And Then It Rained (Sequel to Rain Again; Stand Alone Book) (Completed)

Chapter Nine: The Party

Despite challenges like a car crash that made the agency lose the models at the last minute, the dog having zero patience with Ellie, and so on, solutions to every one of those were obtained by thorough involvement and ideas of people from all levels of both the companies and the advertisement was done filming successfully. And the end result was excellent. 

Pretty much everyone was happy with the different roles they played in creating it. They were all happy with their performances. Well, except for Victor.

He had nothing against acting, modeling, or doing whatever to save his business, staff, friends, and acquaintances. However, he absolutely dreaded having to be involved with this despicable woman in any way that might risk arousing feelings he had buried behind—deep into his past. Because since when she had returned and gatecrashed into his workspace so diabolically, he discovered that he had glimpses of specific memories dancing in his mind whenever he looked at her. Her rough, messy hair reminded him of their schooldays when she used to be seen at the parks, lakesides, or streets of Asthel with her old camera—her face pasted to one side and whatever touched her heart at the other. 

Even touching her was not without backlash. When he twirled her and held her close in front of the camera, which he was vocally against at the beginning, he couldn't control his body and mind's reactions to her.

And he couldn't fathom how it was possible to think or behave in this manner when this woman repeatedly showed him her viciousness and vain pride.

The time he had shared a part of himself with her—about something cheesy he used to believe, he could still recall how she had barked at him in the end. 

He could still remember the days he was guilty of keeping an eye on her during her long walks and adventures around the city. At first, he was just intrigued. As time passed, he told himself he was protecting her from a distance just in case. Then slowly, he realized his wishes had amplified to a complete something else. 

From afar, she seemed like a free soul with unbridled dreams. And the young, foolish version of him made the mistake of appreciating and longing for that free soul for an extended period. Yet she had always stomped all over on him after playing with him through fake displays of warmth and interest.

What a waste of precious time!

Trying to clear his mind of these turbulent thoughts, Victor drove his car through the open gates and parked in front of the seven-storeyed building. 

A party was thrown to celebrate the advertisement being filmed successfully and the first day of its going on air. It was funded and arranged jointly by both companies—Chimera and the Wishing Star. 

As Victor got into the party, the bustling joy of all the people hit his senses, mixed with great music—a high-beat title track of one of the recent blockbuster movies.

Taking a moment, he scanned the hall and found familiar faces chatting and laughing among themselves. Even the media was present at the party. They were stationed before the small stage at the front. A buffet was set at the far side, where it was quieter and had a line of tables and chairs for the guests to sit at and eat. Near the bar area, a few watched the bartender giving a good show with the bottles and glasses.

Thankfully, the diabolical woman couldn't be located at any of these places. 

"Vicks boy," Ellie's voice was there before she appeared in his line of sight. The girl was reversed thunder. She stood before him, crossed her arms, and looked at him teasingly. "Are you looking for your Vicks girl, Vicks boy? She's yet to arrive. You know, I'm dying over here to find out her get up this evening."

"First of all, she's not my girl." he narrowed his eyes. " Secondly, why the hell would I look for that girl? She barely crosses my mind. And please refrain from calling her like that—"