Game of Love and Deception: The Billionaire's Ex Wife
Chapter 67: Cheers to our bride

Chapter 67: Cheers to our bride

Ashley closed from work earlier than usual since she was going to meet up with Molita and Rebekah. She went home to freshen up and change into something more casual before driving to the lounge, where the other ladies were already waiting. According to Molita, they planned a little girlie evening hangout to ease Rebekah from the tension of her approaching wedding.

Greg parked the car, and Ashley requested he followed her into the lounge so he wouldn’t collapse from boredom while waiting.

They walked into the beautiful building together, just as Molita appeared at the door, coming out to escort Ashley.

"Hey, sweetie. You look... ravishing," she complimented, kissing Ashley on both cheeks. Then her eyes drifted to the stoic man behind her. "Who’s he?" she whispered, leading Ashley outside to the patio.

"That’s Greg, my driver. I didn’t want him getting bored waiting in the car. I hope it’s not a problem. He can sit somewhere far from us," Ashley explained as they reached the patio.

Lorenzo, who had been discreetly following them, let out a breath of relief when he saw Ashley was meeting with other girls, not a potential lover. Quietly, he turned and walked back to his car, parked a few strides from Ashley’s, marking the end of his little watch.

"Ashley," Rebekah stood up from her chair, smiling as she hugged her.

"Rebekah. Nice to see you again," Ashley replied, gently patting her back. Her eyes took in the surroundings—the surrounding water, the lush greenery... the place was beautiful and serene.

"This is such a perfect spot for evening relaxation," Ashley said with a small smile.

"Exactly why I chose it," Molita squealed, just as her phone beeped. "Excuse me girls, Elara’s here."

She rushed off to meet Elara, while Rebekah turned to Ashley, striking a conversation.

"He’s with you, right? I think he’s waiting for you to tell him to sit," Rebekah said after a moment, gesturing to Greg, who was still standing stiffly at the entrance of the patio.

"Oh my God, I totally forgot about him," Ashley said, hurrying over to let Greg know he could head into the lounge and do anything that interested him.

She was just heading back to Rebekah when Molita re-entered the lounge with Elara, who looked sassy in a mini wine skirt that matched the color of her short bob hair.

She was deep in conversation and didn’t notice the stoic figure approaching. Their shoulders brushed, and she stumbled slightly.

Elara turned, ready to snap—but the words never made it out once she took in the man in front of her.

His height wasn’t just intimidating; he exuded a brooding intensity that made her heart skip without warning. That sharp jaw, those cool, unreadable eyes, and the maddening air of indifference? Sexy.

"Oh... sorry. I wasn’t looking," Elara muttered, blinking as if to reset herself.

Greg gave her the briefest nod and walked past like she wasn’t even there.

Elara’s gaze followed him, fists clenched.

Molita turned to her with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Sure," Elara muttered. "But he’s such an asshole."

She took a breath, then added—half to herself. "A hot one."

Molita laughed, clearly amused by the scene she’d just witnessed.

"Elara, this is Ashley. Ashley, Elara," she introduced once they reached the patio. "The hot asshole you bumped into earlier is actually Ashley’s driver," she added with a wink.

"Wow. I wish he could drive me too," Elara murmured in a dreamy manner that amused the other ladies.

A flicker of shock passed through Elara’s face as she locked eyes with Ashley before stepping forward to kissing her on both cheeks in greeting.

She instantly recognized her from the interview with Lorenzo Grey. So this was his girlfriend? Her heart twisted in ways she wasn’t ready for.

"Pleasure to meet you, Elara," Ashley said warmly. "I love your hair."

"Thank you. I love you already. Unlike these two bitches who didn’t even notice my new look," Elara replied, glaring playfully at Molita and Rebekah. She dusted off an invisible speck from her hair, earning laughter from everyone.

"Sorry, I was too busy thinking about my handsome husband-to-be," Rebekah teased, giving Elara a look.

Ashley chuckled.

"I’m going to order us cocktails, girls," Molita announced and slipped away again.

Barely moments after Molita returned with their strawberry cocktails, the four women were already conversing and laughing like lifelong friends.

But beneath Elara’s smile, her heart skipped a beat every time Ashley looked her way.

But Elara couldn’t stop wondering if Ashley and Lorenzo been together all along? All those times she’d thrown herself at him... Did Ashley know? If she did, she was doing a damn good job hiding her disgust.

"So, how’s it going with that hot cookie from the interview?" Molita asked, shooting Ashley a playful look as all eyes turned to her.

