CHAPTER 5 - WHAT THE ...

Cameron looked into Elena's gleaming eyes. Imagine what if he was the one Elena kicked and not the other way around. What if he had to resort to cheap means to stop Elena.

"You're thinking too much, Cam,"

"Okay. Agreed." Cameron reached out his hand to Elena, brushing away what he was thinking even though he was still a little surprised by what he found about Elena. The best weakness of the best woman that no one would ever imagine.

Then suddenly someone knocked gently on Elena's door. It was almost so quietly that Elena and Cameron were sure it wasn't one of their secretaries who knocked on the door.

"Come in." Elena spoke.

Then a man with round blue eyes, dark brown hair complete with a very friendly smile that tugged on his lips entered Elena's room. His bold steps add to the masculine impression on the man's face.

Cameron almost dropped his jaw when he saw the man directly extend his hand towards Elena without heeding her.

"George Evans." he said.

Elena was quite taken aback but she had to maintain a good image in the eyes of anyone who saw her, so she also reached out to shake the man who was now standing right next to Cameron who was still sitting without changing his position.

"Elena Smith." Elena said. She guessed that this man was the Harvard guy who was none other than the second hottest after Cameron, according to Patricia. And Elena's conjecture was reinforced by Patricia's grin peeking through the door.

"Nice to meet you in person, Ms. Smith,"

"Ah, yes, of course." Elena showed George the sweetest smile she had.

While Elena and George were having fun with each other by introducing themselves to each other, Cameron couldn't wait to pat George on the shoulder really hard.

"You passed me," Cameron said. "You just came out of my room and suddenly darted into my co-worker's office. Did you two know each other through a blind date app and have a meeting here?" Cameron probed with the most annoying sarcasm Elena had ever heard.

Elena didn't want to get emotional, so Elena quickly opened a new topic with another sarcastic question.

"Do Ivy League guys have this sense of humor?" asked Elena then.

George laughed crisply followed by Cameron who forced his laugh.

"Cameron has always been like that," said George.

"Wow, information that really makes me believe that I have a colleague who is very reliable in taking down his opponent." Elena responded, still maintaining a smile on her face.

"We're at the same University," George said again.

"Stop boasting about your almamater, George," Cameron hissed.

"I worked hard to get into both Universities," said George.

"So am I." Cameron chimed in. Then Cameron really patted George on the shoulder. "Continue on your blind date, for I have more important things to do in my room."

Elena wanted to refute what Cameron had said, but she was sure that if she did it would be a very long debate. So the only way was to let Cameron go and she would pay back when the opportunity arose.

***

Cameron went back to his desk, ordered a hamburger from the delivery service and started checking the mail he'd taken from the mailbox this morning and hadn't had time to check.

In this modern era, in fact, there are still a few people who prefer to send messages by mail. Although via electronic mail is easier and also saves time. But on average the bank sends bills and other information through both, electronic mail and also mail...

"What is this letter?" Cameron mumbled as he scanned the envelope that caught his attention. He pushed aside the other envelopes with unimportant labels and focused on the one about twelve inches long and sixteen inches wide, dark blue, addressed to his office in beautiful calligraphy with Emily's parents' house as the return address.

Emily is his college girlfriend and the mother of his seven-year-old daughter. The two of them are in an open relationship, not married and have no restrictions on each other to have relationships with other people. Even so, Cameron did not abandon Emily and also Brielle, his only daughter.

Cameron, who now lives in Washington, always returns to Chicago every year to celebrate Brielle's birthday and other big events. He had even invested his money in tuition for young Brielle.

Cameron slowly opened and pulled out an ivory-white card from the envelope. It felt as if a nuclear bomb had exploded inside his head right now. The intelligent, the perfectionist and also the arrogant. Arrogant Cameron Jones suddenly felt that his brain had now turned to ashes, because he was completely unable to read and could barely decipher the words written in it.

We respectfully request your presence....

Emily Santos & Julian Parker ....

November ....

Marriage ... marriage ... marriage ....

"What the hell is this?"

Cameron's rant was able to attract the attention of Patricia as well as her own private secretary. They put on a tense face when they heard Cameron's loud scream that sounded out of the room.

Elena who also escorted George out of her room looked equally astonished.

"There is a problem?" George glanced at Elena. Meanwhile Elena shrugged and inside Cameron was still struggling to understand what she had just received. Looking for a plausible theory that can calm him down. This was more terrifying than knowing the secret that Elena was hiding.

