I squeezed my fingers into my fists, my nails threatening to tear my own flesh. I just couldn't believe that this was the first thing I'd get to face coming down from the stage.
I wished they weren't being serious right now, but…
"Listen up, Daisy. You can be as slick as you want to be, but I want you to know that I already know all your moves," Lily said.
She deserved a slap but my temper hasn't boiled to the extent of giving it to her out here. Moreover, I was trying to find my way out of the paparazzi's sight.
Bringing unnecessary attention to myself at such a place and time wasn't worth it.
I took in a deep breath and exhaled, racking my mind for a way to deal with these two and move on with the rest of my life.
"I don't seem to get the point that you are trying to make here," I said as gently as I could. "If you have any issues with me, we can discuss it sometime else. As you should know, I have a lot on my schedule and I can't afford to waste precious time."
"Shut it, bitch!" Stella snapped.
My eyes widened slightly at her audacity. What ground did she think she stood to call me a bitch?
"We know you're here because of my brother's success," Lily chirped in.
"And you better know that Declan doesn't have time for a loose woman like you," Stella added. "You know that's why he did away with you in the first place."
I swallowed a lump in my throat. It was almost hard to respond.
"Have you two lost it?" I asked them, barely able to contain the anger now.
All the insults I'd just received from the two of them was unnecessary.
"Play your games, but just know we know that thing you think you know," Lily said.
She turned to her friend. "Let's get out of here, Stella."
They bounced away like two hungry hyenas. I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. But inside of me was an anger that almost made me loathe myself for being too cautious of the environment and failing to deal with those two.
I flung my hair back and brushed up my spirit.
Something like this shouldn't be enough to ruin my day. But I'd definitely caution Declan about his sister whenever I set eyes on him.
It wasn't up to five minutes after I continued my walk and I stumbled upon Declan strolling toward the elevator with Richard.
The moment he saw me, he waved Richard off and stopped right in front of the elevator.
He smiled at me and the pit of my stomach rumbled with disgust at that smile.
I was so pissed with him and his disrespectful little sister.
"Declan," I confronted him immediately.
He pushed the button of the elevator and it opened. It wasn't my destination but I angrily stormed in with him and watched the door close on us.
"What's with the face? You gave a brilliant speech and everyone applauded you," he said with unfiltered sarcasm. "Wasn't that enough?"
I walked right up to his face. "Maybe it wasn't. Or, maybe, you forgot to keep your family updated on the fact that we are divorced."
He raised his hands in mock surrender, a smug smile on his face.
"Chill out, lady. You look like you're about to wreck me in a kickboxing fight," he chuckled. "Tell me what happened."
I shrugged off his taunts. I couldn't let them get to me. Not with the embarrassment from his sister still boiling my blood.
"I'm not here to narrate stories to you, Declan. But I'll tell you just one thing. If you haven't updated them about it, then you better do it fast. Because, the next time I get harassed by any of them, whoever it is would be spending some time behind cold bars."
He broke into laughter, cupping his fist over his lips to stifle the wildness of his laughter.
After a few seconds of getting his act together, he said, "I don't think it's fair to term it harassment when it's just the simple truth."
My mind shattered. Was he being serious right now?
"Don't tell me you're the one instigating your little sister's arrogance," I said. "You'd better stop it right now before it's too late. We're divorced. Deal with it."
"So funny," he chuckled, shaking his head.
I straightened my back, shooting him a skeptical gaze. "What do you mean?"
"Tell me what makes you think that signing the papers was all you needed to end things with me," he demanded.
My heart skipped a beat.
"What the fuck do you mean by that?" I asked, my whole body beaming of curiosity.
"I'm only saying that it's not my fault you were in so much hurry to leave me for another man," he said, flashing his entire dentition as he laughed.
"Are you trying to say that you and I—"
He cut my words off with a push of one of the elevator buttons. The elevator came to a stop and the door slid open.
He stepped out of the elevator and briskly walked off, while I found myself chasing after him like a lost pet trying to catch up with its owner.
"Wait up!" I called, my voice ringing with awful desperation.
He stopped and then turned around, the smirk on his face not going away.
"Don't be in such a hurry, Daisy. Save the rest for another time," he whispered.
He turned around and walked off immediately, waving me off as his figure vanished from my sight.
I let out a weak sigh. How dare he leave me with so many unanswered questions? And why the hell did I even follow him like I was dying to hear him answer my question?
Well, I'd admit it. I was a little desperate. So now, I wasn't going to wait for him before getting those answers.
I'd ask others and find out what he's trying to hide from me.
He was smart and I was smart too. I'd see through his games before he could realise it.
I headed back to the elevator. I really had nothing to do here on the fourth floor.
But I stopped in my tracks when my name suddenly rang from behind me.
"Daisy?"
I turned around immediately and my eyes met Silvan's.
The moment I saw his face, a sudden wind of relief grazed through my soul.
"Oh," I thought to myself. "Just perfect."