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Song for this chapter: Alex Band - Only one
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I never had the chance to say goodbye to this place. I never wished to say goodbye.
All those memories, all those people which helped me to create them now are just gone.
Everyone has their own perfect little life except from me.
I don't even have a place that I can call home anymore. I mean I never had a real one after Denny died but at least I had a place that was sort of my home but after all of those things that happened, I had to leave that place too.

After 5 years I'm back at the same place I once loved and hated at the same time.

"Hello, Washington."I say in a low voice as I step out of the car breathing the wet and cold air of this 11 October.

"Please don't cry. I can't see you crying." Beatrix says in a sarcastic tone while she comes towards me.

"Yeah right. When have you ever seen me crying?" I say smiling.

"Why did we came here anyway? We should have stayed in New York because this place has brought us only sadness.
Nothing more."

"Maybe it's time for us to face our pasts in order to create a better future. Don't you think?"

"Yeah right. And you're saying this after 5 years? Come on Bryan. We both know that you're here to watch how's she and her kids doing. I know that after you saw her in that photo with them you couldn't help yourself even though she said they're not your children.

"I'm not here for her or them and I'm not gonna stay here for long. Just today, then we'll fly back to New York." I tell her.

"As you wish «your highness»." Beatrix says teasing me.
"So... where are we going to stay? Should I call one of the hotels near us to book us some rooms?"

"There's no need for that. I've already booked us two rooms at the 'Four Seasons Hotel' ." I say.

"You did...? I'm surprised." She says raising one eyebrow.

"Yeah." I reply simply.

"Why Seattle though? Are you up to something?" Beatrix asks suspiciously.

"Nope. We're staying in Seattle because Seattle is one of my favorite cities here. That's all." I reply as I fix my hair nervously.

"Right...
I'm just gonna pretend like I believe you."
"Which I don't." Beatrix says sarcastically in a low voice.

"You can think about anything you want but I'm telling you the truth." I say as I start walking towards the hotel leaving Beatrix behind.

"Hey! Wait up you dumb fuck." She says as she starts running to catch me then when she's finally close enough to me she grabs my arm and we both walk inside the hotel hallway.

"You are a dumb fuck" I reply laughing.

"No. You are." Bex replies.

"Welcome, Mr. White." The hotel manager says as he comes towards me.

"Thank you." I reply simply nodding my head.

"This way please." He says leading us through the lobby and as we're about to enter a room on the right side of the lobby two kids around 4 or five years old come rushing towards us while they are playing with each other and collide with me.
They look a lot alike except from their eyes. The girl has dark green eyes and the boy has brown eyes.

"Whoa there!" I exclaim and hold them by their arms trying not to drop them.

"Are you guys okay?" I ask concerned as I look at both of them and give one of them a smile before looking down at the other one.

"Sorry. We were just playing." They both say at the same time.

"It's alright. The most important thing is that you guys are okay." I reply feeling bad and I kneel down in front of them to meet eye level with them.

"I have seen you somewhere." The little girl says smiling as she tries to remember something.

"Where? What's your name?" I ask her as I gently pet her head and wait patiently for her answer.

"Iris." The little boy answers me.

"And he's Ryan. We are twins." Iris replies smiling.

"That's amazing. Nice to meet you guys. I'm Bryan."  I smile back at them trying to make myself seem less intimidating and more friendly than I actually am. I'm sure that it must look stupid. Especially since I can't do much else apart from smiling because what the fuck? This is not me. I'm not good with children.

"We like playing." Iris and Ryan say together.

"Well, I like playing too so why don't we play together? Would you like that?" I ask them.

"Sure. Let's play together." Iris says as she claps her hands happily.

"Iris? Ryan?" Where are you guys?" I hear a woman's voice coming from the end of the hall. It seems familiar.

"Mommy! Mommy." They both say as they start running towards the sound of the voice.

Can that be?

"Bryan let's go. Let's get inside before she sees you." Beatrix says pulling me inside of the room that we're supposed to stay in as she closes the door behind.

"I was so worried about you guys. Don't you ever disappear like that. Okay?" Their mother says worriedly.

"Sorry, mommy." They both say at the same time.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asks.

"We were talking with our new friend." They reply.

"New friend? Who is he?"

"His name is Bryan." Iris replies.

"I'm sorry, what?" She asks surprised.

"His name is Bryan mommy." Iris replies again.

"Where is he? Can I meet him too?" She questions.

"He was here but I think his mother took him inside to sleep." Ryan replies.

"His mom??" Beatrix asks annoyed as we're listening behind the door.

"Be quiet and let me hear what they're saying." I whisper to her because I knew from the first moment I looked into their eyes that they were her kids.

"Ohh... okay."Her mother says relieved.

She must be thinking that I'm a child or something after what they told her.

