After spending the day with my father I came back to my apartment at night. I wanted to share all that happened to Trish or Evan but I couldn't because I gave them a day off and that includes a night too, they needed some quality time to spend together.

But I was anxious. I had to do something to lessen my guilt otherwise I would have collapsed on the floor because of the tension building up in my head because what I did was unforgivable, at least on my part. As much as I tried to ignore but the hurt of my own words was giving me silent pain.

I let myself punish with a sleepless night and waited for the sun to come up so that I could correct my misconduct.

The next morning, Trish came to see me at my condo. I was sitting at the dining table, doing nothing.

"Good morning, El. What happened? Why do you look like you didn't sleep last night?" Trish asked me the moment she saw me.

"Because I didn't," I admitted.

"Why? Did you forget that you have an eyewear photoshoot today? Wait... Is anything wrong? Did you face any trouble while visiting your father?" She inquired.

"No..I mean it was wonderful and I'm aware of the photoshoot. My face will be caked up with makeup, so don't worry about it. It's something else... Okay, First tell me how did you two spend your day?" I changed the topic as I wanted to prepare myself to tell everything to her.

"Well, we went on a long drive then we had a romantic lunch and dinner and umm...other stuff." She blushed.

"How cute!" I laughed and pinched her cheeks.

"Hey! What's funny?" Evan asked coming out of nowhere. He sat on the chair beside me.

"Nothing, she was just sharing details of the romantic day you spent together." I grinned, wiggling my eyebrows.

"Oh, really?" He smirked and looked at Trish. "Did you share the part where we spent our time making lo..."

"Shut up, will you?" Trish punched his arm.

"Ouch! Why did you hit me? I was just helping you share the details. You girls love sharing the details, no? Why not include the one you're talking about?" Evan said rubbing his arm, smirk still not leaving his lips. This time I punched his arm.

"Stop your nonsense." I glared at him.

"I'm not wrong." He remarked.

"Evan, shut up. Not a single word about this." Trish narrowed her eyes at him which made Evan seal his mouth. I laughed out loud. This was all I needed to start my day.

Trish turned towards me. "Now you tell me, what's with you!"

My laugh died and my mood became glum. I took deep breaths before opening my mouth.

"I...I did something I shouldn't have." I mumbled lowering my head.

"What did you do?" Both of them asked. I released a breath and looked up.

"Okay, listen. Yesterday, morning when I was to head out, mom came and we argued and... I...I..."

"I what El?" Trish demanded.

"I let it all out on Daniel Adams. I really don't know what happened to me; what came up to me but when we met at the gas station I couldn't stand his presence and yelled at him." I said in one breath.

"Goodness, El, what should I do to you?" Trish groaned, clutching her head between her hands.

"El, how many times do I have to remind you to keep your cool?" Evan looked at me in disbelief.

"But you are always cold to Daniel and you even never feel like this after shouting at anyone then what's new this time?" Evan asked suspiciously.

"Because this time I did something unforgivable. I...I told him to bother his fa...family, not me." I felt dejected. I felt like crying. "But what I didn't know was that... He lost his family in a plane crash." I couldn't stop myself and burst out in tears.

I heard an audible gasp that left both of their throats.

"I am a very bad person. I feel ashamed of myself." I sobbed. They both enveloped me in a hug.

"Hey, don't say that. You're not a bad person." Evan cooed while patting my back. Then Trish spoke.

"El, I won't say that you weren't wrong on your part but you weren't aware of his family also. It's okay, you can still apologize."

"I know and I w...want to apologize but I don't have guts to do so. How wi..will I face him? What will I say?" I sniffed.

"You'll come up with something when you'll meet him in person and considering his nature I'm sure he'll forgive you when you'll tell him that you didn't know. Don't cry." Evan said as he wiped my tears with his thumbs.

"Come on, El, you're Eloise Nicole and you never give up. So get up and face it." Trish encouraged me.

I smiled with teary eyes and nodded my head. We then left for work but before going there we made our stop at the XDS building. I asked Evan and Trish to remain in the car and I went inside.

I approached the receptionist and tapped my fingers on the desk to gain her attention. She looked up and gasped in surprise.

"Oh my goodness, Eloise Nicole." She squealed as if she didn't see me in person during my photoshoot for XDS magazine.

"Good morning... Katherine." I read her name tag. "Umm... Could you please tell me the way to Mr. Adams's cabin?" I asked politely.

"Oh, do you have an appointment?" She inquired.

"No, I don't have any but I have something important to talk to him," I explained. "It's work-related," I added before she could think of anything else.

"Oh, then I'm sorry, I can't help you."

"That's fine. So... can you at least inform him that I'm here."

"Yeah sure, I'll inform his P.A."

I crossed my fingers and waited for her to call Daniel's P.A.

"Hey, Scott, Miss Eloise Nicole is asking for Mr. Adams, should I send her up?...okay I'm waiting..." She paused and looked up at me. I crossed my fingers tightly. After a few seconds, she put the receiver down.

