Chapter 31 - 31

8 years later.

We have all loved and lost but some of us don't know when to let go or when to stop. They will go to any lengths for the sake of love and they are not afraid of trading down the wrong path for the sake of love.

The same thing happened to Brandon Avery, he had the one he loved and it has been right years of longing and pain. He had tried to move on with his life so many times and pretend like he is not hurt by what happened. Since that very day in high school, he has never met Reiner Devon ever again. He felt not just cheated but betrayed as well, he couldn't understand why he left and why he was given false hopes.

The experience had made him cold, bitter, and heartless. He is now the head of Avery technologies which he took over from his dad. He not only runs the company but also has a music company of his own called Rhythm. He had made a name for himself in the business world and finally got the recognition that he has always craved for..

"Sir, the investors are here and they are waiting for you at the meeting," reported his secretary.

He looked up from his work and stared at the secretary. The young woman was secretly trembling on the inside but kept up a strong front. Mr. Avery was known to fire people and reprimand them for the smallest reason. And didn't like it when he was disturbed or interrupted, he also didn't like anyone entering his office and she made a mistake by not knocking.

"I will be there," he replied in a soft voice shocking the secretary. That was the first she had ever heard him speak like that and he didn't lash out at her for barging into his office. She didn't wait a moment longer or ask him why he was acting strangely and just thanked the heavens for not being fired.

"8 years ago on this very day, you left me. It's been a long time but why does it still hurt?" he asked straightening his coat and getting up to attend the meeting. He was in no mood to be in a meeting or to talk to people but he had to work. He walked into the room and the room went silent. He didn't bother to greet anyone and took his seat, he opened his file and started reading it.

"Don't cry baby, Once this is all over I will make it up to you when you become my boyfriend," he recalled as he tried to concentrate In his file. He gritted his teeth when his heart started aching again. He clutched the file very tightly due to the pain in his heart.

"Every time he comes close to you I can't stand it and it hurts right here," Reiner's words from that very day kept replaying on his head over and over again making the pain even worse.

"Sir," said the person next to him and he turned his head in the direction. "You have your file upside down," he said and Brandon checked. Indeed the file was upside down, he turned it around and tried to read it but his mind was busy recalling memories.

"Excuse me," he said and left the meeting room. He couldn't stay in a room full of people, he needed to be alone. He knew that he was not going to get any work done today and left the office. The scars that Reiner had left in his heart were very deep and no matter what he did it was not healing. Whoever said that time heals all wounds was mistaken, it has been right years but it feels like it yesterday that his heart was broken.

He got into his car and changed his clothes, he planned to do for a walk and clear his mind and he didn't want the paparazzi or the press to follow him so he was in disguise. He was dressed in simple blue jeans and a white shirt that hugged his chest. He wore a cap on his and black shades. He looked like a gorgeous ordinary citizen, even with the simple clothes he still looked extremely hot and as he walked both men and women turned their heads in his direction.

He walked past them not giving any attention to them, he knew he was handsome and he had already gotten used to being the center of attention everywhere he went. He listened to the song that he had written for Reiner in his head and thought of the memories they shared. Their time together was short but memorable and sweet, he couldn't understand why someone who claims to love someone could hurt them the way that Reiner hurt him.

He saw a nearby cafe and went inside, he took a seat at the corner next to the window and stared at the streets. Memories flooded his mind and tortured him emotionally. "Can I get your order Sir?" asked the waiter.

He turned around and looked at the waiter and looked back at the streets and ignored him. The waiter walked away but he didn't care, he was not there to eat he just wanted to sit down with his thoughts and forget everything else.

"A cup of hot chocolate and cookies," said the young waiter putting the order in front of Brandon. Brandon looked at the plate and at the waiter with questioning eyes. "Don't worry it is on the house," he said and Brandon frowned. He wanted to forget the past but it seemed like the universe had sent the boy to taunt him even more by re-acting the scene from the first day that he met Reiner.

He got up from his seat," Where is the manager of this place?" he shouted and got the people in the room to look at him.

"Sir, is there a problem?" asked the young man.

"Where is the manager?" he shouted again. A woman in her late twenties came out of the backroom and rushed to him.

"What is the problem Sir?" she asked him looking at the young man with questioning eyes. The boy lifted his shoulders to tell her that he didn't know what the problem was.

"Are you the manager?" asked Brandon and she nodded."I want you to fire this useless waiter of yours. He not only does not understand his job description and shouldn't attend to people," he said shocking the young man to the core. He was only trying to help him and yet the man was asking for him to be fired. Brandon got his card from his pocket and gave it to the manager.

"I will never return to your cafe again if he is not fired this instant," he threatened, on seeing who he was the manager could not afford to offend him and fired the young waiter. Brandon paid for the meal and left without touching it. He walked away feeling worse than he felt when he left the office.

"What is wrong with you?" asked the young waiter pushing him to the ground. "I was only being considerate towards you and you get me fired," he shouted.

Brandon got up from the ground and pulled the young man away from the streets and into the alley. He pinned the man to the wall and choked him by his neck. "Don't ever make the mistake of touching me if you don't want me to end you," he threatened in a chilling voice that made the man tremble.