RACHEL:

I really didn't want to celebrate my birthday this year. Each year, I always got to play the role of Austin's wife as he invited the most elite guests from all over the city to grace the occasion while dressing me up in something that would always turn heads.

Probably why I didn't want the crowd or anything else for that matter if it hadn't been for Daniel's insistence to make it as grand as possible.

The penthouse used was that of his apartment and right now it was filled with music and laughter as guests drank and danced under the soft glow of chandeliers.

I tried my best to enjoy myself. To at least forget about everything and reel in the moment. But a part of me ached. I was waiting for someone that would not show up and I didn't know why.

I guess I was just not used to doing this without having him around. Maybe I missed him because tell me why my heart stupidly skipped a beat when he walked in.

The moment the doors swung open, I noticed something different about Austin. It wasn't the fact that he was with Chloe as usual, it was the way he was rather wobbly as his arm draped over her shoulders.

He was drunk. No one needed to tell me. And his presence actually caught the attention of people.

"Do you want me to kick them out?" Daniel's voice was right in my ear as he asked that question.

I forced myself to remain composed as I took in the sight before me. "No," I responded, swallowing hard as I did so. I had a glass of champagne in my hand which I took a sip from as I fixated my gaze on the two people looking a bit like a mess.

"Rachel—"

"I said no!" I snapped but not in a way that would scare Daniel off.

Kicking them out would mean that they got to me. I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction.

With my champagne glass still in my hand, I plastered a smile and walked slowly toward them.

"Austin," I called his name in the coolest way possible. "I didn't expect you to come."

I watched as struggled to focus on me. How much exactly did he have to drink?

"It's your birthday," he said.

"You do remember something about me?" I asked, rather surprised that he did.

Chloe, letting out a soft laugh, responded on his behalf: "Of course he does. He just needed a little encouragement to show up."

"Is this the encouragement?"

"What do you mean?"

I ignored her and locked eyes with Austin. "You're drunk," I pointed out.

"Maybe," he said, shrugging as a lazy smirk tugged at his lips.

I wanted to express my disappointment but that would mean I was revealing an emotion so I sucked it up.

"Enjoy the party. But don't do anything stupid," I said lightly and then turned to leave.

"Wait!" Chloe's voice rang out, halting me on my tracks.

I took my time before glancing back at them. "What?"

"I think he's had a not too much. Can you help take him upstairs so he could rest?"

I knew what she wanted to do. The widened smirk on her face said it all. Even on my birthday, she didn't want me to have a time to myself. Perhaps she thought me the weak woman who would take anything thrown at her.

I wasn't.

Still, I smiled sweetly and said, "Of course."

I stepped forward, grabbed Austin's wrist and then led him toward the stairs to find an empty room. I didn't miss the look that Daniel had on his face when I passed by his side.

"You shouldn't have come," I said plainly to Austin as soon I closed the door behind us to an empty room I found.

"I didn't plan to."

I watched as he rubbed his temple as if to soothe off a throb.

"Then why did you? Are you planning to make things even worse?"

"No, no," he muttered after a long silence.

Something in my chest tightened. I hated that he still made me feel this way. Hated that he made me feel like there was still something when there was none.

It was a good thing I knew better than to dwell on that.

"Get some rest. I'll have Daniel send you home," I declared, straightening up my posture as I turned to leave.

"Do you love him?"

I froze when his voice stopped me. That was sudden and definitely unexpected.

Slowly, I turned back. "What?"

"Daniel," he said, barely above a whisper. "Do you love him?"

I sensed the raw feeling attached to that question. How he wanted to know something. But I wasn't buying into that.

"It doesn't matter." Those were the only words that mattered.

RACHEL:

"This is beautiful," I muttered to myself as the fireworks lit up the sky, exploding into bursts of gold and crimson.

Cheers erupted around me and I could hear the sound of glasses clinking as the party carried on. This grand elegance was made by just one man — Daniel.

It was the perfect moment for me. The right atmosphere. I didn't know how much I needed to have myself lingering in this feeling until this happened.

It was for me and me alone. Daniel made sure that everything that happened in the past year didn't get to me. He only wanted to make me happy and he was doing a great job at that.

"Rachel..."

I heard my name and turned only to see Daniel down on one knee. Immediately, the world around me faded.

I knew what was about to happen. And right now, I wasn't sure how to feel. Overwhelmed? Excited? Hell, I don't know.

"Rachel," Daniel called my name again, his voice steady despite the anticipation in his eyes. "I don't just want to be the man who helps you forget your past. I want to be the man who builds your future."

This was never the plan. Never ever.

My heart clenched. I could feel my mind racing as different things went through it.

This was a proposal. And not just any proposal, it was a grand one.

When I said this wasn't the plan, it was bent on the fact that I had promised myself that I wouldn't let another man dictate my happiness. I promised myself that I wouldn't fall into someone else's plans before I had finished making my own.

Standing here and staring down at Daniel, doubt crept in. Daniel had always been there for me even though we started off as business partners. He stood by me during all of the drama with Austin. He has been like a rock for me.

The word left my lips before I could stop it: "Yes."

I couldn't believe I just said that. I really couldn't. But why did it feel so true? Why was I certain of that response?

