The soft music was swimming in the background while I slurped my coffee. The most basic human reflex is to react and that's what Jen and Mave did, they reacted.

While I slurped my coffee, soothing music played in the background. Jen and Mave reacted to the most fundamental human reaction, which is to react.

"That mother fucker!" they both cursed at the same time. And then both glared at each other.

Jen's first concern was, "How did you get home?"

''I drove to Jess's place. I needed someone and there was no better person than her.'' I responded,

''You didn't deserve it Ells, fuck, no one does'' Mave clenched his jaw.

"Well, it's over, and I've moved on," I shrugged.

That's what I believe. And I'm sure I did, but I'm still trapped in the past.

''However, it still does not explain your abrupt behavioral change during the party," Mave asked, his face furrowed, and Jen nodded, her head tilted in confusion.

"That's because he was there in the event."

''What?'' They both exclaimed. I nodded and sighed.

"Who was that?"

"Do we know him?"

They both inquired at the same time. I nodded once more.

''In fact, you guys are acquainted with him."

"Who is he?"

"Is it Sebastian?"

Both of them questioned again, and the second statement caught me off guard.

''Where did that arise from?" I questioned, my eyes narrowed.

"Oh, you know," Mave said with a smirk. Jen was frowning.

''What am I missing?" She remarked, her gaze fixed on both of us.

That's how I ended up informing her about Sebastian's and my living situation.

"So you're telling me you share an apartment with him?" She probed. I gave a nod.

"And that Jake is your brother?" She asked, I nodded cautiously, perplexed as to how she knew him. She responded as though she understood my question.

"Jake is Jace's friend."

''Oh''

''How come I was unaware of your living situation?" She murmured, her brow furrowed, while Mave was smirking.

''Well, it's not like I told him anything, he simply joined the dots," I complained.

''I am not as oblivious as you, bestie." Mave grinned as he pinched Jen's cheek, she huffed, and softly slapped his arms.

''You could still have told me" She huffed and crossed her arms.

''Well, if it's any comfort, I found out about it in the event," Mave said

''And I didn't get a better moment to tell you till today," I instantly added and mouthed a thank you to Mave.

That appeared to make her feel better.

"I'll let this one pass. But next time if someone hides anything from me, I shall be on your throats," she grumbled. She said firmly, and we both nodded.

''Back to your ex? Who is he?'' Mave questioned, his brow furrowed.

''Our new CEO''

If I thought they couldn't be more astonished, I was mistaken; their mouths practically dropped to the floor.

''What?'' They shrieked, and I simply shrugged.

"But how?" Mave paused.

''I mean, I knew they went to the same college, but this surprised me," Jen mumbled as she raised her glass of juice to her lips.

''How do you know that?''

''know what?'' She asked frowning. Mave groaned rubbing his forehead,

''That they went to the same goddamn college''

''Come on, I am the manager, I read Ella's file and Luke's as well, and I was going to inform you if you might know our CEO because you both attended to the same college, but this fool dragged you away before I could say anything." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

It makes more sense now that she's mentioned it.

For approximately another fifteen minutes, I described everything up to my prior minor dispute in Luke's office. They both listened to everything I said and would make comments like, "Jerk," "loser," "that fucker," in between.

"What doesn't make sense is how are they, cousins?" Mave mumbled, his gaze shifting elsewhere.

''What do you mean?" I snorted.

''Well, technically, Luke is a Henderson, and Sebastian is a Greyson, and our businesses are partners since their fathers are brothers, but it simply doesn't make sense."

"Perhaps their fathers were also cousins," Jen shrugged.

''Maybe''

We didn't think much about it because it wasn't our concern how they were related, but I knew they were. After all, they were related to my grief.

If there is one thing I have learned from my heartbreak, it is that there is nothing worse than betraying someone's trust. Because a jellyfish always appears alluring from afar, and the closer you go to it, the more hypnotic it appears, but the minute you touch it, it strikes you with its poison. But you know what the difference between a jellyfish and a person is: a jellyfish harms you to defend itself, but humans do it to harm you.

The sound of someone's phone ringing jolted me out of my reverie, but it wasn't mine.

"Hello," Jen replied.

"It's on the desk."

I couldn't understand what the other person was saying, but whatever it was, it made Jen roll her eyes in anger.

''Ask him to sit for a moment, and I will be right there."

"Oh my goodness! I'm on my way!" Jen stood up and hung up the phone, seeming frustrated.

Mave and I both lifted our brows.

"Your douche Ex and our great CEO requires a file for his lunch meeting." She scoffed.

''Can you remind me why we said he was decent?" She asked Mave, who simply shrugged.

"I suppose we judged a book by its cover."

''Guys'' I stepped in, and they both turned to face me, allowing me to continue.

