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<div style="text-align: right"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 22px">rafael silva<br/>
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</span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">It had meant a lot for him to tell her that he loved her, and that he intended to sweep her off her feet and marry her. They’d travel the world and explore beautiful places, enjoy the finest meals and climb back into bed after all was said and done, making love endlessly through the night. He did see a future with Aven – one that he hadn’t thought he could ever have with Danielle and he wanted it badly, terribly. Some part of him thought that maybe things would’ve turned out differently had Danielle not been pregnant. He couldn’t abandon her like that – he wouldn’t allow it and some part of him was scared about public scrutiny and retaliation. He was selfish in every way. So selfish that he wondered why it was that Aven still loved him so. She couldn’t hide it if she tried and she wasn’t trying her hardest at this moment. In some instances he thought that Danielle hated him. He knew she couldn’t and wouldn’t ever truly forget his betrayal, but she was trying her hardest to move past it. He wondered, who was settling for who?<br/>
<br/>
Rafael watched as Aven came to a stand and crossed the small distance until she stood before him. He could smell her perfume – nearly twelve hours in the kitchen, she still smelled like vanilla. His eyes traveled along the span of her neck and all he could think about was burying his face into the crook where her neck and shoulder met, kissing her in a spot that he knew made her melt. She was close enough to him that he could, he could do a lot of things, things that would make her incredibly upset for a multitude of reasons. His tongue ran over his lips and he swallowed thickly to coat his still dry throat, which burned for the drink before him. His head tipped up gently at her demand and he trained his bright blue eyes at her. He couldn’t even duck his shame for a moment to collect himself as she expressed a sentiment he had been too shy to finish.<br/>
<br/>
The hint of a smile faded away quite quickly as continued on, spelling off his fantasies as though they had been written out on paper for her. His lips clamped together and the look of frustration on his face was anything but playful. Still, he couldn’t turn away from Aven’s paralyzing gaze, her warm honey colored eyes enchanting and inviting, though her tone suggested otherwise. His jaw flexed and his cowardice eventually called for his gaze to drop down to his hands in his lap. She was right, it had been stupid to think that he could’ve had both women. Neither were weak enough to agree to such a stupid situation. The sad part was that it wasn’t that Rafael couldn’t choose, it was because he refused to – he couldn’t.<br/>
“And yet you let me go.” Would his mind have been easily made up had she extended herself? Or was that still too selfish of a thing to ask of her, after Aven had already sacrificed so much?<br/>
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He watched with disdain as she finished his drink; the drink he planned to swallow in one tip the minute she left. It was sickening , his desires. Her words stabbed through his chest and he watched as Aven walked out. This was different though – this was a pain he’d have to pocket if he expected them to work well together. Though, even Even knew his temper could only simmer for so long. Rafael was an incredibly passionate man and so was Aven – they both were two flames. He wouldn’t be surprised if some of their prized possessions caught on fire.<br/>
<br/>
He’d gotten home that night, sober and that was only because he forced himself to leave five minutes after Aven. He’d paid the bill and walked outside, trying to use the cold air of the night to bring him back to the man he was just days ago when he pretended she hadn’t ever existed. Even the car ride home didn’t help with his thoughts and he was grateful that Danielle had been asleep. Though he couldn’t escape this conversation, even while being able to somehow work in the kitchen with Aven. Tensions were rising though, some part of him bitter and childish even, picking at her for the smallest things. The opening was coming up though, just two days and Rafael knew he couldn’t keep Aven from Danielle any longer. He just got home from work. Their daughter was asleep and Danielle was sitting at their kitchen island with a glass of wine. She had a look on her face, a knowing look that made his stomach turn.<br/>
“Hey beautiful,” he said as he walked over to give her a kiss on the cheek. He peeled back to still see that worried look on her face. Rafael sighed out and sunk in his chair. This was the moment.</span></div>