Chapter 64

James Derek loves me...He told me, as well as an entire room full of people, that he loves me.

I should have been happy, right? I should have been feeling utterly elated that he’d finally spoken his feelings about me.

But, for some unknown reason, I found myself feeling rather numb. Numb and filled with more unanswered questions. Why? Why had James chosen, of all possible times, to tell me that he loves me during a press conference? Why couldn’t he have shared his feelings with me in a more private, intimate setting?

Something like that should have brought a warm feeling or, at the very least, a spark of jovial surprise...Instead, it left me shocked.

However, the press was absolutely losing their minds over James’ public display. Several photographers snapped their cameras in hopes of capturing the moment. Reporters from all over the room were fighting to get their chance to throw other love-related questions at us.

Peter’s very presence had gone completely ignored. It was as though no one even cared that he was there in the first place. James’ unexpected proclamation had overshadowed whatever Peter’s plans were.

We watched him get physically removed from the building. And since then, the public refused to hear any more from him on the matter.

‘At least that issue was finally out of the way,’ I thought to myself.

It had been two days since the press conference. While James was finishing up some business in his home office, I was currently sipping tea out near the courtyard.

Now that we had managed to disprove the slanderous and false accusations, we were allowed to sit back for a little while. After all that’s happened in the last few weeks, I was thankful for the short reprieve.

I needed the time to sort out my thoughts and take a long, much-needed breath.

At least something decent came from all the drama we’d endured...According to what Daniel had sent us, the public was absolutely losing themselves over the press conference. More media networks than ever before were trying their hardest to get James and me to agree to another press gathering.

It was official, we’d managed to sway the press and public’s opinion back in our favor.

Which was, indeed, a good thing. Deep down, I hoped that it meant James and I could finally have some time ourselves for once.

I needed to speak to him about what he said about the conference. Had it actually meant what he said? Was it terrible that I found myself doubting his words as opposed to simply believing him?

I tilted my head back to rest on the edge of the chair. I suddenly heard heavy footsteps coming toward me. James, dressed in a white dress shirt and dark pair of pants, was casually strolling through with his phone pressed to his ear.

I noticed the small smile that curved one corner of his mouth. “Alright, I’ll pass on the news, thank you, Daniel.”

James ended the call and came to sit down next to me.

“How’s Daniel?” I asked.

“He’s doing a lot better now that things have calmed down,” he responded. “He just called to inform me that all was well and easing with the shareholders and council within the company.”

I offered a supportive smile and felt a decent weight lift off my shoulders. “That’s great!”

Just as I was about to speak, we heard Lily call out for us.

“Oh, there you both are,” she said wistfully.

“What is it, Lily?” James asked.

She fiddled with her hands, nervously. “It appears that Mr. Ellison and Mrs. Derek are here.”

James and I shared an incredulous look between ourselves before getting up and following Lily toward the front hall.

Sure enough, there they were. Gavin Ellison and Diana Derek stood casually in the entryway, looking pleasantly content.

“Hello,” James spoke first with a hint of suspicion in his tone. “I wasn’t aware the two of you were coming here today.”

Ellison cleared his throat and gently nodded his head. “I was just saying to your mother how deeply impressed I was by the manner in which Mia presented herself during the press conference. She showed immense strength and devotion to the Derek Family,” he explained.

He turned his attention solely to me. “There’s no denying your feelings for James are honest. I’m afraid you and I have gotten off on the wrong foot. Back at the Alpha Gathering...You must understand that I was looking out for the well-being of my family.”

I raised my brows and let out a long breath.

“Yes, Mr. Ellison. I do understand. After all, you know me as little as I know you.”

“Perhaps, you and James will allow me to rectify that then.” We all watched Ellison pull out a fancy-looking invitation to an exclusive party he was throwing in a few days.

James gave me a sparing look, wanting to know my thoughts. In the end, the two of us decided to accept the invitation.

While Ellison and James went on to speak business between one another, Diana turned her attention to me. My nerves started to coil with worry.

“Mia, would you mind if the two of us stepped off to one of the other rooms?” she asked.

I silently led us to one of the drawing rooms and patiently waited for her to speak.

“You see, Gavin isn’t the only one who came here with the intention of apologizing,” Diana said. “Ever since I discovered James had remarried, I’ve been nothing but a horrible nightmare to the two of you, I’m sure.”

I struggled to hold back a laugh. “You had every right to be furious, at the very least.”

Diana shook her head. “I was more than furious. I’d taken out a majority of my rage on you and it wasn’t right. None of it was. I made the terrible mistake of misjudging you when I should have sat down with you and James to discuss everything.”

I offered a small smile in return.

“I blame myself for a lot of what’s happened. Since the moment I first tried to buy you out of James’ life, I’d started an awful chain reaction that ended up dragging the Derek name through the mud.”

“Mrs. Derek, believe me, it’s not as though my past is exactly clean. I’m sure you’ve heard about Peter Miller showing up to the conference and causing a scene. I am thankful every day that I have James by my side, helping me get through it all.”

For once, Diana met me with an honest smile. “Can we start over?”

I returned her smile and nodded my head. “Nothing would please me more.”