AUTHOR'S POV

Jane's restaurant,
07:44 pm

Edwin got freshened up for the ceremony as he got agreed to stay as per Alice's request. He stayed downstairs with Alice while Jane was upstairs to get ready. He exchanged a few words with Alice and found her quite adorable.

The ceremony finally started. Guests filled the cafeteria, as well as its surroundings and Jane was busy welcoming and serving them.

Hazel and Ian entered the cafeteria together. Hazel had a flower bouquet in her hands. Her eyes were searching for Jane." Isn't that Edwin?" Ian asked recognizing Edwin in the crowd.

Hazel raised her eyebrows eyeing Edwin up to down with crashed eyebrows. " He is." Hazel handed the flower bouquet to Ian and went towards Edwin while Ian went to greet Jane.

Edwin wasn't able to take his eyes off Jane as she smiled brightly when Ian handed her the bouquet.

" Not your fault, she's eye-catching." Edwin flinched at the sudden voice. He turned to see Hazel smirking at her.

Edwin cleared his throat finding himself getting teased and gave her not interning look.

Soon Jane and Ian joined Edwin and Hazel.  " What with your faces guys?" Ian asked.

" Nothing. I was just asking Edwin ' who invited him?'" Hazel said looking at Edwin from the corner of her eyes while trying to control her laugh.

" Picking fights is your hobby since college time." Ian said shaking his head. " Anyways Hazel, don't you think Jane didn't age? She's the same as she looked at the farewell party years ago. I still remember how gracefully she danced with Maxwell that night." Ian's thrilling voice died as he realised he got carried away.

Suddenly silence took place between them which didn't go unnoticed by Edwin. He followed both of the exited dues gazes to see Jane's long-gone smile.

She excused herself and went to meet other guests.

" Who's Maxwell?" Edwin asked as he perceived that his name caused trouble.

" Her ex."

William's mansion,
08:33 pm

Xaden rolled up his sleeves, sat on his bed, opened his laptop, grabbed a notepad, and placed the tip of his pen on the paper.

He blinked twice listening to a man who was lecturing about the presentation but he didn't understand anything.

He searched for more ideas on the internet but found them all useless. " F*cking hell". He cursed throwing the pen on the bed. " I'm not made for all these bullshits".

He grabbed a cigarette and took the between his lips. About to light it up but the ding sound of his mobile pulled his attention. He glanced at the glowing screen from the corner of his eyes. There was a reminder message from EXR enterprises about the same meeting he's going to be the presenter in.

He sighed heavily breaking the cigarette before grabbing his stuff and heading towards one and only... Reed's room

As always he peeked without knocking. " Do you have some free time? I need your help". Xaden said pulling Reed's attention towards him from the message sent by his driver.

" Sure". Reed nodded allowing him to get inside. Xaden sat on the bed next to Reed and opened his laptop. " Have you started?". Reed asked.

" I've only written this till now". Xaden chuckled showing Reed his notepad. 'So guys today's topic is' was written on the top of it.

Reed grabbed his notepad and pen and cut that line too dropping Xaden's smile. He bent closer to see what Reed is writing. Ladies and gentlemen, today's meeting is held to... Reed wrote.

" Be formal okay?"Reed said making him nod. Only if it was Edwin... He would definitely have helped him but would have said. " F*cker you ain't in High school. Be formal." " Let's start." Reed added and Xaden sat straight.

" Topic is already selected. Collect some pictures about the ideas we have shared with you. Create a slide show, make small side headings, write important points under it...". Reed explained making sure he's understanding properly.

" Thanks, bro". Xaden thanked. Before heading back toward his room. He was busy mumbling something under his breath, rolling his eyes up to remember what Reed had just taught him but suddenly bumped into someone in the passage area.

The high pitches said it was Hazel who just came back from Jane's opening ceremony. She screamed as her ankle twisted and fell on the floor.

She looked up at Xaden who bend closer to her. She forwarded her hand towards him to get support for standing up but instead of helping her, he picked up the notepad that he dropped when they bumped. He dusted it before continuing to walk toward his room.

" XADEN". Hazel yelled but got completely ignored.

He went inside his room without sparing a single glance.

She took off her heels and stood up from the floor. She picked up her heels and clutch and started limping towards her room with the support of walls.

Xaden peeked his head outside looking at her back-facing self. Painfully walking she somehow managed to get inside her room.

Xaden sighed. He closed the door and rested the back of his head on the door. " Just a little wait. I'll show I'm capable". He muttered and looked down at the file in his hand. " For her. I will". He added hitting his head with the file.

