Chasing Paradise (Chasing 3)

My mind wandered to that night, until I heard voices and some laughter, before his door opened and in strode Blake with Adriana hanging off his arm.

Alarm bells were ringing full on as the waves of jealousy rocked me hardcore. I was frozen on the spot, my heart slowly breaking at the sight of him enjoying another woman’s company, seeming at ease with her, and not to mention the fact that she had her arm on his—not bothering to care—or that me might have enjoyed it, which ever it was, I didn’t like it.

“Sienna?” Blake frowned at me. “What brought you here? Did you need something?”

Yeah, I needed my fiancé back. Where was he?

“I was hoping if we could fly together to Spain.” I nervously eyed him, before my gaze flickered at the Latina next to him. Beautiful and tall like a supermodel with curves. “And who might this woman be? Is this your mistress?”

Blake turned into stone, eyes hard as rocks. “Don’t be rude, Sienna.” He glanced at Adriana, before guiding her towards me. “This is Adriana. She’ll be taking Luke’s place once he gets stationed in New York headquarters soon.”

My brow rose at Blake, then at the woman. “Your assistant? Well you two looked far to cozy for a working relationship.” My words barbed into my heart, loathing both of them on sight, before I wanted to throw more crap into them, but Blake interrupted me.

“Adriana, that would be all for today. Why don’t you go ahead and prepare yourself for the flight. I will call for you once we’re ready to leave.” He nodded at her and we both waited until Adriana was out the door.

The second that door shut itself; I was ready to launch myself at him. “You lying sack of shit! You’re cheating on me!”

“You can’t treat people I employ like that, Sienna! How the hell do you come off accusing when you barely know the person?” Blake spat on my face, angered. “Adriana deserves to be respected and she’s been a great friend. I’m not cheating on you.”

I huffed, lips parted in disgust. “Respected and she’s a great friend, since when? She’s your f**king assistant!” I pressed on his chest, boiling to the hilt. “And how dare you let her touch you! You’re f**king engaged to me, Knightly! You’re f**king mine.”

“Am I? Then who the hell owns you, Sienna? Because I saw you kiss Matthews. I saw you kiss him—initiated the damn kiss.” He spoke with an eerie ring to it, like he was done fighting.

The usual hell he used to give me, the jealousy, the whole possessive Neanderthal in him was not there, and that bothered me a great deal. Something was shifting here and I was too late to catch on. “Why didn’t you confront me? Why aren’t you fighting me?” I wondered out loud, confused and scared at the changed man.

“Why waste my breath?” Blake threw me a glance, before he rounded his desk and sat on his chair.

Fear gripped into me, sensing and fearing for the worst. “What does that mean?”

Blake shrugged, not wanting to delve into the subject.

“Blake—”

He finally glanced at me; those magnetizing eyes had an edge to them, looking at me differently. “I don’t know, Sienna.”

Fuck. What had I done? I panicked. I wanted to say a lot, but no words came from my mouth because my tears were threatening to come out and I didn’t want to give Adriana the satisfaction that she was coming in between my relationship with Blake. Gripping my purse, I directed towards the entrance before I heard him again.

“Where are you going?”

Not glancing at him, I stared at the glass across the room. “Heathrow. I’m going to catch a flight.”

“I thought you wanted to fly out with me?” Blake asked, strained.

I shook my head, not wanting to face him. “Yeah, but I want to be alone. I’ll see you in Spain tonight.” I shot the words out before leaving his office and got into the lift.

Relationships around me were falling apart. I shouldn’t be even surprised that mine wasn’t going the way I wanted it to, but I should’ve anticipated it. Because since when did life made it easy for me? It gave me a little light then it somehow always found a way to lure me back into darkness. How long will I be its captive until I finally cave in and drown into my sorrows, gasping for my last breath?

It wouldn’t be for long. I was ready to give up—on everything, on everyone.

It wasn’t giving up.

No, it would be more of accepting fate.

Mine didn’t lie with happy ever afters, but with a solid reality that not everyone gets the good stuff in life. People did live and die unhappy, unfulfilled and without purpose.

Sadly, it seemed like I was destined to be one of them.

Pulling my phone out. I sent out an email to me conservator.

Hello,

Can you please draft a will stating that in case I die, I want all of my money to go to the orphans, providing for their education and into helping them get back on their feet once they are on their own?

Email me anytime once it’s ready. I will fax it immediately back to you.

Sienna Richards

Smiling sadly, I mouthed Sienna Knightly. It was never going to be Knightly.

Cruel jokes.

I hated them with a passion.

Eighteen

Blake

“Maledizione!” I cursed out loud after Sienna left. Getting up from my seat, I ran to catch her in the banks of lifts, but she was long gone.

My eyes darted to the lights indicating which floor her cart was going. I called security and barked orders never to let Sienna out the building, before I took the stairs and jumped most of them out of the way before I was eight floors down and managed to press the call button, hoping that the lift was going to stop on this floor.

I was heaving and almost out of breath with anticipation before the elevator doors opened and found a somber looking Sienna. “Hello.”

“Hi.” She tried to smile, but failed miserably.

Entering the tiny space with her, I pressed the button to close the doors, before spinning around to face her. “Do you still feel like flying out with me?”

She pressed her lips, thinking as she studied me. “If you want me to.”

“I do.” We were going through something that was rather difficult to pinpoint because it seemed like everything was going at once.

Once we were out in the lobby, I excused myself from Sienna, walking a few yards away to make a call. “Adriana? A driver will come fetch you and take you to Heathrow to fly commercial. I’ll see you this evening. Have a safe journey.” I had some of the junior assistants take care of the details.