Chapter 34: Dripping Jealousy
Ezra drove down the road, sharply dressed for his meeting, while Shane occupied the passenger seat, also suited up, intently focused on his phone.
The drive had started peacefully, with the wind tousling their hair as they sped along.
However, Ezra’s expression tightened, deep furrows forming on his brow as a storm of thoughts brewed in his mind. He found himself increasingly troubled, and the source of his frustration boiled down to Shane and Evie. He had no insight into their activities, but every time he caught sight of them together, anger simmered just beneath the surface—he couldn’t pinpoint why.
Just then, Shane erupted into laughter, throwing his head back in a jovial fit. Ezra didn’t need to guess; it was crystal clear that it involved Evie.
The two seemed inseparable, and Ezra’s discontent festered.
Why was Shane so brazenly pursuing Evie? Why was she not putting a stop to it? Did she not understand the implications it had for their relationship?
"She’s so cute," Shane mused, his face beaming as he typed away on his phone.
Ezra tried to dismiss it, but curiosity gnawed at him, and he couldn’t help but ask, "Who’s that?" His voice was quiet yet charged with an undercurrent of tension.
Shane glanced sideways, "It’s Evie... She—" He trailed off. Ezra’s grip on the steering wheel tightened.
Of course, it was Evie; who else would have him laughing like an idiot?
Without thinking, Ezra pressed down on the accelerator, and the car surged forward, leaving Shane visibly startled as he clutched the car handle for safety.
"Dude, chill! You’re gonna get us killed!" Shane exclaimed, but Ezra remained unfazed, maintaining an unrelenting speed.
Moments later, they arrived at the towering building, and Ezra slammed on the brakes, launching Shane forward into the dashboard.
Shane grimaced, rubbing the spot he’d hit. "What’s your problem, man?" he shot back, but Ezra didn’t respond.
He shoved the car door open, stepped out, and strode toward the building’s entrance, his white suit gleaming in the sunlight. He didn’t look back.
Cursing under his breath, Shane exited the car, adjusting his own black suit, red turtleneck shirt, and silver chain.
As they walked through the entrance, the staff had already lined up, ready to greet. "Good morning, Mr. Thorne," they chorused, and Ezra acknowledged them with a curt nod, while Shane, ever the extrovert, waved enthusiastically until they reached the meeting hall.
"Let’s get started with today’s meeting," Ezra declared, immediately taking his seat at the head of the table.
The team was assembled, laptops open, ready for the presentation about the upcoming launch of their new watch collection. Ezra demanded all the necessary details from the design and budget teams; the meeting was critical, and everyone took their turns presenting their plans.
Throughout the meeting, Ezra’s attention involuntarily drifted toward Shane, who was at the far end of the table, glued to his phone as he texted Evie. The fact that this was happening right in front of him was infuriating.
Meanwhile, Evie was with Ruby during all this, and Ruby couldn’t help but comment, "You said nothing is going on between you two." She watched as Evie texted Shane, recalling how Evie had previously downplayed their connection. Seeing her now, so engaged in messaging Shane, made Ruby reconsider her friend’s earlier claims.
"Yeah," Evie replied without looking up.
Ruby scrutinized her friend, zeroing in on the ruby chain around Evie’s neck—a gift from Shane, no less. It was stunning, intricately designed, and it stung Ruby with jealousy.
She had never been jealous of Evie before, but with Shane—her idol— showering Evie with such attention, an unsettling feeling churned in Ruby’s stomach.
"I don’t see you texting Ezra that often," Ruby stated matter-of-factly.
Evie paused, glancing at Ruby, who shot her a pointed look. She shrugged in response. Ezra? "He’s boring and doesn’t want to be texted... So," she replied, dismissing the idea.
A slight frown settled on her face at the mention of Ezra. She quickly pushed him out of her mind, focusing instead on Shane, who was clearly much more enjoyable to converse with.
Later that day, after work, Ezra noticed Evie and Shane in the living room, laughing and munching on popcorn while watching an American show. The noise grated on his ears as his eyebrows furrowed. What bothered him more was how close they had become. Anyone watching would assume they were a couple, while Ezra remained an outsider.
