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After meeting Crystal, I drove to a hotel near my office to spend the night. I didn't want to be at any of Russell's Hotel because there was a high chance of me running into a friend or relative and I obviously was in no mood.

Next morning, I informed Martin about my whereabouts and asked him to keep them a secret. I instructed him to bring me my spare laptop from my office along with some files and also asked him to accompany Crystal anywhere out in my absence.

He informed me that Crystal had asked him about me first thing in the morning and sounded very anxious. Telling him that I had already talked to her, I hung up on the call. When Martin finally brought me my laptop and files along with a pair of clothes, I didn't waste a moment to freshen up and get to work. It was the only thing I could do to get my mind off things.

I spent the entire day in my room working, with my phone switched off again and when I had nothing more to do, I put the laptop aside and realised it was 7 in the evening.

I stepped out of the room to get some fresh air and went down to the restaurant to have something. The taste of the food was good but I like the food of The Russell's better. And Crystal's food is even better.

I was on my way back to the room as I stepped into the elevator. Just as the doors were closing, I heard a female shriek. "Wait! Wait for me." I stuck my foot between the doors for them to reopen and when the lady came inside the elevator, I froze in my place.

Oh God, not today. Not ever!

Brie, my ex-girlfriend, stood there against the door of the elevator, mirroring my expression.

She took a shaky breath and stepped inside with her eyes darted behind me and the doors behind her closed. She pressed the button on the 18th floor while mine was on the 23rd floor and we waited quietly without sharing any words.

Why was she here? Where has she been all this time? Why did she do that to me? I had so many questions but I didn't utter a word. Problems with one woman was all I could take at a time.

But my luck wasn't on my side.

The elevator made a creaky sound and the lights in there started to fluctuate. It moved vibrantly, making me lose my balance. And it shut down. The lights went off and there was no movement.

Just great!

I pressed the emergency bell in the elevator and waited. I sensed Brie's panic next to me as she banged on the elevator door and yelled for help.

"It's of no use." I said, annoyed by the noise. I rang the emergency bell once again. We had no choice but to wait till the problem was solved. She sighed and leaned at the metal wall. I turned the flashlight of my mobile on and darted at the roof.

"Congratulations." Brie said. "I heard you took over your dad's company." I nodded without looking at her. "And you got married." This time I glanced at her and noticed the envy in her eyes while she looked at my wedding band.

"I did."

"Where did you meet her?" Her voice grew strong and... bitter.

"At a party." I answered.

"Was that before you dumped me or after?" I frowned deeply at that. Anger plunged inside me. How could she have the audacity to say that after what she did. "Is that why you never looked back at me?"

"What the hell are you even talking about? You dare to question me about my marriage after what you did?" I snapped at her.

"What did I do, Mr. Adrien Russell? You were the one who left me right after my father died. You were the one who refused to be on my side when I needed you the most."

"And you were the one who cheated on me with the person I hated. You were the one who used me for my money."

"Stop accusing me for things I never did, Adrien!" Brie yelled with her eyes wide.

"Don't lie to me, Brie. I will not fall for your innocent disguise once again. I had proof. I had seen your chats with Alan. Everything you both had been plotting against me was disclosed. And when you learned that, you ran away like a coward."

Tears formed in her eyes and she looked shocked as if this was news to her. But I knew better than falling for that.

"A-Alan? I- I hated Alan as much as you did. And what chats? I don't understand." She whimpered.

"Oh, knock it off, Brie." I turned away from her, her face was intolerable.

"No. Enlighten me please." She stepped closer. "There has to be something to dig about."

I let out an exasperated sigh. I had started to feel suffocated. "When you went to Boston, I found chats of you and Alan. He too had confessed that you guys had been together. I waited for you. I wanted to hear the truth from you but you never replied to a single text or call. Neither did you come back, so I concluded that you indeed betrayed me."

Brie frowned like I was speaking Latin. As if she was oblivious to what I was saying.

"I had gone because my dad had a heart attack. After he died mom wanted me to stay there so I did. I tried to reach you, but you asked me to not text or call you again. I even visited you but it was Sophie who kicked me out of your place saying that you were happy without me."

Every single thing Brie had been saying was a blow on my face. I didn't know what to think or say. I didn't know what was the truth and what was the lies.

"I- I don't believe you." I said with a shaky breath.

"Of course you don't." Brie scoffed then a heavy sob left her throat. "You believed Alan but you wouldn't believe me."

"It's not that son of a bitch, it's those text messages that Sophie showed to me."

"Right. Sophie. Did she tell you that I visited you? Did she tell you that she asked me to get the fuck out of your life?"

I tried to recall everything that happened years ago. Sophie had shown me those texts. Alan told me that Brie wanted just my money. I refused to believe him. I tried to call Brie but she never picked up and neither did she reply to my texts. And a day later, my phone was stolen. When I got a new one, Sophie convinced me to stop looking for and move on so I did. And that was it. I had never heard of her until today.

My head throbbed in pain. The only noise in the elevator was Brie's sniffs that gradually stopped. And after a few more minutes, the elevator had started to work again. Brie didn't wait a second before running out as soon as the doors opened.

"Brie, wait!" I yelled. She stopped but didn't turn around. I stood in front of her.

"Give me your number. We have to sort this out."

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