fantishu
Chapter 12: Between Courtesy and Toleration
To Love You Again, My Husband
Chapter 12: Between Courtesy and Toleration
She nodded her head at Matthew who was conversing with an influential figure in the business world then approached them. If it was previously, her heart would have thumped loudly and nervously yet having experienced them each day for the last ten months, she had been used to it.
She calmed herself, extending her hand to the woman in front of Matthew.
“An honor to meet you, Miss Montage. I am Airina Beverly.”
The woman Airina called Miss Montage cordially accepted her hand, shaking it gently.
“Yes, truly. How about we continue this talk elsewhere? I’ve reserved a restaurant for us to have our lunch. Have you eaten lunch, Miss Airina?”
Airina smiled, “I’ll just eat fruits.”
The woman smiled, leading them to a new, shiny black Lamborghini of hers. As such, Airina signaled her driver to follow along wherever they’re going so that she’d have a service after this business talk. Along the way, Matthew, and the woman, pleasantly exchanged words with each other – sometimes they divulged their personal life.
Elisa Montage gave her mouth a smile, “I’ve heard about your single status, Miss Beverly. Why is that?”
Airina was confused. “Pardon? This is a little bit abrupt.”
Elisa giggled. “Ever since I saw you earlier, I’ve been charmed by your beauty. Is there anyone in your mind? Maybe I could be of help.”
Airina blushed awkwardly, “N-no, I quite have the trauma about love. How about you, Miss?”
Elisa mischievously smiled. “I do have one in my mind. Maybe I’ll call him later when I’m free. Care to give me some motivation, Miss Beverly?”
Airina laughed. “I wish your love be as boundless as the water that flows down from a river – pure and real.”
Elisa was quite stunned at her sugarcoated words and couldn’t help but praise her. Thankfully of Elisa’s cheerful and easy-to-talk-with personality, the business talk went easily, and they successfully come to an agreement. Elisa was unusually very bubbly with Airina, especially when it came to love. What could be the reason for it?
Matthew lifted his brow at her. “Thanks for the good words earlier. Elisa was… captivated.”
Airina smirked teasingly, “Or you were?”
He rapidly turned to her and shook his head in disagreement, “Come on, she’s one of the influential figures. Men call her the gold – a gem hidden amidst the golds.”
“Oh, you know what? Hearing it from you makes me shudder.”
Matthew laughed with a cover of his mouth. “This is why I don’t want to talk about this thing. Anyway, I think being her former classmate’s party was involved in our agreement.”
“Elisa was one of your classmates?”
“Yes. She was always the nerdy type thus the boys were enthusiastic about having her as their girlfriend to see what she had to offer other than her cleverness.”
Airina was fascinated. “Now, that was why you were captivated by her. She was entirely different from then. Were you surprised?”
“I was merely surprised, not captivated”, he corrected, looking at his car, “it’s already evening. Would you mind eating with me?”
“Nah, I want to rest early today.” she opened the door of her car, “call Elisa if you like her.”
Matthew grumbled, “I told you no!”Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
Airina waved her hand, not believing him, and winking teasingly.
When she had arrived at the door of her house, she frowned looking at the familiar back of someone she hadn’t seen for the past days. Jackson was on a call with someone, and based on his expression, he seemed to be upset, and uncomfortable about something.
Airina didn’t know what kind of thoughts came to her, but she remained there, waiting for his call to end. It was as if she didn’t want to interrupt his serious conversation with someone. Alas, Jackson ended the call when the caller was still saying something and was a little surprised to see her staring at him.
“Y- you’re here?”
She opened the door, asking him. “What is the problem this time?”
His assistant handed him box which Airina was bewildered of, but she averted her eyes from it. She heard him, “Have you had dinner? I bought dinner… and I felt like it’s better to eat it with someone.”
Airina let him inside, taking off her bag and pieces of jewelry from her body, placing them on the desk, and responding to him.
“No.”
“At leas for a bit?”
“Let me remind you”, she seriously looked at him, “I could only accommodate you a few times. I don’t know what exactly you want from me. However, I don’t want to be with you. Maybe you had forgotten but we had divorced.”
These were the confined thoughts she had been wanting to tell him. Due to an unknown fear, she couldn’t tell her opinion. She looked up at him, whose expression fluctuated noticeably.
They were detained in the silence – neither awkward nor accustomed to the familiar stillness, their eyes were on each other. Jackson gulped his saliva, didn’t know how to explain himself.
“… Were you uncomfortable being with me?” He asked.
“You cheated on me, we divorced, and it had been ten months. Jackson, what else do you want from me?”
A helpless, frustrated sentence fell out of her mouth while wearing an ugly furrow, exasperated at Jackson.
She resumed, not prompting Jackson’s response, “I don’t care if you were simply guilty about our divorce after the success I had. But in all reality and frankly, you’re being a little pathetic.”
His lips twitched, flinching at her words.
“Airina, I –”
“You have decided to break off things with me. If so, you should know how to keep everything between the lines.”
“Between the lines?”
“There is a big difference between being polite and tolerating someone else’s behavior. I’m certain you know it well, Jackson.”