need to call Daisy,” I tell her as we step out of the room.
We are supposed to take the elevator up to the rooftop where the bachelor's Eve party will be taking place. It is no longer a bachelor's Eve but a bachelor/bridal's party
She nods at me, signaling to me not to be long before disappearing into view. I dial Daisy's number, and it rings for a few minutes before Natalie picks up.
“Is she already asleep?” I ask her.
“Yes, she called her dad and spoke at length with him until she began to feel sleepy. I just put her to bed. You have nothing to worry about. The police are on watch, and I am sleeping in her room tonight.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief. It's been almost a month since the shootout, but my mind keeps going back to that night.
It was dreadful and frightening. I was more scared for my child. That was another reason why I didn’t want to let her be. The police are still investigating even though there aren’t enough tangible leads, as the CCTV cameras were destroyed by the criminals and there was no evidence of anyone coming into the house.
They wanted to close the case, but Richard wouldn't allow it. They are still doing this because of him.
“Thank you, Natty. Good night.” I appreciate her.
“Goodnight, ma'am,” she replies, disconnecting the call.
With a sigh, I walk towards the building and take the elevator up to the top floor, where we are going to occupy for the party instead of the room we were in earlier.
When I enter, everywhere is bumping with life, with the girls doing what they all agreed on, entangled in the men's arms.
I am about to find a seat when another person comes in and calls my name. “Arabella?”
There is one man who calls me that.
Richard.