The Friendly Wedding Chapter 22.1

TN: Since ch 21.3 is very short, here’s another update to compensate for it. Enjoy reading.  XD

…

People said that stories always have unwanted chaos-bringers.

In the case of Sapphire and Johann's story, it seems Czarina is not that person. Instead it's the guy walking towards Sapphire right now, looking at her as if he knows all her most hidden secrets.

He was striding domineeringly, his presence exudes power and authority to the point it made people make way for him.

"Hey," he greeted as he approached her.

Sapphire raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you want to talk about, Ibarra?"

He slung his arm around her shoulders which made her stiffen. "Come on. Let's talk somewhere private and comfortable." He led her into an expensive restaurant located at the Greenbelt.

The inside of the restaurant was cla.s.sy and solemn. There were only few people inside. When the butler left after leading them to a table, he pulled a chair for her.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked after taking his seat.

"You said, we are only going to discuss something." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I even cut my bonding time with my Mom just to talk to you. Now, I want things straight to the point." What she said was true. A moment ago, she was with her Mom, strolling the mall with her, when suddenly her husband's cousins gave her a phone call. Fortunately, her mother understood that Sapphire has to go and permitted her to leave.

The guy has a playful smile on his mouth. He leaned back on his seat and stared at her.

The waiter arrived to serve red wine. That's the reason why she didn't manage to voice her displeasure to Ibarra, or Bari, as what his cousins called him.

When the waiter left, she immediately glared at him. "What do you really have to say?"

He reached for his wine and smelled it. "Why do you always act hostile to me? What did I do to you?" he asked with a grin.

"I'm a man-hater, remember?"

He chuckled. But it looked like a calculated laugh to her. Not loud. And short. "You're not. I know. You're just a frustrated man-hater, Sapphire. Even your cousin Reeve noticed it."

"Reeve and I don't meet frequently so how come he can conclude that?"

"Oh, protective cousins have their own ways, Sapphire."

She knitted her brows. "Just tell me what you want to say, Bari. I don't have all the time in the world," she demanded grumpily. "I also have to go home early to catch dinner with Johann."

The smile he let out was not without hidden meaning. "Johann, that long lost cousin of ours." The man began shaking his head. "Obviously, you have fallen in love with him. And that solidify our claim. Reeve and I concluded you're really not a man-hater."

"What's with you and Reeve? Are the two of you always talking about me? And are you two close?"

"The point is this, Sapphire."

"Hah! Finally, you're saying it. Don't dilly-dally anymore, please. This is such a waste of time."

"Reeve's step-sister is back from somewhere. You know her. Czarina, right?"

"What about her?" She was trying to keep an indifferent expression.

He looked straight at her eyes and mockingly smiled. "You're hiding Johann from her."

"W-what? Of course not! Why do I have to do that?"

"You don’t want them to meet."

"And why the heck will I waste time trying to obstruct their meeting?" On her face, she still had the same indifferent look. However, she was clearly being restless.

He drank his wine without breaking the eye contact between them. His stares remained meaningful, his eyes were saying he knew her reasons.

"You don't want Johann to realize that he still has feelings for his childhood sweetheart. For more than ten long years, Johann waited for the right time to court her. Then after months of courting her, he  was dumped. Ouch."

She didn't interrupt him.

"And while mending his broken heart, you entered the scene. You proposed a marriage to him. A convenient marriage that will only last for a year. For the sake of getting your inheritance." He laughed quietly. "And even though you never have fallen in love before, Sapphire, at the back of your mind, you still know Johann's reason for agreeing.

With her hand balled up into a fist, she retorted. "He wanted to help me. He's like that. Always wanting to extend  his helpful hands to others."

He ignored her answer. "What do broken-hearts need to lessen the pain? Tell me, Sapphire. Even non-love experts can answer it."

She gritted her teeth.

Yet he only smiled jokingly. "A distraction. At that time, Johann was in need of distraction. And you came at that exact  moment, Sapphire. You know very well, that you're just a distraction."

Now, she has this overwhelming urge to pour all the wine in earth on him. "Well, not anymore!" she stressed with a loud voice.

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