Elara’s chest tightened at the mention of Lorenzo, but she kept her smile in place.

Ashley tensed.

There was no way she was diving into anything about Lorenzo, especially when what they had wasn’t even real. Her grip tightened around her glass as the image of what had happened earlier in her office flashed through her mind. And visiting his mom? God, she didn’t think she’d ever be ready for that part of the deal even though she’d signed it.

"I thought this evening was about the bride," she said quickly, forcing a smile. "Come on, I’m not stealing the spotlight."

Elara exhaled a silent sigh of relief.

"I see what you did there," Molita said with a grin, turning to Rebekah.

"I feel so nervous," Rebekah said, her smile soft. "I still can’t believe that in just a week, I’ll be completely off the singles market." She sipped from her glass. "It feels... like a dream."

Ashley smiled, enjoying the company around her. She hadn’t felt this free in a long time—especially not with people she barely knew. Her relationship with Molita had always been good, even back when she was married to Christian, but Rebekah and Elara were strangers until now. Still, the connection between them was... beautiful.

"Yeah," Elara chimed in. "It always feels like that when you’re marrying the love of your life, darling. Not when you’re getting ready to be pawned off to some hungry lions," she added with a laugh.

A flicker of sadness crossed her eyes, quickly masked by another smile.

There was a pause—just long enough for everyone to sense the pain behind her words. Ashley wondered if that had been about her.

"You know you’ll have to stand up to your father eventually," Molita said softly.

"And if you still don’t have the spine for that, you can always elope with a sexy man of your choice," Rebekah added.

"The last man I wanted didn’t want me," Elara muttered, then grinned. "Except maybe I can steal Ashley’s driver. He’s my type anyway."

They all laughed.

"What do you think, Ashley?" Elara turned to her with a flushed face. Her tone was playful, but Ashley saw through it. The joke was a mask—one she herself had worn too many times. She felt an odd pang of pity for her.

"I know we don’t know each other well, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that sacrificing your happiness to please others never ends well."

Elara stiffened slightly, then let out a short laugh.

"I was just asking what you think about me eloping with your hot driver, but never mind—those words of wisdom are even better," she chuckled.

"You know I love you, Lara," Molita added with a silent look. "If you ever need saving, don’t hesitate to call. I’ll be perched at your window with a damn chopper."

Elara laughed.

"Alright girls, enough of my boring problems. Cheers to our bride," she said raising her glass. The rest lifted their glass together with hers as they chorused.

"Cheers to our bride."

Rebekah’s blush deepened.

*******

A soft knock on the door pulled Javier’s attention away from the match he was watching. He knew it was Genevieve—no one else would dare show up uninvited at 8 p.m. He slid on his slides before heading towards the door.

"Hey, darling," he greeted with a smile as he opened the door and pecked her on the lips.

Genevieve grinned before answering, "I hope I didn’t interrupt anything?"

"Actually, I just got married and was about to unwrap the cookie when you knocked," he joked.

Genevieve laughed. "You’re never serious."

Javier’s gaze dropped to the two bags at her feet. What’s all this?" He asked, stepping aside to let her into the house.

"After practice, I thought I’d swing by the Mart and grab you some groceries. You didn’t have much the last time I came," Genevieve said, her voice casual.

"Babe," Javier drawled, turning to face her. He pulled her by the waist, so her back rested against his chest.

"What? Can’t take care of my boyfriend anymore?" Genevieve teased, her eyes twinkling.

Javier nipped at a sensitive spot on her neck, making her release a soft sigh before he turned her around to face him.

Genevieve smiled up at him, and Javier couldn’t help but feel so much gratitude. How had he gotten so lucky to have such a beautiful, loving person by his side?

"I didn’t say you couldn’t take care of me," he replied, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "But I really wish I could spoil you more sometimes." If only his coding career wasn’t at rock bottom at the moment.

"C’mon, we’ve talked about this before, Jav," Genevieve said, cupping his face gently. "It’s just a matter of time, and I’m not complaining."

Javier’s gaze lingered on her face, making Genevieve blush under his scrutiny. "I love you so much," he whispered before pulling her for a kiss.

He swept her off her feet, his hands cupping her ass.

Genevieve’s legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, and the kiss deepened. Javier kicked the door closed with his leg and started moving toward the bedroom with her, not breaking the kiss.

"Our groceries..." Genevieve murmured against his lips.

"We’ll come back for that," Javier replied with a grin, kicking aside anything in their path as they continued their way to the bedroom.