The CEO’ s second choice

Elena In Paris

Elena

Mirabelle refuses to even speak with me after what happened at the Summer Fable and I decided

not to push it. She would forgive my outburst sooner or later. We are currently on our private jet to visit

my sister in Paris. Sebastian would be working this side as well as it was his biannual visit to Dumont

Enterprises this side. I haven’t seen Eliana since my wedding and truth be told; I miss the prim and

proper Wiltshire twin and could not wait to see her! A few hours later, we land and make our way to

Sebastian’s villa in the French countryside. We would go sightseeing later on and I could not wait!

Sebastian’s cell phone beeps, indicating an incoming call, and I immediately tune out. This would

be his work for some reason or another. They always seem to need him. I guess that’s the life of a

CEO.

I was a complete and utter ball of jetlagged excitement, nearly bouncing off the vehicle walls. Not

only would I be visiting my sister for a week, but the following week I would be starting at Exeter! Was

my life coming together or what?! I have been keeping in touch with Anabelle as well and her marriage

is, unfortunately, a-go for next April. I felt sorry for my best friend because she was the one losing her

identity in her arranged marriage. Not to mention that her mother wants her to drop out of uni before

the marriage so she could focus on her social life and being a wife to Thomas.

That is the only part of the heiress life that I despise duty.

After we arrived at the villa, Sebastian had a lay-down for an hour or two alongside me, then we

were off again. I couldn’t sleep properly because I was so excited at the prospect of seeing my sister

again after so long. As soon as we get to their mansion, I spot my sister on the front steps, waiting for

us. “Wow, she looks different,” Sebastian remarks, and I see what he means. Eliana looked… happier

and her body language wasn’t as poised as it used to be in London. The car didn’t even come to a

proper halt before I shot out and ran to greet her, much to my husband’s chagrin.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Eliana!” I call and see the tears in her eyes as well, before wrapping her in a hug. She smelled so

familiar and like home! “Elena, oh I’ve missed you!” she exclaims, and I feel her tears as they hit my

shoulder. We broke our hug and looked at one another. “You look as beautiful as ever, Eliana,” I start,

“and happy, you look so happy!” She giggles through her tears and wipes mine away while shaking her

head. “You were always the natural beauty and being married to Sebastian seems to have brought that

out more.” She says and looks at my husband, sighing. “Hello, Sebastian,” she says with a smile and

he wraps her in a hug as well, something I think she was not expecting.

She looks up at him with wide eyes and he chuckles. “I don’t hate you, Eliana. You followed your

happiness and I could never fault you for that, even if your happiness lay with my uncle.” He says and

this seems to turn her tears into sprinklers because she wailed! Oh, Eliana, was the guilt truly eating at

you all this time? I watch the former lovers as they hold one another and feel the tears run down my

cheeks as well.

These two have a history, I realise that and respect it. But they also have unresolved issues

stemming from their playact relationship, which is why I do not feel jealous of this. They let go and

Eliana led me inside as Sebastian’s phone rang yet again. “Sorry, my love, I will have to see you later

on. There is an emergency meeting at Dumont Enterprises that require my attention.” He says with an

apologetic smile when he returns. I shrug at this, as it is nothing new to me. “I understand. Hurry back,”

I say and he kisses me goodbye before leaving.

I turn around and see Eliana’s eyes, which had widened to dinner plate circumference. “What was

that?!” she exclaims, leading me to chuckle. I lace my arms with hers and we walk towards the back

terrace. I told her of my journey with Sebastian and it was as if I was telling a love story because my

sister was all tears and tissue.

“That’s absolutely beautiful, Elena,” she says as she dabs her eyes and smiles at me. I think I

might have just made her week! We continued to chat a bit before we walked up to the nursery so I

could see little Morgan, and what a cute sight she was! I watch my sister with her daughter and my

heart absolutely melts at the sight of her with her child. This wasn’t Lady Wiltshire anymore, and I was

so happy about that. I sensed no chip on her shoulder or heaviness in her heart; she was free. Free of

my mother and I have to say that I felt the same. My mother kept us under her thumb for far too long,

Eliana especially, and now my sister finally had her happily ever after.

“How does it feel, being a mother?” I suddenly find myself asking and her head whips up to meet

my gaze. She smiles wistfully. “That’s not something I can readily explain,” she says with a laugh. Then

she looks down at her daughter again and takes her tiny hand, planting a kiss. “I’m not sure who coined

the phrase, but it’s like watching your heart right outside your body, constantly, daily and feeling the

love grow with each passing day. It engulfs you and also terrifies you.” She says, but I don’t understand

at all. Would I ever?

I watch her and sigh. “Mirabelle wants me to start falling pregnant, but I don’t feel ready yet. And I

am starting at Exeter in a few weeks so I cannot welcome a child right now. It would be unfair to them,”

I admit to her, but all she does is smile sadly at me. “No one is ever ready to be a parent, Elena. But I

understand what you’re saying and where you are coming from. Don’t allow them to bully you into

bringing a child into the world. It’s your body.” She says and lays her daughter down for her afternoon

sleep. She laces her arm with mine and we walk downstairs yet again. “How does Sebastian feel about

having children?” She asks me and I think back to our conversation two weeks ago. “He accepts my

decision, but knows we will have to produce an heir in due time,” I say, but she shakes her head. “If you

only think of a child as an heir, you will never know the true meaning of motherhood, Elena. That is

Susanna’s mindset, not ours.”

I blanch at this. Wow, I have never thought of it that way. The way I have been referring to a child

was definitely our mother’s mindset. Realising this cements my earlier notion about having children and

equating them to my upbringing… Now I definitely do not want any. At all. But then I look at Eliana and

how she completely adores her daughter and my mind changes again. Am I capable of giving love like

that?

I ponder this even after Sebastian collects me from Eliana’s place. “Please come around again,

Elena. I truly have missed you.” She says and I hear Sebastian's phone ringing again even though he

has just come from Dumont Enterprises. “I’ll be here every single day-!”

“What do you mean? Are they okay?” I hear my husband’s worried voice cut through my sentence

and my ears perk up. He looks at me with a deep frown etched in his brow, then pales. “Okay, we’ll

take the jet out and be there as soon as possible. Thank you for letting me know.” He says and kills the

call. Fear creeps into my heart when he looks at me, and I feel my world slipping away at his next

sentence.

“My parents have been in a car wreck,” he says in a daze, and I rush over to him. I look up at him

with worried eyes. “Are they okay, my love?” I ask, needing to know. I haven’t made peace with

Mirabelle yet! I need to make peace with her! But all Sebastian does is shake his head sadly and lead

me to our waiting vehicle.