Just Before He Said 'I DO'

Chapter 5

Vivienne couldn't believe what Rosalind was spewing out of her mouth.

She grew livid, with steam practically blowing out of her ears as she approached Rosalind menacingly.

“No. It's you who should stay the f**k away from my fiancé!” She yelled.

The photographers wasted no time in clicking the cameras again.

Rosalind cowered and widened her eyes in fear.

“I… I, please don't hit me again!” She whined and burst into sobs as painful memories flooded her eyes.

The paparazzi gasped in shock.

“Again? What do you mean ‘again’?” Someone shouted.

“Do you hit her, Miss Vivienne?”

Vivienne's eyes widened in shock as she stumbled back, stuttering in shock.

“No…no! I… I… didn't…” She mumbled, shaking her head as the Paparazzi advanced towards her excitedly.

She turned to run into the lobby in fright, but she bumped into someone.

She looked up and was met with Edgar's glaring eyes.

Vivienne sighed in relief and hid behind him while clutching onto his clothes.

“Please save me, Edgar, that woman is after me!” She cried in fear.

“You trying to hit her might be forgiven, but don't you think ruining her reputation with lies is cheap?”

….

MOMENTS AGO.

Edgar stood in front of the wall-sized ceiling-to-floor glass behind the swiveling chair in his office with his back to the door, deep in thought.

Carlos stood in front of his table quietly.

“Why didn't you notify me about this immediately?” He asked, turning to note Carlos’s expression.

Carlos kept his face neutral as he answered the question.

“I needed to make a proper confirmation before…”

Edgar clenched his teeth and brought up his hand to check the time on his Rolex wristwatch.

“Look into it properly.” He said after a while.

Carlos nodded.

“Get the budget for…” Edgar stopped mid-speech as his eyes caught up on the drama happening in the building opposite his office block.

“Eh… isn't that Vivienne?”

Carlos’s eyes immediately went to the window, where he spotted tiny humanoid figures moving in groups toward the lobby.

“What is going on?” Edgar asked, still observing the scene below.

Carlos moved to the table, tapped on the intercom, and spoke into it calmly.

“Report the scene ongoing in front of the main building.”

The intercom cackled.

“It’s the Paparazzi sir…and it looks like…oh it's Miss Vivienne.” Someone replied through the intercom. “The paparazzi are chasing after her and there is an unknown woman moving towards the lobby’s entrance. Should we intervene?”

“What is she doing here?” Edgar frowned.

“No!” Carlos replied and turned off the intercom. “Wish to take a look?”

“I would really like to know what she wants.” He turned and walked towards a section of the wooden wall. There were some inconspicuous black buttons built into the wall which he punched on.

There was a faint beeping sound as the wall hissed and split apart revealing a little capsule furnished with only two seats, behind it.

Edgar walked in with Carlos in tow and took a seat, while Carlos punched a button behind his seat and sat down as the capsule’s door hissed shut.

“Location please?” An automated female voice sounded.

“Main building lobby,” Carlos said and relaxed as the advanced tech slithered sideways, hurtling with great speed through a maze that led to their destination.

Ding!

The capsule fitted into a dormant elevator and slithered back through the secret door after the two men had left the elevator.

Edgar strolled in great strides towards the automatic turnstile door and caught sight of Vivienne advancing upon Rosalind and clenched his teeth as the door opened for him.

While the turnstile was scanning him, he watched Vivienne running towards the door, trying to escape the Paparazzi.

She looked up in shock after bumping into him.

“Please save me, Edgar, that woman is after me!”

Edgar glared at her and stepped away from her, moving towards Rosalind as he spoke.

“You trying to hit her might be forgiven, but don't you think ruining her reputation with lies is cheap?” He asked coldly as he hugged Rosalind to his chest.

“It’s the CEO!” The paparazzi went into frenzy again, their cameras rapidly clicking at his arrival.

Vivienne looked hurt as she stammered. “I… I… didn't…”

“Of course you didn't.” He scoffed coldly. “Don’t you dare try to raise your hand against her in the future again, or there will be hell to pay!”

“But, Edgar…how can you bear to treat me like this? You…you love me. Don't you? You said you did…” Vivienne stammered, tears brimming in her eyes.

“I don't. I don't love you, Vivienne.” He said abruptly and brushed past her with his hands still around Rosalind.

The paparazzi ran after him with questions.

“I love you, Edgar. We can make this work all over again…” Vivienne tried again, running after him.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to her. His heart unmoved at the sight of her pale face staring at him pleadingly.