''Whatever happened between me and Luke is between us, and we have moved past that-''

lies.

''So I don't want you guys to treat him any differently than you did before. Right now, he's our boss, not my ex. Alright?'' I lifted an eyebrow.

''I can't fucking believe it'' Mave shook his head and rubbed his forehead.

"Ells, he's not the man we thought he was. He does not deserve our respect and gratitude." Jen exclaimed as she sat down again.

''Guys, please don't make me regret my decision on telling you this," I sighed.

''Well, that jerk doesn't deserve a single shred of respect. After what he made you go through'' Mave clenched his jaw.

''Please. For me, don't treat him differently'' I said quietly.

Jen sighed quietly and nodded, but Mave remained silent and fisted his fists.

''Mave?'' Jen drawled his name.

''What?''

Jen arched her brow.

"All right, fine. But if he disturbs you, you come straight to us, okay?" I nodded and smiled.

Jen's phone started ringing again,

''Oh Lord, I would have despised him for this regardless," She stood up clutching her ringing phone, rolled her eyes, and waved her hand before departing.

The café was still bustling with customers, and my eyes were drawn to the seat opposite from us where the elderly couple had been seated; it was now empty, and servers were clearing their table.

"You know it's never good to be so good," Mave muttered, glancing around.

"I know," I said, nodding, ''but if I was what the other is, then there would be no difference between us''

"You are a strong woman, Ells." He gave a gentle smile. His eyes were still focused somewhere as if his thoughts were not present, but his body was.

''Why just because I asked you guys to respect my ex?'' I chuckled humorously. He shook his head.

''You are strong because you are strong enough to ask us to respect him, whereas another female may have begun scheming a vengeance scheme. You are brave enough to confront all of the monsters in your life."

''We're all fighting our demons, Mave. I'm not doing anything special. Who is a strong woman, you ask? A strong woman gets up early in the morning only to feed her family; a strong woman is struggling in life but puts on a pleasant face. She is a courageous woman who gives up everything for her family. She is a powerful woman for suffering her husband's violence and refusing to leave him. She is a mighty woman, whom many label terrorists because they conceal their beauty in honor of their god and soul mate. And She is an influential lady who welcomes the titles given to her for showcasing her beauty and enjoying her life in her own manner. Can you see the irony? One is called names because she hides her beauty, while the other is labeled a 'whore' or a 'slut' when she shows it. What is the problem with our society?"

Regardless of how much our countries raise awareness, there are still women who do not receive justice. Every woman is strong because she fights from the minute she is born.

''You are right." Mave nodded, ''I had no idea you were such a passionate feminist."He remarked.

"I am, and I am not ashamed." I shrugged my shoulders.

''You know, you sound just like her," he said quietly, and I wouldn't have heard if I hadn't been paying attention.

"Like who?" I raised an eyebrow in thought. He froze and straightened himself as if he had heard what he had uttered.

"No one," he said, clearing his throat.

"It wasn't no one," I insisted.

"Drop it, Ells," he murmured, his jaw clenched.

''Do you remember when you told me that if I told you my story, you would tell me yours?"

His mood softened, but he didn't say anything, so I took that as permission to proceed.

"Well, I told you mine, will you tell me yours?" I whispered, putting my hand on his, which were on the table.

He raised his head and exhaled. He grasped my hands in his and squeezed them lightly.

''I had a girlfriend," he said, staring out the huge window, and I remained silent.

''You know the girl? Who is every boy's dream? Amelia Rose was that. In high school, I was very messed up; I used to use drugs, drink, put bets on girls, and do a lot of other things. I wasn't your ideal student, and I'm sure they would have expelled me if my father hadn't been a trustee at our school. I'm not sure how it happened, but one day she glanced at me, and that's when I realized I'd lost and fell. She despised me, and I despised her, yet I couldn't stop thinking about her. She is the one who taught me to respect women and who rescued me from the brink of death."

I didn't know what to say, but tears were streaming down my cheeks. He continued with a smile on his face, even though his eyes were watering.

''-she was so beautiful, she could have picked anybody, but she chose me"

''What happened?" I said quietly as I wiped away my tears.

"She cheated."

I was clearly aware of his anguish, and despite the passage of years, the way he spoke indicated that he had not moved on. Heartbreak is agony, and the pain it causes operates as a poison in the psyche.

I wanted to ask so many more questions but I didn't. I didn't want him to revisit the event that ripped him apart.

''She tore my heart, Ells'' he whispered closing his eyes.

"You'll get over this, Mave." With tears in my eyes, I squeezed his hands and whispered.

He raised his head and peered into my eyes with his watered ones, ''Will I?"

I hesitantly nodded, even though I didn't know the answer.