He rushed to the door to summon Elena into his room. Honestly, Cameron didn't have to bother with that because Elena was already standing at the door of his study.

Cameron easily grabbed Elena's arm and turned to look at the two secretaries sitting across from each other and George who was still standing still. "Business problems I hope you're not eavesdropping on." Cameron said quickly.

"Did you do this? Is this a joke?" Cameron held up the envelope he was holding so Elena could see it clearly. "Is this all something funny? You find out about my private life and make a joke?" Cameron accused Elena of being extremely rude and desperate.

Elena took the card from Cameron's fingers. "I don't understand why you say this is funny. Dark blue and ivory isn't a funny color, but I'll admit it fits."

Then Elena read it. "Wow." She looked up at Cameron's face, then he wasn't intentionally interested to see the invitation one more time. Then mumbled once more. "Wow!"

Cameron almost pulled his tie and loosened it when he heard Elena keep saying the word wow in front of him. "Why do you have to keep wow-ing?"

"I don't know," Elena replied. "Honestly it's a good invitation and why do you have to be so depressed? You've also accused me of being ridiculous. Are you that petty?"

Sweat began to drip down Cameron's forehead, he felt his chest tighten as if he was having a panic attack. Now he wanted to yell at someone and Elena wasn't the right person. After all, after hearing the answers Elena had mentioned, it was clear that she knew nothing about Emily.

Cameron ignored Elena who now looked exactly like him. She folded her arms across her chest as she waited for what answer she would hear.

Instead of apologizing, Cameron was busy dialing the number on his cell phone.

How surprised Cameron was when he heard a sweet voice pick up the phone.

"Where is your mom?"

"Momma is very busy."

"Give him the phone."

There was a rustle, and then Cameron heard Brielle's voice again. "Momma said she'd call you back, Dad."

"Brielle," Cameron hissed, he didn't care about Elena who was now watching him squinting like a persian cat that had started to hate its master. "Tell your mom I told her to pick up this damn phone right now."

Brielle fell silent in surprise. Then Cameron heard a low whisper from his daughter. "Daddy wants me to say that?"

"Exactly like that, and you won't be in any trouble at all." Cameron urged.

Now Elena moved forward and sat down at Cameron's desk. Still watching him while giving him a demanding look because Cameron had accused him of nothing.

A second later Cameron could hear Brielle yelling at Emily that she had to pick up the phone right now.

"Are you crazy?" Emily shrieked then. Replaces Brielle at the end of the connection. "You made my daughter swear at me? Obviously I don't want to talk to you if you're like this!" Emily shouted. "I'm going to hang up the phone!"

"You have severed your relationship with me unilaterally!" Cameron vented his anger. "What did you send!"

"Interesting," Elena mumbled as she tapped her index finger on the table.

"I don't know, Cam! I didn't send anything."

"Don't be stupid! It's a wedding invitation."

Emily took a deep breath. "Good grief!"

A few seconds later Elena could clearly hear the argument that she couldn't fully understand. Elena heard lots of sharp tones as well as shrieks of anger. For some reason Elena was moved to calm Cameron down.

"Listen! I'll tell you that this weekend, but I think my mom sent it to you," Emily said.

"Should I call you a damn bastard?" Cameron asked angrily. "Are you pregnant?" Another thought flashed through and just slipped out of Cameron's mouth.

"I'm really going to cut this call!" Emily snapped.

Cameron kicked his desk and another thought started to flash through his mind. "Do you often take Brielle to see her?"

Then Emily lowered her voice guiltily. "Yes, Brielle has met him and we spend the weekend together sometimes."

"That man's history is over! I'm going to kick him!"

"Stop screaming!" Emily screamed.

Then Cameron pushed the phone away from his ear when Emily's voice had the potential to explode his precious eardrums.

Elena moved to take post it and also a pen. She quickly jotted down a note which he then handed to Cameron.

Stop it! Inhale. Everyone outside can hear you.

Cameron's nose was puffy and he could clearly feel his face hard as a rock. But somehow he followed what Elena wrote on the paper.

Elena wrote something else.

This time you escaped. But tomorrow I will demand an answer from you. I go.

Note: Don't worry, I'm not a snitch.

Cameron looked at Elena who disappeared behind the door and now his emotions were again controlled by Emily's scream from the other end of the phone and it made him want to throw his precious cellphone. His only option was to hang up the phone and go after Elena.

"Elena!" Cameron shouted again quickly but not in a tone of anger.