"You guys go to your room. I'll be there in a minute." She tells them and they both start running towards their room.
After they leave she comes towards our room and for a few seconds, she just looks at the door while holding something in her hand before she decides to knock.

"You open the door and deal with her. I'll be inside." I say to Beatrix as I turn around and walk towards the balcony.
A few seconds later she walks towards the door and turns the knob.

"Hi. How may I help you." Beatrix speaks in a polite and sweet tone.

"Is he here?" She suddenly asks in a low voice that nearly comes out as a squeak from her mouth.

"He who?" Beatrix asks.

"Bryan." She replies almost immediately as if she didn't expect Beatrix to ask that question.
"Is he here?" she repeats herself in a different tone.

"I don't know who that is." Beatrix says nervously.

"I know he's here. Don't lie to me." She says as she walks inside our room without permission.
My heart starts beating fast in my chest as I listen to her steps walking closer to me and after a few seconds there she is.
Standing right in front of me after all these years.

My heart starts beating wildly inside my chest as I stare into her beautiful green eyes that still haven't changed a bit since the last time that I saw her.
She's wearing a white button down shirt, black skinny jeans and high heels. Her black hair which used to be styled beautifully that now is brown is falling down her shoulders loosely. She looks absolutely gorgeous just like the first time I first saw her.

"You're really here?" She says with a voice that sounds almost happy to see me that it almost breaks my heart.

"Yes, I'm here." I say in a low voice.
She stands right in front of me as she stares at me for a moment without saying anything as she searches for any traces of pain or emotion in my face but when she doesn't find any she smiles softly.

"You're here. After all these years." She says as her eyes fill with tears.

"I'm here." I answer back as I try to hide the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.
All this time I was dreaming about this day, seeing her again and hearing her voice that was my favorite memory ever but I wasn't ready to feel her so close.
I thought that I'd never feel the same about her after what she did to me but now that I'm seeing her again I realize how wrong I was. My love for her is still there and it hasn't faded away even after all these years apart.
I was even expecting to hate her but I couldn't. I couldn't hate someone that I still love with all my heart.

"Why are you here?" She asks as she wipes her tears off.

Because I want to know the truth about Iris and Ryan.

"Why are you asking me?" I say instead as I look away.

"I..." She begins to say but I cut her off.

"Save it. I don't want to hear your lies anyway." I reply coldly and I can tell that she looks hurt and sad about what I said but she manages to smile.
I recognize that smile too well because that smile belonged to me and only me.
The smile that meant everything to me.

I didn't mean to do it, I was just angry and frustrated that I wanted to hurt her just like she did.

"Bryan. I'm gonna go outside to get some fresh air." Beatrix says breaking the silence between us.

"You don't need to go anywhere my love. The lady was just about to leave anyway." I reply to her smiling and she looks at me confused as I gesture for her to come in.

Mia looks at me with pain written all over her face as she tries to manage her tears from falling down as she turns around and heads towards the door without looking back leaving me and Beatrix alone in the room.

"You're such a jerk. You know that don't you?" Beatrix says angrily as she walks up to me and crosses her arms in front of her chest.
"Why did you do that to her? Didn't you see how hurt she was when she heard you call me my love?" She asks.

"Because I wanted to hurt her just like she did when she married someone else." I reply.

"I don't understand you, Bryan. How can someone hurt someone that they love that much as you did?"

"I was just returning her the favor about hurting me back then when I was madly in love with her." I respond in a quiet tone, trying to hold back tears from slipping out of my eyes.

"I don't get it, Bryan." Beatrix says again as she walks away from me and sits on one of the chairs near the bed.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just forget it." I reply simply as I start walking towards the front door.

"Where are you going now?" Beatrix asks.

"Outside."

"To where?" She asks again.

"To hell! Wanna come?" I snap at her before slamming the door shut and walking down the hallway.

This fucking sucks. It's all fucked. It's fucking bullshit. All of it.
Everything.
She left me and if I say something to hurt her then I'm the bad guy. How is this even fair!?
She even found some rich guy to marry him because she fucking thought that I'm a fucking drug dealer and I'm still in love with her.

"Well, you were right Burned Rose!" I shout as I walk down the stairs of the hotel entrance.

She didn't love me enough but she loves him more than she loved me. She loves him so goddamn much that she even raised my kids to call HIM dad.

"Aghhhh... Fuck it!
Fuck my feelings, fuck my relationship, FUCK MY LIFE!!"

"If that thing is true and I have the DNA test proving that I'm right. She's gonna regret the day that she first meet me.
I'll make her pay for making my life hell for 5 years.

***

Hi guys! How are you?🙃
I hope everyone is having a great time and that you enjoyed reading the first chapter of After Everything 2.🥰🥰🥰
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