Chapter 7
At first I stood there glued to the ground.
Five years ago I had left to Los Angeles after finding out I was carrying Neil’s child. Those were the hardest months for me but I’d found peace in raising my daughter and starting my own luxury brand that was now worth millions of dollars.
I had completely erased Neil from my head, every memory I had of him, from burning all of our pictures together, tossing out every gift he’d given me but seeing him here, his face still looking as handsome as I remembered, his dark hair swept back, it revived an anger I didn’t know was still existing
His eyebrows furrowed together, and I realised he was equally taken aback, as if unsure that I was right in front of him.
“Leah!” His deep voice finally broke the silence between us. He opened his mouth to say more when a voice spoke from behind him.
“Neil, I’m sorry my phone call took a little too long. I’m here now,” she said.
I peeled my eyes from his gaze and looked behind him at Ella who soon caught up, intertwining their arms.
I let out a little snicker before looking away and resuming walking.
“Leah, I heard Neil call before he touched my wrist. The familiar touch sent goosebumps trailing up my immediately repelled from him.
arm and I
“It really is you,” the shock in his tone amused me. I would think he could care less, “we looked everywhere for
you
He was still talking when I left his side, making my way to the fancy bathroom.
Once I was alone, I stood in front of a mirror, tossing my purse onto the sink.
and-
I drew a long breath, before raking my fingers through my hair, closing my eyes tight as I tried to regulate my breathing.
I had left New Orleans since that night I found out I was pregnant, I was so distracted by wanting to come to this funeral that I completely forgot all about the Devon family living here. What were the fucking odds I’d bump into him at this bastard’s funeral.
I picked my purse from the sink and the lighter I was looking for earlier fell out, making a clink sound against the ceramic.
1 slipped the cigarette between my lips, lighting it. I stared at my reflection, my hair was shiny, neat, my makeup was flawless, I looked nothing like I did back then..
1 brushed my hair behind my ear, taking my mascara out of my purse and leaning closer to the mirror to reapply it
My gaze shifted to the new reflection that had joined mine in the mirror.
“So you’re not a ghost, Ella spoke, her hands folded across her chest, “did you come back from the dead?”
Laway
She looked just the same as before, her hair in a high ponytail, that smug look, still present. I looked away from her, focusing on my mascara, brushing it through my lashes as if she weren’t even there.
“We reached out to even your father, but no one knew where you went, you just disappeared into thin air,” I noticed the look of disgust on her face as she eyed me from head to toe, stepping closer, ‘seeing how you’re dressed, and knowing what Mr. Ali was notoriously known for, it’s not hard to figure out what you’ve spent the last few years doing and-”
She didn’t get to finish her sentence as I turned and struck her face so hard, my hand stung
Ella’s eyes widened and she held her affected cheek, suddenly panting. She attempted to hit me back, but I caught her wrist
1/2
21:19 Sat, 8 Mar
Chapter 7
mid air.
With my other hand, I took a buff of the cigarette, letting the smoke rum free in her face, “if I were you, I’d not want to mess with me. Ella, Fin not the woman you knew all those years ago, I warned her, letting go of her hand, causing her to stumble backwards a little.
I placed the cigarette but in the sink, putting it out, before walking out of the bathroom to leave her to figure out what the hell has just happened.
“Looked for me my foot, I chuckled under my breath as I walked away, taking aggravated steps, “seeing how you two are here as a couple, cared my ass.”
I groaned, “ugh, ruined my peace.” I pulled my phone out of my purse, hurrying to dial Max, “let’s get out of here,” I told him as soon as he picked up.
“What happened?” He asked.
Just come towards the exit, we’re flying back home, right now,” I told him, “I can’t start explaining but-”
Before I could finish, someone had grabbed me from behind, spinning me around, so I was leaning against their chest. My phone fell to the floor. I looked up, startled, and saw Neil. His arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly.
Then I heard the gunshot.
It was deafening. Screams erupted around us, people scampering out of sight.
My eyes darted past Neil and saw a man in the distance, wearing a mask, holding a gun.
“Neil?” I looked back at him, furrowing my brows in confusion. The next thing I knew, his weight was slowly dropping on
- me.
“Oh my God.” I gasped, trying to hold him up, but then I saw the blood, it soaked his suit, spreading fast,
And then it started to sink in
Neil had just been shot.
