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The powder compact desperately resisted and didn't want to open – either it was frozen, or my hands were simply shaking.
The ambiance was also not conducive to tranquility. In the restaurant, even the bathroom was luxurious, with golden fixtures and a chandelier that belonged in a ballroom, patterned marble, and all this splendor was reflected in a hundred mirrors!
Amidst the luxurious setting, I felt insecure. Perhaps all the women present are adorned in diamond and haute couture dresses, while I remain unformatted.
How much does it cost to dine at this place? You don't get invited to places like this for nothing. Has Alex finally made up his mind?!
An offer?!
But why spend so much money? We still have a wedding to play.
Defeating the unyielding powder compact, I pulled out my powder puff and powdered thoroughly, removing traces of slightly mascara, touching up my lips, and combing out the tangles in my hair hat.
I took the invitation with me too, it was nothing special – just the name of the restaurant, the time, and the signature "A". It was a very romantic message to me, though. I pulled it out of a bouquet of red roses.
After twirling in front of the mirror and making sure I was ready, I went out into the hall. Alex wasn't there for some reason. I had to ask the receptionist. Probably stuck in traffic. "It's okay, he'll be here now. I'll wait, just sit at the table, I won't even order anything. Except for a coffee," I decided.
“Are you Marina?” asked the girl who looked like she was about to appear on the cover of Italian VOGUE.
"Yes," I said, a little surprised.
"I'll walk you out."
I followed her to the far corner, which was enclosed by a small lattice screen. Only the place was already occupied. A man in a dark suit and gray turtleneck sat at the table.
"There must be some mistake," I muttered as I saw the receptionist
leaving.
"There's no mistake. You didn't receive any flowers from me?" His voice was deep and velvety. But that was the last thing I was interested in at the moment.
“Are you saying you sent the flowers?” I snorted, intending to turn around and follow the
receptionist.
“I did. Please, sit down. Alex will be right with you. Literally from minute to minute.”
I froze. The news that my Alex was about to show up pleased me. But the tone of his voice was alert. Perhaps Alex had asked a friend to meet me, and he just didn't like me. Alex is a promising manager, and I'm just a simple teacher of Russian language and literature.
I sat down, put my bag on my knees, and smiled at him faintly. He looked at me like a mongrel puppy – cute and clumsy roly-poly toy, but not to my liking.
"What do you all see in him?" he asked lazily.
"I beg your pardon?
What do you want to order?" he asked, gesturing to the waiter.
"Coffee, black, no sugar," I said, not wanting to eat without my fiance.
"That's it?" The "friend" was surprised.
I nodded in concentration and looked out, hoping to see my lover.
“Sit tight. I didn't pick this table by accident. It's gonna be a surprise. It's gonna change your whole life”
He smirked and downed the "poison" with the amber liquid. I realized that there would be no continuation or explanations. Not knowing where to put my hands, I looked at my phone, made sure there were no messages or calls, and tucked it back into my bag. The coffee saved the day a little. Now I could drink it in small sips and pretend that it was a very interesting thing to do. The main thing was not to look at my neighbor.
”Oh! Here we go! “ He grinned and finished the contents of his glass in one gulp.
I perked up and wanted to get up, but he grabbed my arm roughly and sat me back down.I was speechless with amazement.
"You'd better watch it," he advised as if nothing had happened.
Alex didn't appear alone, a girl came along with him. The blonde threw back her hair and gave Alex a charming smile. My insides boiled, and I even prepared to say something sarcastic to them, but they suddenly passed by and sat down at another table.
I watched with growing indignation as Alex pushed back her chair, caught her hand, and kissed her wrist. Then they sat down, and their fingers intertwined. The epiphany came suddenly: I was witnessing cheating! I was invited here to witness treason! So it had been going on for a while. And I, the fool, was sitting, waiting, frying cutlets!
Suddenly I realized that I was looking at myself from the outside, and I wasn't moving or even blinking. "A," whose name I still didn't know, looked at me with increasing surprise. He had expected anything but a "frozen statue" reaction.
At the next table, however, the date went on as usual. The couple ordered, chatted vivaciously, and even kissed, leaning over the table.
I jumped up and flew over to them, snatching the cocktail from the blonde's hands and pouring it over Alex's head. My ex-boyfriend (my ex-boyfriend for a minute already!) was so surprised to see me that he didn't even flinch! He just looked at me with round eyes of surprise.
"What are you…? How…?" he muttered.
And then I realized: the restaurant was not for the middle class, not even for the slightly upper class. By dating her and living with me, he was risking nothing. We couldn't even cross paths by chance,only with the help of a staged meeting.
"Baby, who's that?" the blonde asked a little stiffly.
"Baby?!" I laughed.
"Really, explain to me who it is?"
“Just an acquaintance… “ he mumbled confusedly.
“Who "just an acquaintance"? Me or her?” I asked
sneering.
“Let's talk calmly. You've got it all wrong.”
I laughed, the phrase cliched and hackneyed. I was suddenly disgusted, wanting to cry, but I couldn't let him see my tears. It's okay, I'll be patient; they didn't train me at the school's councils for nothing!