Chapter 5 Wrong Confession

I stared at the diamond resting on Rickie's finger, unable to look away.

"Brett," she said softly, turning her attention to me, her eyes moved to my face. "Who are you?"

The question caught me off guard, how was I supposed to answer that? “His Ex” felt somewhat humiliated toward me.

"I was just leaving." I grabbed my bag before either of them could say anything else. I walked past them keeping my head up high without looking back.

I walked along the road, Brett's word still lingers in my mind. "I never stopped loving you." Then I remembered the ring.

After Brett left for Switzerland, rumors about him spread like wild fire, like how he had been seeing other women while we were still together, the late night parties. At first, I refused to believe them. Because Brett had loved me or at least I thought he had. Now after seeing him again, I didn't know what to believe. Maybe, I hadn't known him as well as I thought I did.

By the time I got home, it was 6:00pm and I was already tired. I dropped my bag beside the couch and started a video call with my best friend Stacey. She answered after a few rings, her tanned face appearing on the screen.

"You're finally home," she spoke. "How was the Interview?"

"It was okay I guess." I replied.

"You look unsettled," Stacey noticed "Is there something bothering you?"

"I met someone today. Rickie Saltzman."

Stacey eyes widened, "Wait...Rickie Saltzman"

"You know her?"

"Lil. I can't believe that you don't know Rickie Saltzman, your boss's daughter. Like seriously, you applied to Opulent and you didn't know?" Asked Stacey.

"I knew the name sounded familiar," I frowned. "She's Allen Connel Saltzman's daughter."

Stacey shook her head, "Okay. Forget that, what about her?"

I lower my head. "She's Brett Fiance."

Stacey stared at me. "What?"

"I saw her with him."

"Lily you can't be too sure, Opulent Wealth Group is a subsidiary company under De - holdings which Brett Hechanova owns." Stacey explains. "It's completely normal for them to be seen together," she added.

"I saw a diamond ring on her finger."

"That still doesn't prove anything, women like Rickie Saltzman probably have enough diamonds to wear a different one everyday."

"There's only one way to find out."

Stacey raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"It's called the internet." I giggled.

I opened my laptop and typed 'Rickie Saltzman' into the search bar, the results loaded almost instantly. My eyes moved across the headlines until one caught my attention. “Rickie Saltzman and Brett Hechanova engaged!”

My smile disappeared.

"Stacey..."

"What?"

"They're engaged."

She leaned closer to the screen, "Are you sure?"

I clicked the article. Photographs of them together at a charity ball and other major events filled the page. I kept scrolling, they were interviews, social media posts, congratulations from influential people and pictures of them together stretching back months. I turned to the screen towards Stacey. The ring wasn't a misunderstanding, they weren't just business partners; they were lovers too, I put on a fake smile looking at Stacey who could see right through.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine Stacey," I smile. "It was over a long time ago."

She studied my face for a moment before glancing away from the camera. "I have to go, my cousin Sam just arrived. But we will meet up later at Rousseau's bar and talk about everything there is to talk about." She blew a kiss before she hung up.

I fell to the bed, still on Rickie’s page, still kept on scrolling. Part of me envied her, not because she's engaged to my ex, but because she had nothing I never had. Wealth and status.

Meanwhile I had an internship I was still trying to get and a future I was still building. I hated that I was comparing myself to her. Maybe she was everything I wasn't. And maybe after three years, I finally see why he had moved on.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed. Stacey: I'm on my way. Meet me at Rousseau's bar.

I slipped my phone into a bag and headed out. By the time I arrived, the bar was very crowded with people partying and drinking, soft music played in the background. I found a familiar table near the corner, where Stacey and I usually sit. Denna, the hot blonde bartender approaches. "Lily. Can I get you something to drink?"

"Just a cocktail." I responded.

I check my phone, no new messages from Stacey. A few minutes later, Denna arrived with my drink.

I took a sip then another, trying to quiet the thoughts that had been bothering me all evening, I checked my phone again. Still nothing.

So I sent Stacey a message asking her where she is. I didn't get a reply.

Perhaps she got delayed. So, I waited. I called Stacey but I couldn't reach her. Maybe she wasn't coming, so I should leave. But I didn't, instead I ordered another drink.

Maybe, I didn't want company anymore. I just needed the noise in my head to quiet down. I drank the cocktail till the last drop. The music sounded so loud in my ears, the room seemed to sway whenever I moved.

I was halfway through another drink, when two men approached my table. "Why is the lovely angel sitting alone, all by herself." I looked up at them, trying to focus.

"Come play with us," one of them said, holding out his hand.

I should've said no. Instead, I laughed and placed my hand on his.

A moment later, I was on the dance floor with them. The music got so louder as I moved to the beat without thinking. One of them placed an arm around my waist while the other moved closer behind me, their hands wandering over my waist and lower back. I laughed, too drunk to care, my phone vibrated inside my bag on the table. I didn't hear it.

Across the bar, Denna glanced at the screen and recognized Stacey's name. She picked up.

"Hello?"

"Denna.." Stacey recognizes Denna's voice. "Why do you have Lily's phone? Don't tell me she's wasted." Denna turned in my direction, I was still dancing and completely unaware of the situation.

"Yeah. She's out."

"I knew it. I was actually calling to tell her I couldn't make it, I had to babysit," said Stacey. "Denna. Please don't let her out of your sight. I'll have someone to pick her up."

"Sure thing." Denna hung up.

I was still dancing to the music when someone caught my attention, a tall handsome figure just entered the bar. My blurred vision struggled to see his face clearly, but something about him felt familiar.

Dark hair, broad shoulders, the way he walked made my heart skip.

"Brett..."

I immediately pulled away from the two men and stumbled toward him.

"Baby..." I uttered, walking toward him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You came back for me." I stumbled. His hands caught my waist, keeping me from falling. I looked into his face, my vision blurry.

"You know how much you hurt me?" My voice cracked.

"I waited for you, I kept wondering what I did wrong for three years." I punched his chest weakly.

"I tried to forget you. I really tried." I cried loudly, my fingers tightened around his shirt.

"Then you came back and wrecked my world. Brett, I was happy." I blinked trying to see him clearly.

"But the moment I saw you..." I laughed weakly. "Everything came rushing back, all at once."

My eyes burned. "Why do you still have this effect on me?" I reached up and touched his face.

"I never stopped..." The words caught in my throat.

For three years, I refused to say them. But tonight I couldn't hide it anymore.

"I still love you, Brett."

He went still. Then I heard his voice.

"Lily..."

My smile faded. I blinked, struggling to focus, those weren't Brett's brown eyes but Liam's blue eyes.

My breath stopped.