Chapter 2 THE MESS

My jeans weren't properly on my waist before I stormed out of the toilet, but alas!

When I reached my seat and looked downstairs, it was too late.

The cameras were rolling, the arena hushed with love in the air, romantic lights, and eager faces, with Vince on one knee in front of Michelle, professing his love.

He opened the box and I stopped breathing.

"Will you be my wife, Michelle? Till forever?"

But Michelle's smile vanished.

"Vince?" Her eyes darted around warily, aware of the cameras capturing this embarrassing moment.

"Yes, baby?" Vince still held his smile.

"Where is the ring?"

Vince's brows furrowed in confusion, and when he looked into the empty box, he understood the reason for Michelle's sudden anger.

"I... fuck! I must've misplaced it, wait! Just give me a moment, baby..." Vince stuttered in confusion and hurriedly stood up.

"How dare you humiliate me like this?!" Michelle looked like she was about to cry.

"It's just a misunderstanding, Michelle baby, give me some minutes..." Vince tried to hold her amid the gasps and shocked screams from the crowd, but she pulled away from him harshly.

"No! I've had enough of you! The press and people are watching, and you choose to embarrass me like this?"

"Michelle..." he reached for her again.

"No! Don't come near me. Stay away!" She picked up her bag.

"Don't be like that, sweetie..."

"I'm done!" she shrieked, and the crowd gasped collectively.

Murmurs of chaos erupted.

"Let me get the ring-I promise you'll love it," Vince tried to plead.

"I SAID IT's OVER!" Michelle yelled and hurried away in tears.

"Oh my God! Eva?!" I heard from behind me, and when I turned, Kord was staring at me pale with horror.

"I swear, it was a mistake. I didn't mean to..."

"Cut the fucking cameras!!" Vince screamed.

The flashing stopped, the cameramen paused, murmurs rippled, and the crowd started to scatter.

Vince's eyes caught and locked on us. "Kord? Care to explain this mess?!"

The waitress I had passed the ring to hurried to him.

His eyes widened in surprise for a moment and then they contorted into fury after the waitress pointed to me and whispered something.

"Eva!!!!" he yelled, and I could almost hear my bones rattle.

"Uh oh, we're fucked," Kord said in alarm as Vince bounded up the stairs to meet us.

"I'll take the blame," I said, trying to pull the ring off my finger in a hurry.

"No, you can't..." Kord tried to protest, but Vince was already in our faces.

"Come here, you tiny little brat!" Vince grabbed my hand harshly and pulled me away from Kord toward an empty hallway that led downstairs.

"When did you get the audacity to start coming out of the shadows?" His grip on my arm tightened as he yelled in my face. "You ruined one of the biggest moments of my life!"

"Vince..."

"Start explaining!"

"I... I don't..." I missed my words, and he stopped walking.

"That's it..." Vince bit his plump lower lip as he stared at me, stuttering, clearly irritated by the mess I had become. "Cat got your tongue, honey?"

"I'm sorry," I blurted out. "It was an mis...."

"That apology isn't going to undo this mess." he said and continued pulling me away. "You better start thinking of a way get my fiancée back"

"What? How?" I asked, panic washing over me.

"You'll find out-after you tell her how sorry you are for almost making me lose her and for trying to ruin the lovely relationship we have." Sarcasm dripped from his tone.

"I..."

He opened the door to an empty office when we got downstairs and pushed me inside.

"Sit," Vince pointed to a chair.

"Vince, I..."

"Down. Now!"

My body dropped into the nearest empty chair.

"Are you fucking dumb? What were you thinking? That was humiliating!" he yelled, a raised finger pointed at me.

I could not hold my tears anymore. I tried to stifle a sob but failed miserably. Vince made me feel like a criminal.

But that was what I was.

A thief of joy.

He turned to me in horror.

"What are you... crying? Great! I can't believe you're crying. I'm about to lose the woman I love. Your tears don't mean anything to me right now. Get up!" he ordered and came closer.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed. My eyes met his, and Vince leaned in.

"I know, baby. I know," he gently tucked my hair behind my ear.

"I didn't mean to..."

"Stop apologizing and get your pretty little ass up."

I didn't move.

"Now! You're coming with me to fix this!"

Vince grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the office and through the back of West Green, heading for a car parked behind the building, probably an escape from the press.

"Get in," he said, pushing me inside before climbing in after me. "Seatbelt. It's going to be a rough ride."

The moment mine clicked, he sped off.

We didn't drive long before he stopped.

"Out," he ordered, opening the door and pulling me with him.

"How do you know she's here?" I asked.

"Her car's here," he pointed to a baby blue Bentley.

We hurried inside.

"When you apologize, go down on your knees and say how sorry you are," he said.

"If everything goes well, I might even compensate you," he added, and I nodded silently.

"Now I just need to find out where she is and..."

"Carl!" we heard a sweet, feminine voice not too far ahead.

"Baby!" the man greeted her with a cheerful smile and open arms, waiting for Michelle to run into them.

"I missed you," she said, looping her arms around the stranger's neck as they kissed passionately.

Vince was frozen beside me, just as I was beside him.

Michelle-the woman he was about to propose to thirty minutes ago-was kissing someone else.

"Did you get rid of him?" the man asked, and Michelle nodded vigorously after they broke the kiss.

"Yes! I was going to do it in public, but I guess luck was on my side. It was a mess," she laughed lightly, but it sounded evil and sick to my ears.

"Tell me about it when we get to my room," the new man said, and they exchanged another deep kiss.

"And we'll talk about our vacation plans," she squealed and swung her legs in the air as the man carried her away in his arms, oblivious to the breathing statues watching the escapade.

We stood frozen in time for what felt like hours.

My trance broke first, and I turned to Vince, ready to offer comfort and support-even just a touch.

"Vince?"

"Get the fuck away from me!" He pushed my hand aside and moved like I was the plague.

"Fuck this," he cursed and hurried out of the hotel.

Now I felt bad for him.

He was heartbroken and devastated.

I needed to return his ring.

But when I got out the door and caught sight of his figure walking hastily away, Vince was already in the middle of the road.

A bus was coming-and Vince wasn't looking. Fear and horror washed over me.

"Vince, watch out!"

A loud screech.

A crash.

A mangled body.

And blood.

"Nooooooo!!!!"