Ellis.
Five years later, guilt still washed over me for what I did. Love left her friends, packs, and family because of me. To get away from me, I hurt her. She left everything she knew to get away from me. I regret hurting her as I did. I tried to contact her to no avail.
I often wondered how she was doing. Was she happy?
I closed my eyes in remembrance of my last birthday. Love threw me a huge party and gave the most heartwarming speech for me. She gushed about me and told everyone how much she adored me and that she would always be there for me.
'You know you can count on me, baby,' her velvety voice echoed in my head. She always had my back no matter what, and I didn't know I would see a day she wouldn't be there on my birthday.
I should have chosen her instantly. It shouldn't even have been a question, it shouldn't have been a choice. She was scared. I was supposed to hold and assure her, but like an idiot, I moved past her and went to Charlotte, my mate. I didn't realize the bond would be that strong. I tried to reject her, but she fell to her knees in pain. Her counterpart was too weak, and my rejection could kill her. So I stayed with her.
The door to my office opened, and Jace walked in, " Happy Birthday," he beamed, and I shook my head.
" I don't celebrate my birthday," I told him. How could when Love wasn't here to celebrate with me? She was happier for it than I was?
' Ellis, I can't wait for you to see what I've done this year!' she'd tell me.
The ghost smile on my face vanished, and I faced Jace.
" What are you doing here, Jace? I'm in no mood to talk about business," He sighed and put some documents on my desk.
" It's been five years, Man. You need to get your head back in the game," he said.
" I do nothing but work," I grumbled.
" I mean life, try to go out. We should celebrate your birthday this evening."
" No,"
He tried to convince me, but I was adamant about not celebrating.
" K- Corp wants to resume the deal we started five years ago," he informed me. Several years ago, the CEO of K- Corporation, Kenny Kofflin, approached me to buy them out of the company's shares because it was slowly going under, but he later changed his mind. I picked up the documents and browsed through them. Why are they suddenly interested in selling? Are they broke?
" We'll be controlling their enterprise once we sign. Are they that desperate?" I asked, intrigued.
" Word on the street is that they are drowning in debt because of the old man's gambling habits, and they need the money urgently," he informed me.
" Does David know of this?" I asked.
" Yes, he was holding back the takeover, but now, he's given his concern. I'm sure he was looking for a way out but failed."
I smirked. It must have been hard to do so. I read the numbers, and indeed, the company wasn't doing very well, but if the takeover was successful, it would pick up, and my company would grow bigger. This is the deal of a lifetime.
" Do their employees know this?" I questioned.
" No, only the board of directors knows, but they closed down their New York branch and came to the main one, in a neutral domain here, " he informed me.
Jace and I discussed the new move. The merger of the companies will do well.
My phone rang, and I saw it was Charlotte calling me. I didn't answer it. Charlotte, I had no feelings towards her whatsoever. In those years we were together, I felt nothing for her. The strong bond I felt the night we met was suddenly gone as if it wasn't there.
However, she was madly in love with me. I'd try rejecting her, but her wolf was too weak. I trained her for the last four years in the hope of strengthening her, but she didn't improve.
' Just reject her!' My inner lycan said. Just like me, he lost his emotional attachment to her and couldn't even stand her.
" Answer the fucking call, she's now calling me," Jace looked pissed as he glared down at his ringing phone. Both he and Lilac didn't like Charlotte, they made it clear in their actions towards her and didn't hide it.
" She's annoying sometimes," I murmured.
" Then reject her, kick her out of your house, and pack!" he said.
" I can't, she's weak, man. I can't let her die," I told him. She was still my mate, no matter what I felt about her.
" This shit again, man, she's just using that to keep you. That woman is fucking obsessed with you," he said.
" I am her mate," I defended her. I felt bad for her. This wasn't her blame, it wasn't her fault that I couldn't love her the way she was supposed to be loved.
" So, you'll stay with a woman you don't love or desire because of that? Try dumping her ass, and see if she dies," he smirked, his fingers tapping against each other with a malicious look in his eyes like some villain.
" I won't do that until I'm sure she will be safe," I told him sternly. He was disappointed.
Later in the evening, I shifted into my large Lycan and ran through the forest. It was freeing being in my form like this, and I was at peace in my heart.
Home is unpleasant for me.
I pushed open the door and stood in the foyer. The servants were warily gazing at me.
" What is-" and then, I heard it. The piano playing. My heart was thumping violently in my chest as I took steps toward the piano room. I knew that tune, Forever Amen, Love played it for me often. Was she back? I hurried over just to be dejected at what I saw.
Charlotte was wearing Love's favorite deep red silk gown, and her red hair was blonde now. She was playing the piano. She stared at me lovingly and smiled. I snapped instantly. This woman had no right to wear and play Love's piano. I grabbed her arm and pushed her away. I must have used more force than I intended because her back crashed against the wall painfully. She was shocked, but I was too angry to care.
" What the fuck are you playing at?" I barked, Lias growling at her. Her breath shuddered, and her hands were trembling.
" Why are you so angry at me?" she started to cry. I glared at her, and since when did she have fucking blonde hair?
" Why do you look like that, dressed in my girlfriend's clothes and playing her fucking piano? You're not to touch any of her things!" I shouted, making the wolf flinch. She truly looked frightened.
" I- I was hoping to make y- you happy since it's your birthday, I've been taking lessons to surprise you," Her voice quivered. She was sobbing, sitting in the corner of the room.
" Don't do that, and never touch any of Love's things again," I warned and marched upstairs. I was just too angry to talk.