He opened the file and smiled at the shining jewelry. He took it in his palm and raised it closer to his face.

Hazel's earring which she dropped when they bumped.

He's insane.

•
•
•

Next morning...
07: 23 am

Reed got up earlier. He wore joggers and diffused his favorite perfume more than usual. Tieing his spot shoes' laces he glanced into the mirror and fixed his hair once again.

His destination was a few minutes distance away from his mansion so he decided to go on his cycle.

He parked his cycle outside the silent park and got inside. He roamed his eyes, there were hardly ten people and most of them were OPD couples.

He walked further. Eyes in search of Alice as his driver informed him that she regularly goes to that park early in the morning by herself as she's used to the surrounding. And as the park isn't crowded at that time, she feels secure and has fewer chances to bump into someone.

Reed's feet refused to move when his eyes landed on the person he was desperate to see.

There sitting his desire, under the open sky, surrounded by fog. She was wearing an oversized white hoodie paired with shots. A pair of spots shoes with neat socks peeking from it, her legs were freely swinging from the bench she was sitting on.

She seemed to enjoy herself until Reed took a sit next to her.

She was fast to get alerted. Her senses are amazing. She felt his presence in a nick of time surprising Reed.

She touched the bench beside her to see if there was any chance and tried to scoot away but she was already on the edge of the bench.

Noticing her discomfort made Reed more nervous to start any conversation with her.

He took a deep breath and gathered all his courage. " Ummm...Hi there". He swelled after speaking.

Alice's head moved a bit toward the unfamiliar deep voice. " I don't think I could help you with anything ". She said innocently. " I can't see". She cleared because every time people approaches her and be all good until they find out that she was blind. They excuse then never show up.

" I-I-I-I don't need any help. I just wanted to do friendship with you. That's it". His voice stuck in his throat in the end.

" Friendship?". Her eyebrows crashed together.

" Yeah, I come to this park for jogging regularly and see you sitting here every day so I thought about approaching you. By the way I'm Reed". He lied forwarding his hand to shake.

" Alice". She smiled forwarding her hand too but in a different direction.

Reed looked down at her hand and processed for a second before grabbing it and shaking hand with her. His palm was twice her delicate ones in size and sweating was without doing any jogging.

She pulled her hand back making him realise he was still holding it.

He brought his palm closer to his face and smelled it.

His eyes were twinkling seeing her this close again. His heartbeat raced again. Butterflies started dancing in his stomach. His insights did things to him just by watching her doing absolutely nothing but being herself.

" Do you live nearby?". Alice asked pulling him out of his thoughts.

" Yeah, we have met before too." Reed said seeing her facing him properly seemed interesting to know about the polite stranger she felt comfortable around.

" Where?" She asked.

" A few days back in William's mansion. Remember the person you bumped who broke your mobile" Reed replied.

" Are you Reed William?" She gasped as soon as she recognised him.

Reed nodded but realised he has to answer. " Yeah, I'm Reed William". He smiled hearing his name in her sweet voice. " You know me?" He asked a little surprised.

" Everyone knows William triplet here I guess. They're my cousin's boss also." She replied.

" Oh, she works in EXR enterprises?" Reed asked.

Alice hummed in response. " Her name's Jane. She's Mr. Edwin William's secretary. You know... Your brother is so brave and sweet. He helped Jane yesterday night by fighting with some men who tried to ruin our decoration. He also joined our restaurant opening ceremony when I requested him." Alice explained happily.

" Edwin?" Reed mumbled not believing as Edwin isn't a softie.

" We are so thankful to him." Alice's said smiling a little which made him forget his surroundings again. 

The broken screen of her mobile lit up. Reed looked down at it to see an alarm ringing in it. She swiped the screen to stop it and lifted her head again.

" I've to go now. Hope to meet you tomorrow again ". Alice said bringing a wide grin on Reed's face as she looked forward to meeting him again.

" Sure." He nodded biting his lower lip and giving her some space to walk. She walked past him slowly and carefully.

Reed pulled out his mobile and called his assistant. " Book a mobile. I need it on my office table by this evening." He ordered his assistant looking at Alice who stumbled as she bumped into a big rock near the gate. " One more thing. I want a construction team to renovate a place. Contact a good contractor and set my meeting with him."

• Meeting you was like listening to a song for the first time and knowing it would be my favorite.

Chapter published on: 26 October 2022.

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