Rekindling Old Flames (BWWM)

CHAPTER 43

Catching up with him before he walks back into the ballroom, I move to grab his arm, but he yanks out of my grip.

"Beau, please tell me you didn't just say the word 'fiancée'?" I ask, my heart beating hard against my chest. He's about to reply, but someone beats him to it. My already cracked heart shatters into a million pieces once I hear her voice.

"There you are, my love," Hannah says from behind me. I hear her approaching, but before she can get to us, Beau walks up to her. I turn around, and what I see breaks my heart even more. Tears fill my eyes as Beau captures her lips in a kiss. My shattered heart squeezes in my chest and suddenly breathing is difficult. Beau doesn't close his eyes as he kisses her; instead, he stares at me. I bite my lip to stop it from trembling and try my best to contain my tears, but I can't. My knees weaken, so I lean against the wall to prevent myself from falling.

I can't believe he's kissing her. Does Beau truly not love me anymore? When he said it at the office, I assumed it was because he was angry with me for some reason. I didn't believe him, but here he is, kissing another woman right in front of me. Even if he is mad at me, he wouldn't do this if he loved me. I can't believe he doesn't love me anymore. How is that possible?

My line of sight is suddenly blocked when Dad appears in front of me. Thank God, it felt like torture watching them kiss and thinking it would never end.

"I think it's time for us to go home." Dad holds my shoes and clutch in his hands. He must have been looking for me and found them. I'm sure he notices my bloodshot eyes and tear-stained face. I can't even imagine how horrible I must look right now.

"Yes, I believe so, too," I manage to say.

Dad wraps an arm around my shoulder and begins to walk us to the hotel entrance. I bury myself in his side, crying my heart out.

Beau is engaged again; but this time, I don't think he's doing it because of his family. The way he stared at me as he kissed Hannah and how he's been behaving lately tells me that much. It will be impossible to convince him we belong together. He's gone, and there is nothing I can do to get him back.

***

A few days have passed since the party. I couldn't stop crying that night. I still can't believe he's getting married. It hurts so much worse than it did the first time I found out. Last time I could use the fact that he had cheated on me to hate him, but now I don't even have that. Because I know that he only did it to protect me. I can't believe he doesn't love me anymore. Logically, I know it's not impossible for a person's feelings to change, but I find it hard to understand with Beau.

He never stopped loving me, even when we were apart for seven years. It doesn't make sense that he would stop now. I can't be sure, but I feel like he hasn't truly recovered his memory. The way he talks and acts toward me would be different if he really remembered me. But if he doesn't have his memories, then how can he claim to know who I am?

I pull the fridge open, sighing. I came to the kitchen to get some water, hoping it would help clear my head. I'm so confused. None of what's happening makes any sense, and the only person who could clear my doubts doesn't want me within five feet of them.

Uncapping the water bottle, I take a sip. Voices filter in through the open door. It sounds like Camila and Axel. Are they arguing? I move quickly toward the kitchen door to find out.

"You can't seriously be asking me that," Camila says, enraged.

"Of course I am. We've been dating for a while. I don't see why you can't move to Chicago to be with me," Axel argues.

"My job, my family, my friends, everything is here. I can't just leave."

"You can do your work from Chicago and fly back once in a while to visit everyone."