Luna

It had been four months since the rehearsal dinner that had completely messed up not only Barry's life but also mine, in the most embarrassing way imaginable. But as I gazed out my office window at the busy city, I felt victorious. Barry's betrayal hadn't destroyed me. My heartbreak and anger turned Glamour Fashion Company into a beacon of success.

Yes, Barry left from Glamour Fashion with no trouble. I relieved him of his responsibilities, especially from the huge amount of money he stole, as long as he didn't cause any drama and left peacefully. I hadn't heard from him, and I was not interested to know.

As I glanced at the latest sales reports, a satisfied smile crossed my face. The numbers were staggering, surpassing what Barry and I had ever achieved together. I had proven to myself and everyone else that I could succeed in my own capabilities and effort.

As my phone buzzes, showing a notification, I quickly glance at the screen to see a message from Gwen. The HR Manager, who I have developed a strong friendship with, has been a significant source of support. Remember, she, along with her team, played a significant role in assisting me with the investigation regarding Barry. And that video they did on the rehearsal dinner blown all our minds away.

Gwen: Lunch at our usual spot? We need to celebrate this month's numbers!

I chuckled and quickly replied.

Me: Absolutely. See you in 20 minutes.

I snatched my coat and confidently strutted out, my heels clicking on the marble floor. As I strolled through the office, my employees gave me friendly smiles and respectful nods. They witnessed my resilience and determination up close, and they thought it was impressive.

The Sweetdreamer cafe was only a quick walk from my office. It was a new cozy spot that Gwen and I loved to hang out with lately.

Gwen was already there, enjoying her latte and grinning like crazy. She got me a caramel macchiato too.

"Luna, you're really amazing!" She exclaimed as I slid into the seat opposite her. "Carl showed me the numbers! Oh my God, we did it!"

Carl Adams. Our company's sales manager. He was actually new. I hired him when Barry left the company. Colton referred him to me as someone I could really trust and help Glamour Fashion into tremendous success. Well, the previous sales manager was Barry's ally, and left the company with him, along with the finance officer, Mr. Stiller.

"We did," I agreed, feeling a nice, cozy feeling in my chest. "And we're just getting started."

"No doubt. Cheers!"

We raised our cups, toasting to new beginnings and the success we worked hard for. It was nice to chat and laugh and feel so peaceful. I built my life back up with wonderful people who genuinely supported me, strengthening and making me more determined than ever.

We were discussing the new applicants in the production department when suddenly Colton's name was brought up.

"I have to follow the new rules that Mr. Treble gave us. He said that every aspiring applicant must take the psychology test, abstract test... Mr Treble suggested having their background investigation only when..."

I was suddenly lost for thoughts. Darn it, I really missed Colton.

When Barry and I called off our engagement, it was Colton who became my main source of emotional support. He was there, listening to me, when I needed a shoulder to cry on. He gave me the push to chase my dreams and be excited about what's coming.

Colton played a big role in making Glamour Fashion successful. We couldn't have made it without his enormous help. He had a whole team working on putting in the new system, organization structure, and new rules and policies for Glamour Fashion.

And then, one day, he bid farewell. He quickly left New York and returned to L.A. where his main office is located.

It's been three months since Colton left, and even though Glamour Fashion is doing well, my heart feels empty. I was all about work, going to meetings, launching new stuff, and running the company. Glamour Fashion's success should have been enough, but every time I reached a new milestone, I wished Colton was there to celebrate with me.

"Are you okay? You suddenly zoned out." Her eyebrows rose, then her smile was teasing. "You miss, Colton...I mean, Mr. Treble, right?"

I smiled and nodded. "I just wonder where he is right now and how he's been."

"Probably in a middle of a business meeting, or on a plane for a business trip in Dubai or Malaysia." She shrugged her shoulders. "Why don't you ask him? He calls you often."

"Once a week. A quick call asking the same thing, how am I doing and how's the business?" I answered, sounding disappointed.

"Why don't you call him yourself and ask him when he's coming to visit New York?"

I sighed heavily. "I wish I'm that brave."

"Be brave in fighting what you want, not just in your goals, but also in your feelings. You obviously miss him a lot, so tell him."

"But I'm not sure if he feels the same way. What if I'll just humiliate myself? Besides, I don't want to ruin our friendship and create awkwardness between us. I can't lose him again, because it sucked when we hated each other for eight years. I don't want to go through that stage of my life ever again."

"What if he feels the same way? He's hesitant because he doesn't want to lose you as a friend, too. It's a risk, you know. But that's life. Deal with it to set yourself free."

"I don't know." I took a sip of my drink, then asked her. "Do you think I just miss him because we spent too much time together? We saw each other every day, and I was getting used to him being by my side. Then suddenly...he left."

"Maybe. But I really don't know, girl. You're the only one who can answer that. If I were you, just follow your heart. Colton is an amazing guy, a million times better that Barry. He's a catch, you know. Don't let him get away."

"Yeah, you're right." I agreed.

Later in the afternoon, I was back in the office and had a meeting with a potential investor, Mrs. Lisa Rossi, at the office. The company's fast growth got a lot of attention, and I was excited to find more ways to grow.

We talked about the company's vision, plans, and possible collaborations. Mrs. Rosi thought I was pretty strategic and really passionate about our brand.

"Luna, you've impressed me big time! I'm ready to invest in Glamour Fashion and see this brand soar."

I was over the moon. I've been grinding non-stop to reach this point, and now things are looking better than ever.

"Thank you, Mrs. Rosi. We won't disappoint you."

As I saw her off, I couldn't help but feel super grateful. I was super proud of myself as well that I could talk well and confidently now in dealing with investors. Colton helped me boost my confidence, that I could make anything happen by believing in my strength and capabilities.

Colton.

I sighed and sat by the window. The city's soft hum barely registered in my mind. I really wanted to see Colton. I missed him a lot. I couldn't get our last kiss out of my head. It was like a fire that wouldn't die down. That kiss was so intense, it left me breathless every time I thought about it.

But I had denied my feelings, pushed them away, telling Colton it was a mistake. I had insisted we forget about it, remind him we were friends and nothing more. I had hoped that my words would make it true, that by denying the depth of my emotions, I could protect myself from the inevitable heartbreak.

I couldn't get him out of my head, no matter how much I tried. All I could think about was Colton, how amazing his kisses were, how his touch gave me goosebumps.

I'm done with the charade of pretending to be just friends. Time for a talk. Serious talk. It's not only about the kiss but also about everything else—our past, that night eight years ago when we had sex in college and agreed to pretend it never happened, and hiding our feelings deep down inside. I've been running away from my feelings for ages, but now I got to confront them.

I stood up, feeling the determination building up in my chest. I missed Colton like crazy, and we really needed to talk.

I couldn't deny it, couldn't hide it anymore. It was time to face the truth, to finally let out the feelings I had been holding back for way too long.

I went home early, watched the latest mystery movie on Netflix while eating a sandwich for dinner. I played with Bonnie afterwards, when suddenly my phone rang.

It was Colton.

My heart started to race so fast.