Chapter 91: Friendship
Chapter 10 – Friendship
Rosie
“Careful.”
A soft feminine voice said, and I blinked, my eyes darting frantically over my shoulder. Josh was closing the distance; he would soon reach the cafe building. Without thinking, I frantically grabbed the woman’s arm that I had slammed into and shoved both of us through the door. And let the glass door swing shut behind us.
Through the tinted window of the cafe, I watched Josh walk right past the building, and I released a breath of relief, my shoulders slumping immediately.
Turning around to thank the woman, my eyes widened in shock as my mouth fell open, but no sound came out. My brain stalled as I pointed a trembling index finger at her.
“You,” the woman chimed, a bright, knowing smile spreading across her beautiful face.
Before I could even think about bolting, she wrapped her hand around my wrist and pulled me deeper into the cafe, steering Mia and me towards a secluded, private booth tucked away in the back corner of the cafe.
I swallowed hard, a tight knot forming in my throat as a heavy, suffocating wave of guilt began to creep into my chest. I slid into the booth across from her, pulling Mia close to my side while my fingers nervously fiddled with each other in my lap.
“I’m so sorry,” I immediately blurted out, hanging my head low in shame that covered me like a coat. There is no need beating around the bush when you know you are in the wrong. Acknowledge it and apologise.
The elegant woman sitting across from me was the bride from the altar. The very same woman who had furiously slapped Jude across the face before storming out of the church. I had stolen her place; I had completely destroyed her life and her reputation. Up until this moment, I had only ever worried about the repercussions from Jude; I had never actually stopped to think about the bride. How must she have felt? The unmitigated humiliation of it all.
God, I am a horrible human being, I thought bitterly. Just because I desperately needed the money, I had—
The woman let out a soft giggle, reaching across the polished table as she gently grabbed both of my hands. Her palms were warm and soft. “There is no need for all of that,” she said smoothly while I raised my head, my brow furrowing in confusion. What on earth did she mean?
“I... I...” I swallowed hard, trying to awkwardly pull my hands back from her grip. I couldn’t face her. “I crashed your wedding,” I whispered, my voice small with guilt.
She just grinned, leaning back against her seat with a relaxed, carefree posture. “Well, I’ve been meaning to track you down.”
My breath hitched in my throat. She wanted to find me? Was this the moment she enacted her revenge? Images of dramatic television dramas flashed through my mind, and I prayed she wasn’t about to dump a hot cup of coffee over my head or throw acid in my face. You could never trust how far crazy lovers would go.
She chuckled loudly, shaking her head. “I have no idea what is running through your mind right now, but your face is turning paler by the second. I’m not going to hurt you.”
She raised a hand, and I instinctively flinched, closing my eyes tightly in preparation for a slap because I really deserved it. Instead, she simply waved over a nearby waiter as she turned her bright eyes back to me. “What do you want to order?”
While I just blinked at her.
She turned her attention to Mia, her expression instantly melting into a warm smile. “Give the kid the best dessert you have. And for her...” She trailed off, gesturing towards me.
“Water,” I croaked out, my throat parched from anxiety.
The waiter nodded quickly and left with our order.
“As I was saying,” she continued, leaning her elbows on the table and grinning from ear to ear. “I didn’t want to find you to demand an apology. I wanted to track you down to say a heartfelt thank you for what you did.”
I stared at her, wondering if a screw had come loose in her head. First Jude, and now her. Were all ultra-wealthy elite people born from the same unhinged breed? How could she possibly be thanking me for ruining her wedding day?
Seeing the bewilderment written across my face, her smile softened. “I didn’t want to get married,” she confessed, letting out a dramatic sigh. “But my parents were forcing the issue.”
I blinked again, trying to process her words while my fingers continued to nervously twist in my lap. If she hadn’t wanted to marry Jude in the first place, why had she looked so furious at the altar? Why did she slap him?
The waiter arrived, placing a dessert in front of an excited Mia and sliding a tall glass of ice water towards me.
Kira giggled, pulling her phone out of her purse. “I already have someone I love,” she said dreamily, scrolling through her screen before turning the display around to show me a picture. “See my man? He is so handsome.” She stared at the screen with imaginary hearts in her eyes before wrinkling her nose. “Unlike that asshole Jude.”
“—” I had no response to that.
“Honestly, I would have crashed the wedding myself if you hadn’t shown up,” she shrugged carelessly, taking a sip of her drink. “I was planning to fake a fainting and bribe one of the doctors to tell my parents I had a terminal illness just to get out of it.”
I nodded slowly, the guilt finally evaporating from my chest. So, I wasn’t a villain after all. To her, my dramatic entrance had been a godsend miracle.
Setting her cup down, she leant in closer across the table, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So, what’s your name?”
I managed a small smile. “Rosie.”
She immediately snatched my hands again. “I’m Kira. Since fate brought us together like this, will you be my friend?”
I stared at her. Was this how people made friends?
“By the way,” Kira continued, her eyes twinkling with anticipation as she picked up her cup again. “Is she really your daughter? And is Jude actually dating you behind everyone’s back?”
I wetted my lower lip, leaning in slightly to whisper the truth. “Actually... I was just paid a lump sum of money to do that. Mia is my niece.”
“Oh!” Kira gasped, waving her hand dismissively as she processed the information. “I really thought Jude had a secret family... but honestly, your niece is incredibly talented! She acted so well at the altar.”
A sudden blush of pride coated my cheeks at the compliment. “Thank you.” Well, I’ve promised Mia if she really did well and we got paid, I was going to take a day off from work, buy her her favourite snacks and binge-watch her favourite cartoon.
“So, what are you two doing around this area anyway?” Kira asked, looking around.
“Mia and I were just doing a bit of sightseeing and shopping. There’s nothing for me to do during the day since I married Jude.”
Kira ground her teeth together, letting out a small huff. “That lucky bastard snatched you right up,” she commented dryly. “Are you guys all done with your shopping for the day?”
I nodded. “Yeah, we’ve done everything we needed to do," I responded. I’d also go to the amusement park, and I bought Mia a pair of shoes she’s been dreaming about. I just wanted to head home and rest. I’m already exhausted.
Kira’s eyes lit up with a cheeky grin as she pulled cash, dropping the bill onto the table to cover the waiter’s tab before grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the booth.
“Perfect! Let’s go out together to celebrate our f riendship. I officially like you, Rosie.”
***
Kira and Rosie have meet and they are friend in this universe also.
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