The Royal Contract

He looked at the man who had a smug smile on his lips, and all he could imagine in his mind was to punch him on that pretty face of his. But of course, he could not do that to his partner.

So, he only smiled, continuing with the task of clearing up the conference room to return to his office only to work on his other cases. It had been his pattern since he had messed up again.

Yes! Again and again. He fucked up!

“That is the plan. Isn’t that what we are supposed to do.” Evan answered indifferently, not caring about what his friend thought about his actions. “Do you need anything, David?” He asked as he moved toward the door, stopping just beside him.

He loved and respected his friend. He knew David only wanted what was best for him and help if he could. But he did not know shit what he needed. He sure had no idea how to fix his problem.

“I am worried about you, man.” David finally said it. His friend had been hinting at it for a few weeks, but he chose to ignore him. “It has been months, and you are starting to become a monk.”

.....

He could not contradict his friend’s words since it was true. At least to some degree. He had avoided joining them by going out. Feeling he deserved to be miserable for making the same mistakes over and over again.

“I am ok. I need to focus on work.” Evan moved to his office with his friend walking beside him. He quickly took his seat behind his desk, not offering his friend a chair since he did not want him to stay.

Every time his mind would stop and think, she was all he could think of, and it had been driving him insane. He wanted to fly toward her and explain himself again, but she did not want to listen.

She begged him to stay as far away from her as possible. She did not want to see him again. Now, he was respecting that wish. He just hoped that he would get over this feeling in time. But at the moment, he felt like he was drowning, unable to save himself.

“Work can only do so much. If you still love her, go out there and win her back.” David stood before his desk, looking down at him. “Don’t sit here and wallow in your sorrow.” Looking like he was ready to beat his ass.

His friend had this look that told him he was disappointed in him, but he did not say it out loud. But he did not have to since he already felt plenty of that for himself.

“I already did that,” Evan answered. “Many times, if you did not remember.” He had grovelled in his knees. He would have kissed her feet if she had allowed him.

He had begged her continuously to forgive him. Or at least listened to his explanation, but she shut her door on him. Ask him to leave and not to show his face ever again.

The funny thing was his grandmother took her side and was never even allowed to tell his side of the story. How could he blame them when he had done nothing but ruin everything?

“Then, do it again.” He walked next to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Maybe this time, she is ready to hear your side.” His eyes told him to take the risk.

But was that even possible? Could Amelia ever learn to forgive him and give him a chance? He doubted it after all this time of not hearing from her. He even heard that she was dating. Maybe she had moved on from him.

“If you don’t want her anymore, do it for closure.” He suggested. “See and talk to her even for one last time.” Then, his friend strode to the door, leaving him to think about what he had said.

Was he right about her? Should he go back and try again? Would she be ready to listen this time? Honestly, he did not see a possibility he would ever get over her. But there was a chance that she could.

But he could always try to patch up his problem again by braving the possibility that she might reconsider. She might still love him enough to forgive him. It was not yet too late for them.

But if not, maybe David was right about the closure. It was time to put a period on this part of his life and stop hoping for a miracle to happen. He might wait his entire life for it, but he would be more heartbroken.

After a few more minutes of staring into space, he took one look outside his window and decided. “There was only one way to find out.” He sighed heavily, moving towards the door and stopping by his secretary’s desk.

“Cancel all my appointments for today.” He ordered without waiting for her to ask.

He turned around when she acknowledged his orders. Then, he remembered something else he had to do. “Please, arrange for my plane to be ready in thirty minutes.”

Then, he rushed to the elevator and down to his car. He needed at least a few changes of clothes because he was not leaving that place until she at least heard him out. This time, he would not easily give up, just like before.

He admitted to committing a lot of mistakes in his past. He had confessed that he had hurt her, but the rest of the accusations thrown at him was false. He did not do such a thing. It was a lie.

Whoever wanted to ruin their relationship fabricated those evidence, making it look like he perpetrated those things. But that was all bullshit. He would never mean to hurt the woman he loved.

Yes! He loved her. He finally learned to acknowledge that to himself. It was not easy to recognize that particular emotion, but after a long self-searching, he finally realized it was love.

I love her.

He kept repeating it in his head as he flew in the air, looking outside the window of his plane. He could not wait to tell her. To speak the words this time and not just show her. Unfortunately, he was not doing a good job.

“Hello, Grandmama.” Evan finally called her on the plane. He just wanted to make sure that she was aware of his plans.

They had talked several times on the phone in a week, but he never flew to visit her. Her grandmother advised against it. But she had dropped by his place several times to spend time with him.

She believed Amelia was not ready to see him after what he did. But his grandmother had given up on him, telling him that Amelia was too good for him, despite his plea that he had changed.

“Is everything alright?” Angela asked him, hearing a slight tremor in her voice. It was still early for his frequent calls. So she might feel alarmed by his sudden call.

Still, his grandmother loved him despite his shortcomings. So, he had no choice but to respect their wishes and stay away. Give Amelia the space she needed.

He always thought that she would come around, but she never did. She never once bothered to call him. But he was not taking that against her. He was the one at fault here, not her.

“Yes, it is, but I have a meeting there.” He quickly told her the lie he had come up with, not wanting to alarm her. “And, I wish to visit Eida. I heard that she already gave birth.” But that last one was not a lie.

He had been thinking of her since this morning after hearing the news. He owed it to his friend, Lance, to check on her. The least he could do was guarantee that Eida and his child were ok.

But he also promised himself that if things did not work out with Eida, he would run to Lance and tell him everything he knew. It might not be his place to meddle in their affairs, but if Eida or the child was in danger, Lance should know about it.

On the other hand, he could also use that alibi to get close to Amelia. He was desperate to talk to her. He would probably do all the tricks in the book if it had been the only way to see her.

“Oh! That is a bit sudden.” Angela’s voice had a hint of delight in it. As if she was happy that he was coming over.

It had been a while since he had seen her face to face. But he also looked forward to seeing the woman who had raised him. This time, he would make her proud of him.

He would not be half of the man she wished him to be, but the man she could be proud of now and forever.