Chapter One

[Ethan's POV]

Standing beside Sage who's looking at me worried I frown, "What are you looking at?" I ask making him sigh.

He leans over the bar drinking his whisky seemingly bored, "Why are you so on edge… the deal's done so you should relax, I don't understand why you're fidgeting," he says.

"I'm not fidgeting," I throw back while turning to the bar and taking my drink in my hand. Tapping the left pocket of my slacks I feel the box in it making me sigh. I'm nervous, extremely nervous.

"Ethen, you're frowning, fidgeting non-stop and your jaw's ticking… I know you, you're nervous about something," he says making me look at him. He's staring at me with those blue eyes that look like the ocean.

Smiling I shake my head, "I still can't believe you know me so well but yeah you're right. I'm nervous and don't know if what I am about to do is the correct decision for myself and my future." I say to him making him smile.

He comes closer and puts his arm over my shoulder. Looking at me I sigh, "Sage, do you really not like Layla?" I ask him. He grunts pulling away from me; his face twists every time I bring up my girlfriend and it shows on his face that he doesn't like her.

I can see the irritation build-up by my question and I kind of feel bad, my best friend of twenty years dislikes the girl I plan on marrying. "I don't detest her but that still doesn't mean I like her." He says making me sigh.

"Why, what did she do to you that makes you dislike her so much?" I ask knowing that he won't give me a straight answer, "She's just one of those who you hate the minute you see them."

I don't know anymore, I'm torn between my best friend and my lover. Other people say he's jealous but I know Sage isn't the jealous type but then again, he's never liked any of the girlfriends I've had over the years.

I hear him growl, turning to look at him, he's looking elsewhere. Looking in that direction I see my girlfriend Layla walking over.

I smile as my heart beats heavily for this beautiful woman. Walking forward I spread my arms and wrap my arms around her tiny waist. Kissing her forehead I get excited thinking of spending the rest of my life with her.

"Evening Sage," she greets behind us. Turning around I see him walk over with a listless look on his face and a raised brow. Leaning down he hugs her and walks away.

Although he doesn't like her and everyone knows this, he still has his manners and greets even though he doesn't want to.

Sighing I get up. Walking to the centre of the stage I get nervous looking at all the curious and excited gazes, I lock onto Sage who's looking at me with that same look he always gives me, the one that shows he trusts and loves me – that look that gives me confidence.

Gaining my confidence back I say, "Welcome everyone, thank you all for supporting Dimitri and Co. I'm honoured to be a part of this journey and it's an honour to be my father's son. I've watched him take on projects and tackle them and complete each project but still make time to be with his family.

We of the Dimitri household has always had a set goal in mind and that is to achieve greatness but not at the cost of being unhappy and today I want to make a special announcement." I say and look over at my girlfriend.

Holding my hand out to her I motion her over, she walks up to me whispering into my ear, "What's this all about?" I chuckle and kiss her forehead. I reach into my pocket and get down on one knee.

Hearing gasps and cheers, I smile up at her who already has tears in her eyes, "Layla Scott, ever since the day I met you, you've changed the way I see life and the way I see myself. I've come to realise that you and I are together for far too long to not have a ring on your finger so, I'm here now to ask, will you Layla Rebecca Scott do me the honour and accept this ring – will you marry me?" I ask looking up at her hopefully while blinking back the tears that threaten to fall down my cheeks.

She hands me her hand and I slide the ring onto her ring finger and kiss her hand. Standing up she nods her head as the words escape her lips through sobs, "Y-yes I-I w-will m-marry y-you."

Kissing her forehead I pick her up and spin her around while everyone claps in the background. Spinning Layla around I couldn't stop kissing her and the smile on both of our faces proved how happy we are to be in each other's future.

Putting my fiancé down I look at all the smiling faces around me. My parents, siblings, her parents and her siblings, my friends and everyone I love is here. Kisses and hugs come our way from left and right – all over!

My mother Martha grabs my face and kisses my cheeks congratulating me with tears in her eyes. Shaking hands with my father, he pulls me in for a hug and pats my back, "I'm proud of you son, you got yourself a beautiful girl," he says to me making me blush and nod.

"I know dad, and it's not only her beauty that's great about her." We chuckle and hug before I move on to receive my wishes from the others here tonight.

Reaching our table I hug Sage's mother, Aunty Sandra. Uncle Michael, his dad hugs me too along with his sister Samantha and brother Seth. My brows knit as I scanned the room, it's pretty big but I can see everyone's faces, Sage was here not too long ago, so where is he now?

"Aunty Sandra, where's Sage?" I asked looking down at her. She looks to her sides and around us, "I don't know love, he went to the bathroom and never came back, he said he was going to wash his face."

I smiled down at her and kissed her cheek. Letting them know I was off to go get him I made my way to the toilets. Fixing my sleeves and cufflinks I couldn't help but smile, I can't wait to marry her.

Pushing the door open I walked in ready to yell but stopped myself seeing that there was actually no one in here, I couldn't have passed him on the way here could I?

Checking the stalls once more, I trekked out of the toilets and walked back to the room. Scanning through the crowd I frowned, pulling at one of the waiters I asked him, "Hey did you see a guy my height, with bright blue eyes, light tan in complexion with black hair that shines a dark blue wearing a dark blue suit?"

He looks at me confused with a frown but his eyes light up, "Yeah I saw someone with that description, he went out through the back," thanking him he, I ran through the kitchen and out the back and down the staircase out to the ground floor.

Looking left and right I found my car and Sage's car who was parked beside mine, gone. Pulling my cell phone out I dialled his phone number but no one answered. Trying again, it rang and the call went through, "Hello Sage, where the hell are you?" I asked frustrated, he was supposed to be here to support me but he isn't and it's pissing me off, he better not be getting laid.

"Good day, may I ask who am I speaking to," a voice I've never heard before came through making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"H-hello, this is Ethan Demetri, I'm Sage's best friend?" I say unsure of my own answer.

"Good day Mr Demetri, are you available to head over to the police departments head office, Mr Sage Clark was involved in a car accident and is currently at the hospital in theatre receiving emergency surgery." The man says to me.

"E-Excuse me but I think you have the wrong person," I say swallowing my saliva in disbelief as my heartbeat speeds up. "I'm sorry but you are the one who called. This phone and number is currently in the possession of the police and is under investigation."

"NO! How can that be?" I ask furiously while getting into my car and heading straight for the police station. After speaking further to the officer I calmed down and called my brother, "Listen, Simon, get mother and father and Aunty Sandra and Uncle Michael to the police station, I don't know what happened but Sage was in a car accident," I say and switch off the phone.

Speeding I arrived at the police station and meet with the man who I spoke to over the phone. He hands me Sages LG G7 that is full of cracks and on its last life – I need to charge it.

My heart didn't stop pounding hard against my chest as it beat. My heart ached and my eyes burned as the tears fought to come out. Listening to the report of how they chased after him and he just drove off the cliff like it was natural.

I honestly can't believe that Sage would do such a thing – suicide, that's impossible.

I looked at my parents and his parents who were looking at me frantically as the police officers explained what they told me. Aunty Sandra yelled at them to stop lying to her and after a while, we all left for the hospital. Sage was still in surgery.

The nurse told us that he had broken ribs, broken bones and possible brain damage due to the multiple cracks in his skull.

Today was supposed to be my special day, the day of my engagement but today is the day I might lose my best friend.