Amelia

The word Angston had me frozen to the spot. I was repulsed by it. The name brought on memories that I wanted to forget. It was the dark past I wanted to remove from my life. I stared at the woman in front of me. Did I know her?

Or did she know me? The way she looked at me I was full of doubt because I hadn't seen her ever in my life. I had rarely met any other people besides the one in the house while I was there.

"I have heard a lot of things about you," her eyes turned away from me and back to Karl. "Especially about your designs."

"Thank you," Karl replied to her wrapping a hand around my shoulder as if protecting me from this woman. I felt the warmth of this body and suddenly I was thankful to have him beside me.

"I guess the piece this beautiful lady is wearing is also one of your creations," she asked turning towards me. Her eyes went to the piece before returning to stare into mine making me feel anxious and worried.

"It's not a creation actually," Karl replied his voice suddenly not friendly at all, it was more like a business tone that he used with people he had no interest in. "It's a family heirloom."

"But it's a very enchanting one," she replied with a small smile on her face.

"I think the lady wearing it makes it enchanting rather than the piece itself. They are nothing but diamonds and precious metals but the one who wears them brings life and shine, just like this one. My girlfriend wore it to breathe life into the piece or else it would have been nothing but a piece in the corner of the vault," Karl told her keeping his arm around me and pulling me closer to him.

Beth's eyes lifted to look at me and I saw the expression of envy in her eyes for a second. I had no idea who she was but just the knowledge that she was related to the family that had ruined me put her in the same category as them.

"That's very true," she breathed out looking at me. "I wanted to ask you to create one of the pieces for my god-daughter. She would be getting married this year and I was thinking of having one necklace made for her especially. I know it's not the right place to talk about such things but I was over the moon seeing you here."

"You can find Lucien around here and let him know about it," Karl's quick reply made Beth look at us quizzically.

"I don't do a lot of designing or creating the pieces. I hope it's in your knowledge that I also own a company that deals with diamonds and precious metals. I'm pretty sure that half of the diamonds that people are carrying to this party were brought from my company directly and indirectly," Karl let go of me only to intertwine our fingers.

"I don't do personal requests any longer. However, there is a set of people under me who do it and I supervise all of them. If you seek to have one made from there ask Lucien. Now if you will excuse me I have a few people to greet with my girlfriend," Karl's tone was enough to dismiss further communications. Giving her a small smile, I was the first one to move but was halted in my steps as she came to block my path gently.

"Forgive me both of you. I didn't mean to ruffle any feathers," she could see in our expressions that we weren't that happy.

"I will be happy to get any necklace that comes from under your supervision," she was trying to get into the good books with Karl while I didn't want to be anywhere near her or her family.

"Then you should find Lucien as soon as possible," Karl's reply was savage and I almost wanted to laugh out loud but just couldn't.

"I have seen you somewhere," her eyes were on me. "I'm sure we have known each other from somewhere," she was blocking my path and for a second I felt the gnawing fear inside of me but then I remembered that there wasn't a past that I needed to look for.

"I don't think so," my words came out sharp but in a gentle tone. "Even if we had met somewhere I don't think I would have remembered."

"It's time for us to take our leave," Karl snapped at her making this woman's go wide. With squinted eyes, she looked at me. "If you will excuse us now." Karl didn't wait for a second longer and stepped past her while pulling me with him. I was quick on my steps to match his. For a moment it felt like he was dragging him with me but I was thankful to him for it. Only when we were at a safe distance away from Beth, Karl slowed down.

"Now I remembered why I hate attending such events," Karl breathed out making me chuckle. I agreed with him on this. Of all the events I had attended, this one seemed to be the most thrilling one. I was excited about sharing my relationship with Karl with the world but the past was haunting me. It was as if it was trying to catch up with me however I wasn't going to let it cause trouble for now.

"Remind me of this if I dared to agree to one ever again," Karl sighed wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me to him. I was taken back for a moment by this display of affection. However, I liked his hands wrapped around me. His scent invaded all of my senses and I could feel myself looking. Suddenly in all the chaos, it felt like he was the anchor that I needed to keep me grounded.

"No more favors to Lucien," I added thinking about how we were dragged into this mess. "I have to draw a line somewhere."

"I love our small life with a few people disturbing us," suddenly the word us made me feel safer than making me feel awkward and upset. He gave me the courage to fight for us. Being alone left in my mind was a dangerous place to be.