"Mr. Adams is busy, he can't meet anyone."

I uncrossed my fingers and groaned mentally. I had to prepare myself before coming here and he's busy. Or was he ignoring me? But he could be genuinely busy.

"It's okay, I'll meet him some other time." I gave a tight-lipped smile. I was about to head back when the receptionist stopped me.

"Miss Nicole, can I take a selfie with you?" She asked showing me her phone.

These people never understand. "Yeah, sure." She came around her desk and clicked a selfie with me then I went out of the building.

"He's busy," I said as soon as I sat in the car. Evan and Trish shared a look.

"No worries, we'll come after the work hours," Evan said and drove to work.

::::::::::::::::::

"Eloise, smile. This is an eyewear shoot and your eyes, your face is not showing enthusiasm." Sam, the photographer said.

How could I smile? I was drowning in guilt and my eyes and expressions were clogged as my mind was busy forming the plans of how to apologize to Daniel. One chance had slid out of my hands and I didn't know when will I get another chance.

Trish came up to me with a hairbrush and acted like she was brushing my hair.

"El, everything will be alright. If you won't finish this soon then how will you meet Daniel? Do one thing, think of how we make fun of Evan, I'm sure smile will automatically come running to you." She grinned which made me chuckle.

"Okay." I shook my head and released a breath. I glanced at Evan who was standing beside the photographer and started thinking of pranks Trish and I pull on him and it really helped me.

I put on the glasses again and faced the camera with a confident smile.

"That's perfect, Eloise." Sam started clicking the photos and I gave all the poses I was asked to.

After the eyewear photoshoot, I went to a meeting with those who wanted to have me in their projects. By the time I finished working, the sun had sunk taking away all the brightness of natural light and the streets were illuminated with artificial lights.

Though I was busy all day still, I kept trying to muster up the courage to apologize for my misconduct.

After dropping Trish at her beauty studio Evan drove me to the XDS building. When we reached there we found that the staff had left but Daniel was present there.

I and Evan were about to enter the building but were stopped by an annoyingly familiar voice.

"What are you doing here?"

I turned around and face Claire who was wearing a black knee-length off-shoulder dress, it looked like she was going to attend some event. "I can ask you the same question." I raised my eyebrows at her.

"That's none of your business." She replied in a clipped tone.

"Then I guess, my whereabouts are also none of your business," I replied in the same manner.

"Let's go, Eloise," Evan mumbled.

I turned around to come face to face with Daniel who was exiting the building. When he saw me, for a second he went still but then again he regained his composure.

"Oh, you're already here. I thought I have come to remind you of the date we have tonight." Claire exclaimed as she approached Daniel. She enveloped him in a hug and kissed his cheeks.

Date? That's why Claire was dressed like that. Why was I feeling uneasy? It's not like I care where he goes. I just came here to apologize and that's all.

I cleared my throat and stepped forward. "Mr. Adams, can we talk?"

"Talk? Didn't you hear me say that we have a date?" Claire shot me a glare. I ignored her.

"Mr. Adams if could spare me a minute? I have something to tell you." I said hopefully. He was looking at me intently.

"Claire, wait near the car. I'll be there in a minute." Daniel said without breaking his eye contact with me.

"Daniel..." Claire whined. He looked down at her and again asked her to wait near the car. She went away but didn't forget to glare at me.

I face back Daniel and stepped towards him.

"Miss Nicole..."

My steps came to a halt.

Did he just call me Miss Nicole?

I should be happy that he called me in a professional way but I didn't know why it felt weird. There was a sudden rush of shock inside my body because considering his nature I never expected him to be formal with me.

"Eloise, get a grip. This is what you wanted right? He isn't calling you with a made-up name." I thought to myself. I swallowed hard and brought a forceful smile on my face. Why was it so hard?

I was about to speak but Daniel spoke before me.

"Miss Nicole, as you can see that I have a prior engagement." He bobbed his head to where Claire was standing. "So I really don't have time to talk to you. I never let anyone wait for me." He said looking into my eyes. There was no playfulness in his voice; no glint in his eyes; no brightness on his face. He was serious. He was the Daniel I never came face to face with.

At that moment I knew that I did hurt him badly.

There was a pause for a second then he spoke again,

"Besides, you wanted me not to bother you. So let's keep it that way."

Stating that he walked away and left me standing there, stunned and shocked.

And at that moment he became the only man who made me chase after him; who made me cry in guilt; the man who left me in heartache.

I don't know for how long I was standing there, with nothing but his words swirling in my head. I was hurt, not by his words but by my own doings. And I deserved that.

I was enveloped in a comforting hug and I knew it was Evan. "You want me to talk to him?" He whispered. I pulled away and faced him.

"No, I committed a mistake so only I will rectify it. I know he's mad at me and he has all the right to be. But I won't give up..."

"I'll keep trying until he forgives me."

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