“Miss Vivienne, I would appreciate it if you could have some sense of decency and stop chasing after a taken man!” He said in a cold voice, loud enough for the paparazzi to get the hint.

They turned to Vivienne and started after her with barrages of questions.

“Edgar please,” She shouted after him in a shaky voice.

He didn't turn back as he led Rosalind into a turnstile and got into another.

Her eyes locked onto Carlos, who had appeared there at an unknown time and was watching her with unreadable eyes.

She ran towards him with the paparazzi on her tail like flies.

“Carlos, please, please… can't you help me talk to Edgar? I… I did nothing of what they are accusing me of… I don't know her!” She cried, clutching onto his arm and staring up into his eyes with tears streaming down her face.

Carlos averted his gaze as he sighed and gently peeled her fingers off his arm.

“Just stay away for now, you're creating a scene which won't be good for your reputation.” He mumbled to her and stalked off, coolly.

Vivienne stood there in disbelief, with the paparazzi all over her. Her face was in shock as she tried to process what Carlos had told her.

Carlos, who had been like a confidant to her, had suddenly ignored her.

“He…he didn't just ignore me?” She muttered as she ran towards the parking lot while screaming hysterically. “Why can't she just die? Why!”

She got into the back seat of her car, locking it as the paparazzi caught up to her. Vivienne broke into sobs as her driver revved the engine and drove out of the premises.

Edgar led Rosalind to an escalator that led to the elevator floor and rode in an elevator in total silence.

“E… Edgar? Are you mad at me?” she asked softly as the elevator opened directly into a brightly lit, spacious hall of people sitting quietly behind little cubicles deep in their work.

He didn't reply to her as he led her to a door on the other side of the hall where his office building resided.

He pushed opened his door and slammed it shut after she had entered.

“What did you go and challenge her for? You don't know what she's capable of doing… You could have gotten seriously hurt.” He yelled at her as he pushed her against a wall.

“I only apologized to her for ruining her wedding yesterday… I… didn't know she would go extreme.” She squealed.

He suddenly burst out laughing. “Oh, Rosa, your good heart is only going to get you hurt.”

Her face fell as tears welled up in her eyes. “I just couldn't help it. I am also a woman…”

“Aw. My poor baby.” He smiled and pulled her into a hug. “I was only teasing you. You have a big heart capable of love, which I can't help but adore. I love you.” He pulled away and whispered the last words softly, staring deep into her eyes.

“I love you too, Edgar.”

He smiled and lowered his head, locking his lips onto hers.

Rosalind kissed him back, her heart writhing in pain at her actions.

***

A man, who looked to be in his mid-forties, stood respectfully by the door of a dark room. He had his eyes trained on a spot further into the room.

“Mr. Cheng.” A calm, lilting voice floated from the dark where he had his eyes trained on. “What is the report?”

“The rates have gone up. We are among the top three in the industry now.” Mr. Cheng reported calmly in his deep voice tinged with a Chinese accent.

“Oh!” The person replied and moved into a part of the room that was a bit brighter than her previous position. It was a very young lady in her early twenties.

Her heels clicked against the polished wooden floor as she moved about slowly, pouring herself a glass of wine.

“This calls for celebration. Don't you think?” She chuckled sultrily, moving the glass to her red lips enthralling, holding Mr. Cheng spellbound for a minute.

He quickly caught himself and cleared his throat as he went red in the face.

“Ah…ah yes ma'am!”

She laughed and moved deliberately towards him. Her red dress stretched across her curvy body sensuously.

Her heels clacked loudly as she came to a stop before him, making him swallow nervously.

Her glossy straight black hair fell around her face as she bent towards him.

“Do you have a suggestion on how to get to the top quicker?” She asked softly.

“Y…yes, if they make a little mistake…our rates will inflate, while theirs deflates, making us the top…”

“I know, and I will make sure of that.” The lady said and pulled back with a deep sigh. She ran a hand through the sides of her hair.

“I… I…just hate the method!” She turned her back to him and whispered in pain.

Mr. Cheng's eyes widened considerably as he regarded the woman with guarded feelings.

“Is something bothering you?” He asked quietly, afraid of her reply.

The young lady smirked, “Can you help me with it?” She turned to him.

He swallowed painfully and shook his head nervously. “I… I don't think so.”

“Good!” She frowned and snapped at him. “Then drop the documents and scram.”

He quickly did as he was told and hurried out of the office.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and yanked at her hair.

“I will surely bring you down, I promise!”