The CEO’s Second Choice

Elena

“Ugh, you simply must, Elena,” Isaac says yet again in that Scottish accent of his that I love so much. He was currently trying to convince me to come to the MacGowan Biannual family gathering. “I already told you I hate these things!” I say, yet again, but he only rolls his eyes, then smirks devilishly. Oh, no. I know this smile all too well. This smile got me in trouble in my second week here at Exeter when he made me ask a professor for their number just to slip it to him. Did I forget to mention that he was a naughty bastard?

“Well, Edgar Cooke will be there, but I guess you hate these things too much to come,” He says and turns to walk away. But I grab his wrist and pull him back. “Excuse me, tart?” I ask him and see his grin growing to supervillain levels. “Yes, Edgar Cooke will be there. You know, your favourite author and all. Did I forget to mention that he’s my godfather? And I asked him to come as a favour but it’s okay I’ll tell him to leave it and revoke your invitation.”Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“The heck you will!” I exclaim, knowing this was only a ruse to get me to come, but I admit defeat and give in, taking my invitation from him. He laughs and kisses my cheek. “You’re going to Hell for bribing me like this, Isaac. Shame on you!” I say with a pout, but he only flutters his amazingly long eyelashes at me and laces his arms with mine as we walk to our next class.

Isaac was a tall, sophisticated guy who made red hair look extremely sexy. He had piercing blue eyes and a fashion sense that could put me to shame I suppose being openly gay does that to some of those that were out of the closet. He had a little fan club of females trying to turn him straight but, as he said “I am as straight as a screw, lovies.” We clicked on my first day here and I am so thankful to him for befriending me.

“Canny wait! It will be brilliant, I promise.” He says, and I sigh. Then I remembered something. “Will Anabelle be there?” I ask and see him roll his eyes. I couldn’t understand why he did not like Anabelle. There was just a weird atmosphere around these two when they were in the same room together. So much so that I never invite them to the same thing together. “Nae, and I will not have her there.” He says with such acid behind his tone that I stop to look at him. “Okay, I’ve had enough of this, Isaac. Will you tell me why you hate Anabelle so?” I ask, having grown tired of their pettiness with one another. Anabelle was exactly the same when I spoke about Isaac to her.

Isaac sighs. “Fine, but don’t you dare hate me afterwards, okay? Ever since I met her, I knew she was a bampot, Elena.” He says and I frown at this newest term of his. “Shady. I knew she was a shady bitch, and I have seen the way she is when you’re not there. There is something poisonous about that minging lass and I have been meaning to talk to you about it. Watch out for her. An actual friend would never try to lead you down the wrong path. And with the advice she gives you, from what you have told me, she’s been trying to sabotage you at every turn. Now, I am not saying these things to get you to stop being friends with her. All I am saying is to watch your back when she is around and keep your ears open. She tends to give herself away a lot.”

I look at Isaac, and my face drops immediately. Was this true? Did Anabelle really mean harm to me? I think back and can’t remember her ever being poisonous to my face but behind my back? Isaac hugs me. “I’m sorry, Elena. I didn’t want to come to you with this yet. I was waiting until I had proof, but I do not think I will have any proof. She’s just too good at what she does and how she goes about things. Again, watch her when you’re together and you will see what I mean. Come up with an idea you love and watch her shoot you down.” He advises and I think I will take this to heart. I nod. Isaac would have no reason to be against me. The MacGowan’s and Dumonts were distant relatives from Mirabelle’s side from what we have found out, so we were essentially family, not to mention that his family was the second wealthiest in Europe. So what would he have to gain from sabotaging me?

The day goes by in a blur and when I look again; it was time to go home. I walk towards my waiting Phantom in a daze until I hear a voice calling my name. When I turn around, I see Anabelle’s blonde curls bobbing as she tries to catch up to me. “Hey, I’ve been calling you for ages!” She says, a tad out of breath, but I only offer her a thin smile. “Sorry, hon, the mind is elsewhere today,” I told her, which was essentially the truth, but what I don’t mention is that it was her fault. Then I perk up and decide to try Isaac’s idea out.

“Say, Ana, Sebastian and I have a gala to attend this evening. What do you think of my mauve knee-length off the shoulder Dior dress? I haven’t worn that one yet and Meghan Black is dying to see me in it!” I ask her and see the cogs turning in her head. But she takes the bait. “Oh, that one! Definitely! The colour goes so well with your skin tone and would couple well with Mirabelle’s rubies.” She says and I give her a put on an exciting smile. “Shoes?” I ask and wait for her answer. She stood with her hands on her hips. “Hmmm, the grey Jimmy Choo wedge, I reckon. I have always loved you in those heels!” She says, and I pretend to think about it. “So, not the black Mary Jane Louboutin then?” I ask, and she immediately shakes her head with a disgusted look on her face. “Definitely not! They do not match the mauve dress at all!”

I give her a hug and another ‘excited’ smile. “Thank you, Ana. Well, I’ve gotta be off. See you tomorrow?” I ask and she nods before kissing my cheek and waving goodbye. I get into the vehicle and sigh sadly. What she has advised would be considered a fashion disaster as per Meghan Black. The mauve Dior she sent was in error as it does not match my pale skin tone, she also advised me NEVER to wear wedge heels with a short evening dress and black Louboutin would go with any dress, especially the short mauve one if it had matched my skin tone. Also, the rubies she mentioned looked hideous.

Realization hits me worse than I expected, and I feel tears welling up in my eyes. Isaac was right. How many times has Anabelle tried to sabotage me and succeeded? Was she the one who leaked my fight with Mirabelle to the press? It would make sense since she was the only one present, but I would never have thought it was her. She was like a sister to me, my best friend. Who also now proved to be my worst enemy.

The tears that welled in my eyes now fell free as I mourned the loss of what I thought was an amazing friendship.