"You should look into the business of comedy," Selena said, tracing the snake leather of a shoe before setting her hand by her side. "It'll suit you. Anyway, I only came here because my mother wouldn't let me be if I didn't. So, don't cause any trouble for her in the future, it's the least you can do."
"Is that the most of your apology I'd get?" Valentin pocketed his hands.
"It's the best you'd get," Selena said. "I'm leaving."
"Maybe I should tell your mother your apology wasn't accepted," Valentin called after her before she exited the room. Selena reversed in her steps, a single brow raised in question.
"Maybe I'll tell her I was even more pissed when you came over, and tell her how you hurt my feelings," Valentin smirked. "Your mother adores me after all."
Selena knew he was going to do it, and upset her mother even more. It was as if she couldn't escape him even when they had broken up. She hated that he had found his way into her life easily.
"Why don't you just own up to the fact that you aren't here because your mother said so?" Valentin asked.
"Because I am," Selena retorted. "Why else would I be here?"
Valentin's gaze smoldered, a look Selena knew all too well and knew his next steps would be calculative.
"Admit that you miss what we have," Valentin said, lifting his hand to her face.
"Had," Selena corrected him, slapping his hand away. "What we had, and no, I don't. And I'm leaving. Tell my mother whatever you want, but this is the last time I'll be here with you."
"Oh no, it isn't," Valentin said. "Instead of an apology, how about you and that new man of yours have dinner with Patricia and me?"
Selena's heart skipped a beat. "What?"
"Yes, I'd love to get to know him, seeing as he was all over you at that party," Alexander's lips sneered in disgust. "Maybe not dinner, Patricia wouldn't like that. Let's go somewhere casual and upbeat, like LeCroix. You must have heard of it. They are having an opening ceremony this weekend. What do you say?"
"He hasn't the time…"
"Oh he will," Valentin said. "Anyone will find the time when it comes to you, Lena. Unless of course…"
"Unless of course what?" Selena hated it when he played games like this.
"My theory is true," Valentin said. "That you two had just faked it that day. And that you're still single and hung up on me and what we had, but didn't want to look like it at the party. Unless of course, that was what happened."
Another thing she hated about him; he was too smart.
She smiled. "Of course, you'd think that. You've always thought of yourself as the prize."
"Maybe I am," Valentin didn't deny it.
"You aren't," Selena said. "And if it's a dinner you want, then you'd get it. 9 p.m. sharp."
Selena strutted out of the office, and as she took the lift to the ground floor, she realized how easily Valentin had manipulated her again. She wanted to scream. Just for how long would she keep falling into his trap?
●
Alexander was walking into his building complex when he heard the heels behind him. He didn't bother to look back even as the clacking intensified, and he almost bumped into the person who came up from his side and stood right in his path.
He blinked away the tiredness and came to know his eyes were not deceiving him.
"Selena?" He called. She looked different with her hair up, more professional, and he dismissed the sudden want to ask her why she chose to wear it that way this time.
"Hi," she waved. "Good thing I caught you in time." She put a hand to her chest and breathed out. "God, you walk fast."
"Is something wrong?" He asked, looking around the space. Nothing seemed to have been chasing her.
"Well, not really," Selena smiled at him. When she remained like that and didn't say anything more, he asked, "Well?"
"Do you have plans this weekend?" She asked.
"Yeah," he answered immediately.
She frowned. "What are they?"
"Why should I tell you my plans?"
"Let me guess, work, eat, sleep," Selena listed out. "How about I take you out?"
Alexander was taken aback. "What?"
"A thank you gesture!" Selena said, impatient. "For everything, you know. For helping me out with the whole Luke…"
"Thanks, but you don't need to thank me," Alexander cut her off. He just needed to go up to his place and rest. "If that's all, I'd like to…"
"Just…go with me," Selena said, stepping into his path again. He closed his eyes. Persistent Selena was a hard one to deal with.
"Go with Tamika," He suggested. "Or Nancy, or anyone of your friends. I just want to go to my place and be set for my weekend. So, I'm not interested."
"Can you really not stand being with me or something?" She asked all of a sudden.
"Selena, you know that's not…"
"It feels like it," Selena remained adamant. The elevator door opened, and a young woman with a dangerous-looking chihuahua stepped out, curious eyes studying them both.
"So, I was saying there's this opening at LeCroix, and it looks like both our scenes." Selena continued. "How does that sound?"
Selena waited for him when he said nothing. His eyes just remained on her, and she couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. She didn't have to prove anything to Valentin, but she needed to see him squirm and lose his cool when he realized she'd moved on from him. This didn't feel like the right thing to do, but not the wrong one either.
"Not more than an hour," Alexander finally said.
Selena was tempted to fist bump into the air. "Okay then," she smiled at him. "I'll pick you up since it's my treat. And wear something sexy."
Before Alexander could change his mind, she walked out of the building with victory in her hands.