Lost In A Daydream

Colton dragged himself home after seeing Davion’s daughter. He had been in the brightest of spirits when he heard that Sofia’s family had arrived. He had expected to see the one he had been craving to see for the last few months. Victoria! He had been too hurt and angry by her betrayal when he had sent her that message but later when she blocked his number, he realized that he shouldn’t have sent her that message. He had tried calling her again and again but couldn’t get through. He had gone to her college and waited for her outside but it seemed as if she hadn’t gone there at all. It was strange that she hadn’t gone to her college for the last few months.  He had waited outside her house as well but she didn’t emerge even once in fifteen days. Worried, he returned to Reno and submerged himself in work. Pete had fled to Australia and he was planning to go hunt for him when Sofia gave birth to a baby girl. He wanted to find out everything first from Pete before he faced Victoria. 

He took out his phone and checked the photographs that Pete had sent her for the millionth time. Victoria's eyes actually looked closed in all of them. The pictures were so hazy and the lighting was so poor that he just couldn’t see properly even after zooming on them. But they all looked suspicious despite everything. He had tried to find out from Pete’s friends who had been there that evening but no one had any idea. 

The next day, Colton drove to the shopping center nearby to buy a gift for Celestine. As he was about to take the elevator, he saw a familiar face in one of the boutique stores. Was it Carmen, Pete’s on and off f*ck buddy? He went back to ensure. Yes, it was Carmen indeed and she was all alone. It was the perfect opportunity for him to fish out some important information out of her.

“Hey, what a pleasant surprise!” said Colton, walking into the boutique. Carmen’s eyes shone excitedly seeing him, checking him out greedily. 

“Wow, it must be my best day, today. First I got such a great discount and now you,” said Carmen with a laugh. 

“Yeah, let’s catch up then. I’m a little free at the moment,” lied Colton. He was desperate for the information which only Carmen could give him. Carmen paid up for her purchases and they walked out to the café shop opposite. 

“So what are you up to these days?” asked Colton casually, planting a charming smile on his face. Just as he had expected, Carmen immediately fell for it. 

“Nothing, just getting bored. You know how much I miss Pete. This time he went away in a rush, without even informing me,” pouted Carmen. Colton shook his head.

“That’s an awful thing to do. I have a feeling that he’s found someone else,” said Colton. Carmen looked hurt and angry at his words. 

“Even I think so. He was obsessed with that bit*ch who came over on his birthday,” she informed him. Colton was excited. This was the information he had been wanting to know for so long. 

“Really? I’m not aware of it being his best friend!” said Colton with an eye roll. “How did she look like?” He asked eagerly. Carmen’s description fitted Victoria perfectly. 

“She came only to give him the gift but Pete took her to his bedroom. I confronted him that day. We had a bitter fight over her. I saw Pete carrying some food and drinks to her,” said Carmen angrily. 

“She ate and left? I didn’t see Pete with anyone while we cut the cake?” asked Colton. He grew more and more suspicious of Pete’s behavior. Why did he take Victoria to his bedroom of all places? Why did he keep her hidden? Knowing Victoria, he was stunned that she too didn’t emerge from the room even once! 

“I think he spiked her drink,” said Carmen with a shrug. Colton’s jaws dropped with horror.

“How can you say that with such certainty?” he asked, his heartbeats accelerating rapidly.

“I’m just guessing,” she said with a shrug. “Anyway, I left after that since Pete wasn’t interested in even talking to me,” said an unhappy Carmen. 

“Oh, he’s changed alright. Do you have his address in Australia?” he asked eagerly. I’m going there next month for a business deal. I might catch up with him as well,” lied Colton. 

“Yeah, I have. I had sent him a birthday gift through Amazon,” she informed him. She searched through her mobile phone and handed it over to him. Colton copied it into his phone. He could have shared it to his number but he didn’t want to give Carmen his number. 

“Thanks a lot, Carmen. I have to go back to work,” he said and without waiting for her answer, he gulped down hos coffee and walked away from the café. 

As he drove to his office, his mind was occupied by what Carmen had said. Did Pete really spike her drink for revenge? There was only one person who could answer this question. Pete himself. He had to go to Australia as soon as he got a little free. However, with Davion still not completely fit, he couldn’t go anywhere. He went to Pete’s home to ask if Pete had any alternative phone number but he met with disappointment. They were equally at a loss about his whereabouts. It was then that he thought of a plan to get to Pete. Charlotte! If he could somehow get Charlotte to announce a fake wedding, Pete would come back to Reno leaving everything else. He still loved Charlotte! 

Trevor drove a tired Victoria home. “Take rest, everything will be fine,” he said, climbing out and helping her out of his car. She had been feeling dizzy for the last two days and everyone had been very worried about her. Trevor took her for a check up and it seemed that her hemoglobin level had dropped a lot. Trevor took her to her room. 

“Thanks Trevor, I’ll manage,” she said with a warm smile on her face. It was true that she didn’t love Trevor but he did more for her than anyone else had. Trevor smiled back and went away to update her parents about her condition. Her parents too liked him a lot and her mom still had the feeling that Trevor wanted to marry her. He looked after her, took her out on strolls. Despite being busy, he was always there for her. She didn’t need to ask him for help, he did it out of his own free will. 

After dinner, he helped her to her room. Victoria sat on her bed and Trevor handed her the medicines that the doctor prescribed. “You should take better care of yourself, Victoria. Don’t you want baby Asher to grow properly?” he scolded her. Victoria nodded.

“I’ll start eating a balanced meal tomorrow onwards. I promise,” she said. Trevor smiled, feeling satisfied with her answer. He still lingered around unable to say out loud what had been there utmost on his mind for the last two months. After Stefanie, Victoria was the only woman who he was attached to. Although he didn’t love her, he was comfortable in her company. Something about her made him feel like protecting her, looking after her, providing her with the happiness that she deserved. But mostly he wanted to give his life a new meaning. He wanted to live for Victoria and baby Asher. 

“Victoria, can I ask you something?” he asked, fiddling with his phone out of nervousness. Victoria looked at him curiously. 

“What is it, Trevor?” she asked. 

“Do you love anyone?” he asked hesitantly. She was so beautiful and young, so it was quite normal for her to have a string of suitors . Did she love any one of them? He had to know before he proposed to her. Victoria’s eyes clouded with pain and she looked away. She didn’t love anyone at all! Months ago she had been blinded by her feelings for Colton but she had surely overcome it all. She didn’t love Colton! Tears pooled into her eyes and choked her throat making her unable to utter a single word.

“Do you?” repeated Trevor. Seeing her reaction, he had the feeling that she did love someone very deeply. Maybe he had hurt her as well! 

“No,” mumbled Victoria. “It’s late Trevor. I’m tired,” she choked out the words somehow. Trevor got up from his chair. 

“Take rest, then. I’m going. See you tomorrow,  Victoria. Good night,” he said.

“Good night,” answered Victoria absent-mindedly. 

After he left, Victoria sat with tears in her eyes. She knew that she hadn’t got over Colton even though he had hurt her so badly. You cannot un-love a person you truly love, can you? It’s not a switch that you can turn off easily. She still loved him and it hurt her immensely knowing that he didn’t care at all about her. 

But she had no idea what Colton was up to. He contacted Charlotte and started planning ways to bring Pete back to Reno!