"Why don't we call it a night?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I was desperate to get back the familiar cocoon of our home. I had faced enough people and enough memories from the past in a day

"We really should," he agreed, his hands lingering around me for a moment longer before he stepped back. The warmth of his touch faded too quickly and I missed it because it made me aware of the coolness of the night.

"We need to say bye to Lucien first," he added, glancing around the crowded room. "I'm sure we've done enough just by showing up tonight."

I nodded, grateful for his understanding. The weight of the evening was pressing down on me, making it harder to breathe. I scanned the sea of unfamiliar faces, searching for Lucien's familiar figure. Karl was already ahead of me, phone in hand, lifting it to his ear. He was always faster, always more composed in moments like these.

 I kept on looking even when there was no need for me with Karl doing all the work.  I should have stopped searching. I should have trusted Karl to handle it. But my eyes betrayed me, landing on her.

My breath caught in my throat. There she was, standing at the edge of the room, draped in shimmering fabric that sparkled under the soft glow of the chandeliers. She laughed, I couldn't hear her but the sound of the light, tinkling sound seemed to mock me even from this distance. The distant memory of the past brings the sound to my ears. The people around smiled as though basking in the presence of an angel.

But I knew better. That smile had been my ruining. That laughter had silenced mine. She was poison in silk, and her very existence in this room felt like a hammer to break down everything I'd tried to rebuild. My heart hammered against my ribs, and the room tilted slightly as if my body were warning me to turn away, to leave before the fragile walls I'd painstakingly constructed crumbled completely.

Her smile was a mask, a carefully crafted one that hid the cruelty beneath. The sight of her hit me like a punch to the stomach, bringing back memories I had tried so hard to bury. Memories that still haunted me, lurking in the dark corners of my mind.

I swallowed hard, unable to even think. She had ruined me once. And now, her presence threatened to do it all over again.

"There he is," Karl's voice against my ear made me look away from her. I blinked, forcing myself to look away from her, the woman who had shattered me in ways I hadn't thought were possible.

I didn't know why I did it. Maybe it was the desperation clawing at my insides, or maybe it was the need to remind myself that I wasn't that broken version of myself anymore. Without thinking, I turned around, my fingers curling around Karl's face, and pulled him toward me. My lips found him in a kiss that was sudden and raw as if I could pour all the tension, fear, and pain into that moment and let it dissolve.

For a brief heartbeat, everything else disappeared. The hum of conversations, the distant clinking of glasses, even her presence in the room, all of it melted into a dull haze. There was only Karl, his warmth enveloping me, his steady hands settling on my waist as though he knew exactly what I needed.

The moment his touch supported me, a calm spread through my chest, dissolving the tight knot of anxiety that had been pulling tighter and tighter since the moment I had seen her. His kiss was slow, unhurried like he was telling me without words that I didn't need to face my ghosts alone. He tasted like home, familiar, safe, and solid in a world that often felt too fragile to break down.

I leaned into him, letting the warmth of his body push back the cold fear clawing at my mind. I could feel my pulse slowing, my breath evening out. He didn't ask why I kissed him, didn't question the suddenness of it. He simply kissed me back, offering quiet support and love in the way only he could. It wasn't passion driving me, it was the need to feel alive, present, and whole.

When we finally pulled apart, his eyes searched mine, calm and steady. He didn't say anything,  he didn't need to. His gaze alone told me everything. I was here, with him, and that was enough. I didn't have to face her, didn't have to be strong on my own.

"Thank you," I breathed out the words.

"I will let you kiss me a hundred more times without asking," his hand moved to gently brush against my cheek making a shiver run down my back in pleasure.

And in that moment, for the first time all night, I believed it. I believed us.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw her. This time her eyes were on me but then they turned around the room and locked to someone not so far away from me. I had no idea who it was but slowly I turned a little bit more with Karl's still around my waist and one of his hands over my cheek. 

It felt like the ground was pulled from beneath me as I saw him. He stood not more than twenty steps away from me looking at me. His eyes were on me and Karl. I saw the pained expression on his face as if I had betrayed her. The time stopped for me as I was pulled back into the memory of the past. The same expression had fallen over his face once upon a time, the only difference this time was that I was no longer his wife and he was no longer the man I loved.

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Hello Everyone

Forgive me for the late update. Sometimes this heart gets in the way and it becomes hard to function. I'm really sorry for the late update. I really hope you all forgive me for it.

I'm feeling much better now and was able to write it. I had written it with all I could and I hope you liked it. I have my fingers crossed.

Do let me know whose point of view will you like in the next chapter.

Thank you and lots of love. I will start writing the next chapter in next 24 hours so please let me know the choice.

Thank you and love you all .