Shane intentionally tucked Evie’s hair behind her ear and draped his arm around her. Ezra knew Shane was trying to provoke him; it was what Shane always did.
"Good morning, Sunshine," Shane said one morning, ruffling Evie’s hair as he passed. Evie laughed, her eyes shining as she looked back at him.
Their relationship was spiraling out of control. Ruffling her hair and calling her ’Sunshine’? Was that really a nickname for her? Ezra’s jaw tightened as he watched from above, peering down at them from the railing, his gaze sharp and piercing.
Ezra didn’t want to let it bother him, but how could it not? Every time he saw Evie and Shane together, it felt like they were taking things to the next level.
He observed as Shane wrapped his arms around her waist, guiding her out the door. From his seat in his room, drink in hand, he watched through the glass window as Shane and Evie appeared, unaware of Ezra’s seething presence.
Earlier, Evie and Shane had been in the middle of a discussion.
Shane’s eyes lit up. "Wait, Evie—can you swim?"
Evie smiled sheepishly. "Not really. I mean... I can float."
"That’s not swimming. Come on. I’ll teach you," Shane said, already grabbing towels and guiding Evie toward the pool with his hands on her back. Evie wore a sleek black one-piece while Shane, confident and shirtless, plunged into the pool, splashing as he swam across, making Evie laugh.
"Alright," Shane said, standing in the shallow end. "Just relax your arms; I’ve got you."
Evie stepped in, laughter tinged with nerves. "If I drown, I’m haunting you."
Ezra watched in silence, his jaw ticking.
"I’d make a hot ghost," Shane smirked.
As Evie tried floating, Shane’s hands gently supported her back. "You’re tense," he instructed near her ear. "Loosen up. Trust me."
She giggled, splashing a bit of water.
"There," Shane noted, recognizing her relaxation as she floated above the water.
He held her fingers, guiding her through the pool, beaming as she followed his instructions. Soon, she was gliding through the water, still holding hands with Shane. When Evie splashed him, laughter erupted from both of them.
Ezra slammed his glass down on the table, the sound echoing in the room as he stood up and stormed out, large strides carrying him straight to the pool.
"Look who’s here," Shane remarked with a teasing smile, spotting Ezra first. Ezra shot him a glare, his eyes filled with daggers. Evie turned, her eyes bright, her face dripping and her hair wet.
"Here to swim?" Shane asked, eager to provoke him.
"We need to talk," Ezra declared, his voice calm but a simmering anger lurked beneath the surface, his eyes locked onto Evie’s blue ones.
Shane perceived the tension and decided it was best to retreat, swimming away from them before exiting the pool.
As Shane took two steps away, Evie climbed out of the pool, the ends of her hair dripping with water, her body glistening, nipples perky and straining against the fabric she wore, water running down her legs. Ezra’s jaw tightened at this. He noticed her grabbing a towel, before wrapping it around her body.
Evie didn’t stop to speak to Ezra, simply walking past him. He clenched his teeth, and spun around to grab her wrist. "Where do you think you’re going?" he demanded.
Evie shot a glare back at him. "I don’t have anything to say to you," she replied, her tone sharper than intended.
"We need to talk," Ezra reiterated.
"I don’t want to talk," Evie shot back, pulling her hand away from him. How dare he waltz in and expect a conversation after ignoring her? Did he think he could push her aside and simply return whenever it suited him?
"Evie doesn’t want to talk," Shane interjected from a few paces away, and Ezra’s gaze snapped to him, sharp and cutting.
"Stay out of this," he warned, his voice strained. Shane rolled his eyes and turned on his heels to leave.
Evie’s frown deepened. She didn’t need to linger; she wanted to leave. She started walking again, but then she heard him. "Stop right there," Ezra commanded.
"And what if I don’t?" she shot back.
"You will," he asserted, and before she knew it, he had her pinned against the wall. She gasped, taken aback as he towered over her, his eyes dark and intense. She met his gaze, her eyes sparkling with defiance, her hair plastered to her face and neck.
"What do you want?" Evie demanded, her breath quickening, her chest rising and falling with emotion.
There was a long pause as he stared at her, igniting the impatience and frustration in her. Well...he didn’t have anything to say to her? She thought, glaring at him.
Just when she concluded that she was going to leave, she heard him reply. "You"