My Billionaire Ex

Cold Shoulder

Lucas is getting frustrated when the person at the reception keeps on telling him they don't have his reservation. If he believed in a higher power he would have thought this deal was just not meant to be. Even simple things like getting a reservation right has gone wrong. He knows the person at the reception is just doing their job but that doesn't make him less furious for what he is experiencing now.

"Good day sir"

His body feels like its been both set on fire and poured icy water on. He could recognise that voice anywhere and in which ever state he was in. He is both excited and afraid after hearing that one voice that he has wanted to hear the past months. His reservation troubles forgotten for the moment as he debates on whether to turn around or not. He is about to turn when his mind takes him back to the last time he saw her. Wrapped in a bed sheet on his hotel floor begging him to listen to her. Like every other day the thought of him walking away from her that morning fills him with regret. And right this moment the amount of regret is so much more it scares him to even face her. With fists clenched he turns around and her name slips out of his mouth the moment he lays his eyes on her.

"Jaelyn?"

The first thing he notices is that she is glowing. She was always beautiful but he swears that beauty has increased tenfold since the last time he saw her and all he wants is to reach out to her and wrap his arms around her. He longs to feel her beating heart against his chest. He wants so much to tell her just how sorry he is for not hearing her out, not believing her and not standing by her.

His eyes travel down her body and he is stunned at what he sees. For a moment he just stands there unmoving like he has been cast in stone. His heart is crushed and tears are threatening to spill. His Jaelyn is pregnant and it's not his. This is the last thing he expected to see. Its one thought that never even crossed his mind. He doesn't know how to feel, all he knows is his world just fell apart.

"You are pregnant?"

He blurts out the words not knowing what else to say.

"Welcome to the pearl hotel. Am sorry that you are having trouble but am sure we can sort it out if you will let us and yes as you can see I am very pregnant but don't worry I am very capable to sort out whatever issue we have here."

"Her professional tone feels like a slap in the face to him.

"Jae....it's me" he reaches his hand out to touch her but she moves away.

"I know it's you Mr. Miller and if you can just give us a moment we will sort out your reservation."

Lucas just watches her unable to say anything else as she obviously refuses to acknowledge him as anything else but a customer for the pearl. He can't blame her though. He knows he deserves everything she throws at him. So he lets her be for now. He will definitely talk to her when he calms down and he also wants to give her sometime to get over the shock of seeing him there.

"Okay." He says quietly.

"Alright please follow me." She starts walking away and he follows her trying to match her steps. Her movements are insanely fast for a heavily pregnant woman making him take long strides. They walk in silence even though all he wants is to stop her so that they can talk.

She comes to a stop in front of an office and points him to it.

"Please you may go in."

He pauses wanting to ask her if she is coming too but he decides against it. He walks in quietly and finds a familiar face inside.

"Nina?"

"Lucas?" The surprise on her face is evident but he doesn't mind. At least one of them doesn't show any signs of ignoring him any moment.

"You are the manager of the pearl?" He is surprised to find her here. After his break up with Jaelyn he couldn't bring himself to call her or see her too.

"You know bossing people around is my specialty." She winks at him as she gets up from her seat.

A door being closed behind him makes him turn momentarily and he realises she is not coming in after handing him over to Nina.

When he turns back a slap lands on his face.

"Damn Nina!" His face stings and all he can do is rub it.

"That's for being a jerk."

"What did I do? I just got here" He feigns innocence.

"Don't play coy with me Lucas or else you'll get another one." Nina hisses.

He doesn't even get a chance to get upset before she wraps him in a hug.

"Am so happy to see you!"

"You have a funny way of showing it." He grumbles as he takes a seat.

"So you are the unreasonable client troubling my people? I should have known"

"You should know you have a terrible service for such a lovely hotel."

"Says the man who is terrible at building anything."

Just like old times the two are back to teasing each other the best way they know how. For a moment they sit quietly just looking at each other. It's been a while and Lucas realises just how much they have missed, how much he has missed Jaelyn. How he wishes he could turn back time so that they can enjoy those moments together as friends once more.

"How is she?"

"And why should I tell you?" He sees her cross her arms while she narrows her eyes at him.

"Nina please..."

"Go ask her yourself."

"Did you see how she dumped me here a while ago? The only thing she is willing to give me is a cold shoulder."

"You are lucky she dumped you here, if it were me you would have been shot." She grins mischievously.

"Terrible woman." He mumbles to himself.

"I heard that. Now be nice otherwise you will sleep on the streets tonight."

"Like I said you have terrible service here. But seriously Nina how is she?"

"Now that you are here am sure she is going to be miserable again but she is ok as can be expected. She has her days but mostly she is fine."

"And the pregnancy? Is she seeing anyone else?" He has been trying to suppress this thought but then again he wants to know no matter how painful it is to him.

"You know I can't say anything about that."

Her apologetic face is enough for him to know that if he wants answers he will have to get them from Jaelyn.

"Fair enough." He sighs.

"What are you doing here anyway and so far from home?"

That reminds him, with meeting Jaelyn he had forgotten the whole reason he made this trip.

"I need to speak to the architect who designed the pearl. I need their contact, am not getting a response from their email which is the only way I can contact them."

Nina just bites her lips and shakes her head.

"What is it Nina?" He moves to the edge of the seat wanting to know why she won't give him the contact.

"It's just that they already decided not to work with you so am sorry you came all the way out here for nothing."

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would anyone turn down such a deal?"

"You will have to ask her yourself."

"Her?" He frowns, but when Nina nods towards the door it's like a light just got flipped on in his head.

"Her? Jaelyn?"

"Yep"

He just rubs his temple as he feels a headache coming on.

"Am surprised you didn't pick her style from the design."

With all that is going on he has been too focussed on just wanting to meet the person he didn't take time to really look at the designs. But that is not the issue now. He needs to find a way to convince the woman he hurt so deeply to help save his own company.