Even after Leena accepted Ethan, her behavior was normal. But Ethan was on another planet. He wanted to throw a party with his friends. After a brief talk, Leena wanted to leave but Ethan was reluctant to part away with her and he asked her to spend a little more time with him but she denied him with work as an excuse. The deadline for the project she has accepted was approaching and she was more interested to work than going on dates.
Leena reached home and the moment she opened the door, the loud snoring voices reverberated into her ears. "Can I place a pillow tightly over her face and hold it till the snoring stops?" Leena muttered and walked inside Reese's room.
"Get up snoring tractor!" Leena looked at the girl sleeping on the bed like a dead starfish. She yanked the blanket with one swift move to wake her up.
"I am still sleepy..." Reese groggily replied and tried to pull the blanket but Leena smacked her b.u.t.t. At least, Leena was happy that her snoring stopped now.
"Crazy Leena! I will kill you." Reese screamed before she opened her eyes. "Why do you feel hostility toward me_"
"I said yes to Ethan." Leena interrupted Reese in the mid-sentence.
"What!" Reese was wide awake with the news. "Then the great Leena Hayes is in a relationship now!" Reese screamed at the top of her lungs. "Let's go party."
"It's not an achievement, Reese." Leena pouted.
"Well, it might not be one for you, but it's the eighth wonder for the rest," Reese urgently spoke up in her excitement. "Did you tell, Jane?"
"Not yet! But she would kill me." Leena huffed like a child. Now she regretted saying yes to Ethan. Can I back off?
"Of course, she would not accept him easily. Ethan has indirectly become her enemy." Reese said. "How did he propose?"
Leena explained the incident that happened between them.
"He is boring. Who proposes in such a way?" Reese lazily expressed her disinterest with a yawn. "I don't want to hear anymore. Rest for a while. You have been working a lot on your new project as if you are deprived of money."
"Because I am running out of dresses," Leena remarked.
"Francis would bring stars if you want."
"Dresses are cuter than stars," Leena winked.
Reese pressed her lips in irritation. Leena would never stop this hobby of hers. Most of the weekends, all the three friends would be wandering in the shopping locations because they were f.o.r.c.i.b.l.y dragged by a shopaholic and Leena would be as high as a kite all the time while shopping.
"Since you asked me to sleep, the dinner is on you today." Leena left the room before Reese would come screaming at her.
Leena was lying on the bed but sleep was nowhere on the premises. Ethan's proposal was mulling over her brain continuously. Did I make the right choice? Is he the one my heart is searching for? But something was unsettling in her heart. Leena grabbed her mobile to talk with him but before she typed a message, Jane entered her room.
"Leena....." Jane screamed and jumped onto Leean's bed. "You have accepted Ethan's proposal?"
'Blabbermouth Reese. She can't keep up a single thing in her mouth.'
"Well, I have." Leena awkwardly glanced at her friend. "I know you don't like him but he is not a bad person either, Jane. I have been talking with him for the past three years and he is good to me. The first impression often disappoints. You should come out of the zone."
Jane neither accepted nor denied Leena's thoughts. She doesn't like Ethan but for Leena's sake, she has to endure. "Alright. Did you tell, Will?"
"Can you keep it as a secret?" Leena pleaded. She wasn't sure if the relationship with Ethan would work out or not, so until then Leena wants to hide her relationship status from Wilbur. Her Francy would come for her life if he comes to know about it because he has sternly declared no to dating.
"No." Jane instantly declined. She felt it's not a wise decision to keep a secret from Wilbur.
"Didn't you both hide your relationship with me and Reese?" Leena countered. She was shocked when she saw Jane and Wilbur kissing in the home on one fine day. All the while, Leena thought Wilbur liked Reese but he gave an unexpected twist.
"It's different_"
"You are neither telling Wilbur nor Francy." Leena sternly declared.
"Fine." Jane exhaled a loud sigh.
"You have been getting lots of calls from your executive assistant. Why don't you go to the office and check?" Leena was in a shopping arena. She planned to go with her friends but Ethan tagged along. So, Reese and Jane reluctantly backed off to give more space to both of them.
"I rarely get a chance to talk with you, Leena. What do you want to_"
He broke off in the middle when he saw a woman swiftly coming towards him and before Ethan realized what's happening around him, he was imprisoned in a tight hug. He knew who it is. The touch felt familiar and all the memories of her flooded back. "Casey." He muttered.
"I arrived in Seattle today and I straight away drove to your home. Your friend informed me you were here. I was searching all the floors frantically for an hour. Finally, I found you. I missed you, Ethan." Ethan dreamed to hear those words from her mouth in the past but he doesn't feel anything now. He quickly released himself from the hug when he saw Leena's curiously looking at them.
"Hi, Casey!" He smiled awkwardly.
"How are you, Ethan. I am sorry for leaving you. I am back now. I will not leave you_"
Before Leena could misunderstand him, Ethan cut off Casey and introduced Leena to her. "This is my girlfriend, Leena."
Leena studied the girl's face and she could sense envy. Casey! She has heard the name. Ethan has shown her picture once and often talks about her. Which man doesn't boast about their ex-girlfriends. Leena didn't mind about his past. Her only concern was she is dating a leftover piece.
"Oh! I am sorry for disturbing you. I didn't know you have got a girlfriend already." Half-smiling at him, Casey turned to Leena. "Ethan is a very nice person. Please take care of him." With that Casey left.
"Casey is my_"
"She is your ex and I understand. Let's go."Leena cut him off. Ethan would occasionally talk about how beautiful Casey was but when she saw her in person, Leena felt like puking on his taste. Her pictures were a little better than her real self. Not all are beautiful like you, Leena. Instead of getting jealous of his ex, Leena was in her world of self-praising again.
Ethan nodded his head with a half-smile. A huge burden lifted from his heart when Leena did not doubt him.
....
Days passed, Ethan was busy with the company affairs but he would always message Leena whenever he gets a free time. From the day, he met Casey in the shopping arena, she would visit his office. Sometimes, she would end up in trouble and with no other friends, Ethan has to support her. So, he rarely has time to spend with Leena. Finally, he has canceled all his plans and convinced Leena of a date. He actually planned for a romantic dinner at the beach but he has to settle for lunch.
The moment Ethan stepped into a hotel with Leena, he saw a bunch of women getting out of the private room. He recognized all of them because they were his mom's friends. If she sees Leena here, she would create a commotion. Before he could take Leena to another place, one of his mom's friends spotted Ethan. "Lauren, look it's your son, Ethan. He has a girlfriend?"
Lauren glanced in the pointed direction and walked towards them along with her friends. "Who is she, son?"
"She is Leena, my_"
"Is she your girlfriend, Ethan?" One of Lauren's friends Nathalie spoke up.
"Girlfriend? It must be one of his mistress, Nathalie," Laurence spoke up looking at Leena with a scornful gaze.
"Mom!" Ethan's voice raised an octave. "What's wrong with you?"
"You are talking as if your son goes and fools around every woman, Mrs. Davies," Leena threw a disgusting look at the woman."So, you didn't you raise him well?"
"You_"
"Apply yourself as a parent first." Leena calmly responded and turned to Ethan. "I am going home and I don't want to tell this but I want to. I don't like your mom."
"What did you say?" Lauren barked but Leena left the place although Ethan tried to call her back.