Chapter Four

As soon as Colin's Ferarri pulled up in front of the venue, camera flashes began, and a surge of journalists. The bouncers were quick to intercept and Colin was able to move freely into the building, Elaine's arm through his, the duo looking like a million dollars.

The next minutes were spent receiving congratulatory messages, being asked questions and being complimented on their looks and Elaine had to smile through it all, fake plastered smiles, and nod in appreciation when necessary, and occasionally pat Colin's arm like a supportive partner, and smile lovingly and blush when he casually kissed her on the neck. To Elaine, the performance was tiring and suffocating, but to Colin, it was simply an experience of what never was, what he wished they could truly be, and he cherished each moment, short-lived as he knew they were.

The atmosphere was alive with excitement and anticipation as guests mingled, sipping on champagne and nibbling on gourmet hors d'oeuvres.

At the front of the hall was a large stage decorated with his company's logo and flanked by giant screens which displayed captivating visuals of quantum computing in action.

Angela sidled up to Colin and after a few hushed exchanges, she nodded and walked up on the stage, welcoming guests, thanking them for coming and finally, introducing Colin, the main host of the event. A round of applause rang out as eyes turned on Colin, from where he stood with Elaine.

"I guess I'm free now." She whispered fiercely while keeping the smiling mask on.

"Yes, I guess so. I should be up on the stage." He answered sweetly, equally keeping up the appearance and she lovingly extricated her arm from his, kissed him on the cheek and clapped enthusiastically for him, looking like the kind of supportive wife one would expect a successful man like Colin to have.

Every step he took to the stage were punctuated by thunderous claps which died down as he stood on the stage and the spotlight fixated on him, making him look so handsome and charming.

He flashed one of his captivating smiles and began by welcoming the guests, then introducing himself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, and members of the Quantum Innovations family. Today, we gather to celebrate a momentous occasion; the launch of QuantumSphereX. It is with great pride and excitement that I stand before you to introduce this revolutionary product, a culmination of years of dedication, innovation, and relentless pursuit of excellence. I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to each and every member of the Quantum Innovations family. Your tireless efforts, creativity, and dedication have brought us to this moment. Together, we have overcome challenges, embraced opportunities, and forged a path towards a brighter tomorrow.

Tonight is not just about celebrating a product. It is about celebrating innovation, collaboration, and the power of imagination. It is about recognizing the endless possibilities that lie ahead and the transformative impact that technology can have on our world...."

The speech lasted for five minutes, during which Elaine badly wanted to yawn, or roll her eyes, or scream, or do all at once. She found the attention and admiration the audience had for him as ridiculous and a waste of time because she couldn't see anything especially special about Colin bloody Anderson. She watched on, her face a mask of love and admiration, noting that guests were occasionally glancing at her to give her that oh-you-lucky-woman look.

Then it was finally time for the official unveiling. The curtains parted to reveal a display of the sophisticated, futuristic device, and a collective "wow!" erupted from the audience, amid claps and hushed conversations. Cameras once more, began flashing endlessly.

Colin beamed with pride and happiness, and went on to talk about the contributions of his team and invited them over to the stage to talk about the specifications, functionality and capabilities of QuantumSphereX.

“Beautiful. As always." The voice came out of the shadows as Elaine was returning from the restroom where she went to reapply some makeup and she jumped then relaxed realizing who it was.

“Chris! You scared me."

He smiled fondly. “Sorry. Didn't mean to." He took her hand in his and kissed it and her eyes darted nervously around the room. “People are watching! Stop."

“Who cares?" He whispered seductively, gently caressing her hand, while he held her gaze with those piercing steely grey eyes of his, and her face began to heat up.

“It's being a while,”she managed to say, looking away, because she knew that if she didn't, she would loose her composure and kiss him passionately.

“Indeed it has. I've missed you, my darling..."

“We should return to the party, or tongues would start wagging." She cut him off, nervously and he chuckled, that low mischievous chuckle that always made her knees weak.

“Of course, we should. You owe me a dance, though. We have a lot of catching up to do, don't we?" He winked and she smiled uneasily as they walked out of the shadows and back into the buzzing room.

Chris was Elaine's first boyfriend and also lover, at the time she was married off to Colin. He had been shocked, and angry back then, calling her a betrayer, ignoring her explanations about the situation being out of her control. And a day after the wedding, he had disappeared without goodbye, and without a forwarding address.

Elaine had been hurt by his accusations and was a little relieved when she heard he had left New York City. She had thought that would help her move on. She had thought she'd finally gotten over him, and what they once had. But when he suddenly resurfaced in New York City, three months ago, as an established fiercely determined gentleman, she had realized that she never really moved on from him. And that she could not let him slip through her fingers, twice.

The party went on, with guests, and Colin too, blind to the unusual exchange that just occurred between the billionaire CEO's wife, and her ex, yet true lover, who was suddenly back in town and, of course, back into Elaine's life. And heart.