Take My Breath Away

Chapter 404: Congratulations

Niles sat in his car and watched as Carlos went inside Building 2 of the Champs Bay Apartments. He was dumbfounded. 'He said he wasn't going home when Stephanie came to pick him up. Why is he going back home now?'         

    

After Carlos entered the elevator, Niles called his brother. "Wesley, I really don't understand Carlos," he complained.     

"What happened?"     

"When we met Stephanie, Carlos told her that he was going to stay overnight at my place. But after we drove away from her, he asked me to drop him at his apartment. I really don't understand what's going on in that head of his," Niles explained quickly.     

After a short pause, Wesley told his silly brother, "That's because Debbie lives in Building 2 as well. She's on the seventh floor."     

It took Niles a few seconds to grasp what he had said. "What? Debbie lives right above Carlos and Stephanie's floor?" he yelled into the phone.     

"Mmm hmm."     

'Nice job, Debbie!' Niles praised her in his mind with a grin.     

There was only one apartment on each floor of the building. If there were two, Debbie would have taken the other apartment on the same floor as Carlos.     

'It looks like she will stop at nothing to get him back. Now, I really believe that she loves him a lot, ' Niles thought.     

'But if she loves him so much, why is she marrying another man? Is it because Carlos got engaged to Stephanie? Yeah, that must be it!'     

On the seventh floor     

The sheets and covers in the bedroom had already been removed. But Carlos remade the bed and slumped into it. He could somehow feel her unique fragrance in the room.     

"Old man, I love you so much."     

"Old man, will you kiss me?"     

"Old man, rest assured. Harley will take responsibility for Millie."     

When he closed his eyes, all he could think of was Debbie.     

Her voice was so seductive when she called him, and her smile revealed how happy she was when she was with him.     

But the woman was about to marry another man.     

She might not call him "old man" anymore. Carlos closed his eyes in unbearable pain.     

The day before Debbie's wedding, Carlos flew to Z Country. Ivan picked him up from the airport.     

He drove Carlos to the hotel he had booked for him. When he dropped Carlos off, he said, "Debbie will be waiting for you at the Green Park Villa. You should be there before nine in the morning. She is hoping that you'll carry her to the wedding car. Mr. Huo, thanks for coming."     

Carlos didn't respond.     

The night seemed to last forever, yet it was very short.     

Carlos didn't sleep at all. He buried himself in his work.     

At six in the morning, he went to the gym and did a one-hour workout. He then went back to his room, washed himself up and began to shave.         

    

He was using the razor Debbie had bought for him. He had been using it ever since he had received it from her.     

He put on a suit and leather shoes. After checking himself in the mirror, he set off to the location Ivan had mentioned.     

There weren't many people in the villa. A housemaid led him to the second-floor bedroom, where Debbie was waiting for Ivan.     

Kasie, Jared, Sasha, Curtis and Colleen were also in the room. They had arrived last night.     

When they saw Carlos, they left the room one after the other. Jared, who was the last to leave, closed the door behind him.     

Carlos stared at the woman in front of him. She was sitting in the middle of the bed. The wedding dress she was wearing was the one in the photo that Xavier had sent him. She looked even more stunning than in the photo.     

"Mr. Huo, thank you for fulfilling my wish," she said with a small smile.     

Carlos fixed his eyes upon her, saying nothing.     

She felt awkward as he gazed at her intensely. She lowered her head and began to play with her crystal-adorned nails.     

"Were you this beautiful when we got married?" he asked in a hoarse voice after a long while.     

Debbie lifted her head slowly to stare at the man and then shook her head. "We never had a wedding ceremony."     

Carlos hadn't expected that answer at all. "Why not?" he asked in confusion.     

With a gentle smile, Debbie explained, "Actually, we didn't know each other when we got married. We only got to know each other three years after our marriage."     

He was even more confused now. 'Didn't we get married because we were in love?'     

Before he had the chance to ask her, footsteps and voices came from outside the door.     

Carlos and Debbie silently stared at each other, unable to look away.     

According to their customs, Kasie and Colleen stopped Ivan in front of the bedroom. After he gave them a few red packets, he entered the room.     

When Ivan and his two groomsmen saw Carlos and Debbie staring at each other affectionately, they stood still at the door.     

The situation was awkward. But then, Ivan walked up to Debbie and gave her the bouquet of roses he was holding. "Debbie, time to go to the church."     

'No photographers, no relatives, no traditional ceremonies...' Carlos furrowed his eyebrows.     

'Why is their wedding being held in such a harsh manner?'     

Debbie didn't seem to mind at all. She moved to the edge of the bed so that Ivan could put on her red crystal high heels for her.     

He then stood up and told Carlos, "Mr. Huo, would you do the honors and take Debbie to the wedding car?"     

Carlos nodded and walked towards the bed. He scooped Debbie up in his arms, and by instinct, she cradled his neck as she had done so many times before.     

The smell of tobacco that enveloped him was the same as always.         

    

Her familiar fragrance reached Carlos and he unconsciously held her closer to him.     

They left the room and went down the stairs.     

Debbie's eyes reddened as she thought to herself miserably, 'Why isn't he asking me not to marry Ivan?     

Does he no longer love me?'     

Despite their mixed feelings, they kept their silence all the way.     

Six posh cars were waiting outside the villa. The one in the front was a red Maserati—the wedding car.     

Curtis opened the rear door and gave Debbie a warm smile. Carlos gently placed her in the back seat.     

He straightened her wedding dress and then planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Congratulations," he said softly.     

Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't want to hear that from him. How she wished he would ask her to leave with him at that moment!     

However, she couldn't find any trace of such emotions in his eyes. He was the same old aloof president. Her heart ached when she saw his indifferent expression. She tried her best to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall.     

When Carlos retreated, she couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They flowed down her cheeks silently.     

At that very moment, she felt that she and Carlos were really over and that they could never be back together again.     

Carlos closed the door and walked to the car behind the Maserati. Debbie bit her lips hard to suppress her cries.     

She did not look away until he was out of her sight.     

In around ten minutes, they arrived at the church where the wedding was to be held. There were only about thirty people in attendance.     

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