A roar of applause suddenly erupted around us, consuming the rest of my thoughts in the process. Daniel slipped the ring onto my finger and then pulled me into his arms as he stood up.

The embrace was warm and I felt safe in it. Safer than I've always been. Maybe it was because I was sure that Daniel wasn't going to hurt me. I just knew he wouldn't.

For now I was going to linger in this moment of happiness. I knew my decision was the right one.

_________

I should have known the happiness wouldn't last for long. Austin would always find a way to ruin it no matter what.

I returned home the next morning to the apartment i got for myself. It was a decision I acted on as soon as I got back from Paris. I didn't want to be around Austin anymore and so I got myself something small for a start.

When I got down from the taxi that dropped me off, I looked up to see something strange. Austin was sitting on the walkway into the apartment, his gaze boring into me as soon as he saw me.

How did he find this place out? I kept it hidden from him as much as possible but it still managed to reach him.

My breath hitched as I took a few steps closer. "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked. I was far from being cool with him and I had to disclose my true feelings.

His eyes burned with something dark but I ignored whatever it was.

"You moved out," he stated. "So I thought to pay you a visit in your new place."

"How did you find this place out?"

He stood up from the walkway. "I guess all I had to do was just a little finding. It was easy." He paused and then asked, "Why did you leave?"

I folded my arms across my chest. "I had no reason to stay."

"You didn't tell me."

"Since when did I owe you explanations, Austin?"

The conversation we were having was mostly confusing than infuriating. What exactly was he doing here? What does this man want from me?

"I saw him propose to you," he said, breaking the silence. I knew what he was referring to

"So?"

Then he stepped closer to me. "Do you love him?"

This was the same question he asked me last night. The very question that threw me off. It was getting dangerous at this point.

"What's it with you?" I had to ask.

"You're still mine, Rachel. Mine!"

"No!" I snapped. "That ended the moment you chose your mistress over me. I'm not yours, Austin. Not now... Not ever!"

RACHEL:

Austin stared at me like I had just shattered something between us. And for the first time, he didn't look as smug as he always us. Instead, all I could see was something in between regret and desperation.

He was trying to be careful not to reveal too much but I was seeing beneath the mask. The storm was brewing in him already.

"You're really going to marry him? You're going to just end everything between us like that?" His voice was lower than usual.

"This isn't just ending now. You already put a pen to it yourself. The papers were signed weeks ago and the only thing left is to finalize it. Trust me when I say it's just a matter of time."

I refused to let my resolve waver. He was going to feel just how much I wanted out of this. And I don't care if he was having second thoughts about it. It was already too late and I wasn't going to comply to anything.

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his attitude. "I thought..." He began to say but cut himself short. "I thought you just needed time to think things through."

"Time?" I spat out in rage. "You had time, Austin. Time to prove that I meant something to you. But what did you do? You spent it with her. You forgot I was supposed to be your wife and instead decided to treat me like a stranger. This isn't a negotiation. We're done."

Silence suffocated us as soon as I let out my feelings. God knows how long I've been bottling that up. I had more than that to say but that was the only thing I decided to just let out for now.

"So there's really nothing we can do about this?" he asked, his voice calmer now.

"Nothing. I'm engaged already so there's really no point trying."

"Where will you stay? Surely you can't keep living here." There was concern laced in his voice as he looked around at the apartment. I could tell that he wasn't okay with the place but what was his business?

"Don't worry about it. Daniel has it all sorted out," I said.

The mention of Daniel must have affected him because his expression changed. "Of course, he does."

I refused to engage in another argument about Daniel. I wonder why Austin thought he had the right to care about my choices or what I did. He was not even supposed to find here in the first place.

"I hope you and Chloe find the happiness you couldn't find in me," I said, forcing neutrality into my tone. I wanted this to be over so I could head in and find the rest I needed.

He didn't look too pleased by the mention of that. But before be could respond, someone else did.

"Oh, we will be."

It was a familiar voice. And when I turned around, I saw Chloe just behind me. She had the usual smug smile plastered on her face and she looked like she had triumphed in a battle.

"Why is she here?" I directed the question to Austin who didn't even know how to answer. "Why are the both of you even here?"

Chloe went to Austin's side and placed a hand oj his arm. She was doing her routine of staking her claim but it wasn't even a battle for me.

"I'm glad you're finally accepting reality, Rachel. Austin and I are meant to be and that's how it's going to be."

I didn't flinch when I met her gaze. "If I didn't accept reality, I wouldn't have handed him those divorce papers."

"Good. Then you won't mind that I would be moving into the villa with Austin."

Austin immediately stiffened beside her as if she just revealed too much information. "Chloe—" he tried calling her name but she continued to speak.

"I already talked to the staff," she continued. "They are preparing everything and maybe by next week, I should be well settled in."

I really had no idea why she was sharing such details with me. Was I supposed to care? Was I supposed to worry? I really couldn't tell why she was doing that.

"You certainly wasted no time," I simply said.

Chloe shrugged. "Why should I? You wanted out and the only thing that has to happen next is that we move forward. It's just that simple."

"And I wish you two the best," I said. "Now if you would excuse me... I have to get inside. You are both in my way."

They paved the way for me to get in and I walked in between them to get to my front door. I unlocked the door and just before entering, I turned around to face them one last time.

"Do me a favor, you two. Don't ever come back here."