Ember woke up late, the following morning. She hadn't set an alarm because it was a holiday.
The sunlight spilling softly across her room was warmer than the atmosphere from last night. For a few seconds, she lay still. Then it all came rushing back.
Is Edward Alpha? She couldn't wrap her head around it. She now understood why Iris was more desperate to marry him. It made sense to her at that moment.
But what about what Brenda said ? What did she mean 'Edward has met her' who were they referring to?
As long as she could remember, the night of his engagement was the first time she had ever seen him and after that night, nothing had happened between them again . Besides, her one night stand didn't recognize her after the night they spent together.
The more she thought about it, the more it didn't make sense to her. She could understand Iris' desperation for Edward. Damn the man was hotter than sin. But the other part of him being with someone he had been with before didn't make sense to her.
"What if…. He returned to the club that night and took on another woman. Maybe it's the woman Brenda's friend had seen him with…. Oh man I won't blame the woman. Edward is bigger than life." She said to herself.
"Bigger than life you said.." Bella burst out laughing beside her.
"Gosh! What are you doing here?" Ember jumped up frightened. She had forgotten Bella decided to spend the night at her place. And being the clingy girl she is, she refused to use the couch so both women shared the bed.
Bella yawned, "Have you been daydreaming about Edward's lower body?" Ember sighed.
"Em…. You're sinful" She laughed.
"Well, I mean if I had heard Iris complain about how he handled her in bed, I would've made her out to be a liar. He gave me the best sex of my life." She cried into her pillow.
Bella stared at her friend in full disbelief. Ethan and Ember had been dating since their college days. They had a hate-to-love relationship which always made her laugh whenever she saw them all cuddly.
Ethan had made a beautiful life for himself from working in his family business. Bella never missed an opportunity to remind him that he was a nepo baby who believed everyone got things as easily as he did.
Ember's phone buzzed by the bedside table . She picked it up, it was Sofia.
Emergency outing. No excuses. Be ready in an hour. I'll pick you up.
Another message followed immediately,
You need distraction and I need gossip. It ended with a smiley emoji.
Despite everything, Ember let out a small breath that almost resembled a laugh.
Bella noticed her, "Is that your Mr Billionaire Edward Drew?" She teased.
Ember laughed too, "It is Sofia. Your replacement. Maybe she is right. I need some air." She ran out of bed and slipped into a bathrobe.
Two hours later, she was at the beachside. It was full of life and energy. She needed it.
Music drifted through the air, light and rhythmic. Laughter echoed from groups scattered across shaded tables, drinks clinking, conversations overlapping in easy chaos.
It was the kind of day people forgot their problems and she was here for it.
Sofia waved the moment Ember arrived.
"There she is!" she called, dragging her into the group. "The woman of the hour."
Bella had opted to drop her off at her location so she had texted Sofia to let her know she was coming by herself. By the way, she didn't want her work colleagues to know where she lived.
Ember frowned slightly. "What does that mean?"
Sofia grinned. "Oh, nothing. Just that you practically outshined Iris yesterday despite our warnings." The group burst into laughter.
Ember stiffened.
"I didn't…"
"Relax," Sofia cut in, laughing. "I'm exaggerating. But people noticed."
Their colleagues were already mid-conversation, some lounging, others dancing lightly to the music, drinks in hand.
"Drink?" Sofia asked, handing her something cold and bright.
Ember took it. "Thanks."
She needed it.
They settled into their seats, conversation flowing easily, office gossip, ridiculous theories about the gala and speculations about the engagement.
Ember tried to listen, she tried to engage but her mind kept drifting back to the way she had spoken to Edward. For the first time since the incident, she felt terrible. He was only trying to look out for her but she shoved him upright.
"You're doing it again," Sofia said suddenly.
Ember blinked. "Doing what?"
"Disappearing," she replied. "Where did you go this time?"
Ember exhaled. "Nowhere."
"Liar." Antoinette said.
Before Ember could respond, another colleague leaned in.
"Okay, but can we talk about that moment?" she said. "When Edward just walked off stage?"
Laughter rippled through the group.
"Right?" someone else added. "That was so intense."
"And weird," Sofia said. "Like…who does that during their own engagement announcement?"
Ember's grip tightened slightly around her glass. She was lost at this point.
"What happened?" She asked .
Sofia looked at her before talking. " Oh I forgot you spent the entire evening in the lady's room."
Antoinette continued, "I heard something though,"
Ember leaned in "What?"
Everyone was now looking at Antoinette's eyes through her large shades.
" I heard they didn't leave together. Jack said they argued backstage. Don't ask me anything but it didn't look good."
Silence fell over the table.
"Okay," Sofia said, clapping her hands lightly. "Enough drama. We're here to have fun."
She grabbed Ember's hand. "Come on. Dance."
Ember hesitated. Then let herself be pulled up.