★RAINE★
I'm sure it was my paranoia but I felt all eyes on me. From all sides, everyone was looking at me as though they'd heard me and Elliot's conversation. Did they hear it? Do they think I'm a pitiful woman?
With shaky hands, I grabbed my phone and dialled Hailey's number. After a few rings, the call connected and I put the phone against my ear, shaking with restrained pain.
"Hey, babe! What's up?" The background was noisy and I could tell she was in a party or club, enjoying herself. I didn't want to disturb her or wipe the happiness off her face. "Ray?" Her voice came again.
"Hailey..." I called, smiling even though she couldn't see me. "Are you in a club?" I tried to sound nonchalant but a tear slid down my eyes and my voice came out strained.
A pause from the other side, then she said; "Are you crying, Ray?" She asked, I heard her cursing someone then the place became quiet. She probably went outside.
"Yes... No," I shrugged, another tear sliding down my face, "Elliot broke up with me."
Another pause from her side before she took a deep breath, "That stupid fucking pussy. I'm going to kill him the next time I see him, Ray, and you better not try to stop me." I managed a small chuckle. Hailey always knew how to wipe sadness from my face, only in this case she didn't completely wipe it.
"You don't really have to." I said, looking down at my black purse resting on my lap.
"Don't really have to? You'd better be joking. I'm going to ruin his new Bugatti. He won't know what to make out of it after I'm done. I'll leave death threats and spike fear into his dirty black heart for trying to mess with my bestie." She said all those in one breath and I could practically hear her heaving. I wondered what her expression would be like. "Where are you now?"
"I'm at a restaurant. He at least made the break up an expensive one." I sighed, leaning back on the chair.
"Did you order food? Did that fuck pay for the meals?" Fuck. Now I thought about it, he really didn't and we'd ordered so much expensive food. "He didn't, right? God, I'm so going to kill Elliot Carter!" She yelled, "Hold on, I'll send you some funds right now. The restaurant must've been an expensive one."
"It's alright, you don't have to. I have a little f--" She didn't even wait for me to finish and ended the call. My lips twitched into a small smile though the sadness was still lingering.
After the issue with Horizon Media, all our bank accounts froze. I had to use Hailey's details to create a virtual one to be using for the meantime. There wasn't much in there, and I was sure if I'd paid for the meal, my whole savings would've gone.
My phone pinged with an incoming message but before I could read it, Hailey's call came. I pressed the answer button, "I sent you something. It's not much but it should be enough to pay what that evil bastard ordered. Should I come over?"
"Thank you, Hailey. Thank you really." I gave my appreciation, "And no, you don't need to come over. I'm not a baby anymore." I heard her chuckle.
"You're always my baby. I'll call you later, okay. I love you"
"Okay. I love you too." After her approval, I hung up and checked the message. It was a message from my virtual bank on the transfer Hailey made to it. I smiled, the money was even bigger and would leave me a tip. Calling for the waitress, I made payments and left the restaurant with my stuff.
I sighed out once I was outside, looking up at the dark sky. Walking to the road side, with eyes on me as many people knew I was the daughter of Mitchell who owned the crumbling bankrupt Mitchell Media. Stopping at a point on the pedestrian side of the road, I hailed for a taxi but instead a shiny black Maybach Exelero stopped before me. I was never interested in cars, but there was nothing social media won't tell you.
The window to the passenger's seat wound down and my breath hitched when I saw Nathaniel Carter, Elliot's uncle. I'd seen him a few times on my visit to Elliot at the company but I'd never gotten an up close look of him. We had never spoken, I wondered if he even knew me.
"Elliot's woman, yeah?" Yeah, he did.
I shrugged, "I ain't his woman anymore." My tears had ceased but I still felt maddeningly sad. I loved Elliot. I loved him so much. Nathaniel's scrutinizing silence only made me notice his appearance more. He was crazily handsome, even more handsome than Elliot. His piercing blue eyes stared at me as though they could see deep inside me and unravel all the dirty secrets I've been hiding. His midnight black hair was slicked back to perfection with unruly long strands falling over his fair face. He was clad only in a grey dress shirt—which two of the buttons were open, revealing his strong enticing chest and tattoos—and black pants. He was in a man spread position and I felt heat rise up my neck and cheeks.
"Get in." He said with a deep voice like gravel and I bit my lips. It was already over with Elliot, there's no harm in entering his uncle's car right?
"Uh, it's alright. I'll get a taxi." I told him and he nodded, not once taking his eyes off me.
"Yeah you will, by this time of the night." He rolled his eyes. I never knew Nathaniel was a sassy type, "Get in, Raine." Nodding, I slipped into the car immediately.
"How do you know my name?" I asked, perching myself to the window, trying not to stare at him or feel his body near mine.
"You're my nephew's girlfriend." He answered as though that explains anything.
"Well I'm not anymore," I turned to look at him to find him staring at me already, he started the car. "Like I said earlier."