My Boss Is Secretly A Softie - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Green and Gold
A stunning green dress with a high neckline, a short sleeve, and a flowing asymmetrical hemline. The fabric of the dress is light with elegant floral patterns subtly woven throughout. And adding the pair of strappy, high-heeled glassy green sandals that sparkled with a gentle light within, the wearer appeared like a fairy who had descended unto the earth.

Elara hummed, expertly pulling up her puffy hair into an elegant bun, which she kept in place with a lovely gold pin that struck a brilliant match with her other jewelry.

Giggling to herself, she picked up a rosy lipstick, creating a glossy pink layer on her lips which complemented her light but graceful makeup.

She twirled lightly before the mirror and couldn’t help sighing in satisfaction. The lady before the mirror looked dazzling, a graceful sight capable of captivating anyone whose eyes laid on her.

Had it not been for the type of event she was attending Elara wouldn’t have taken her time to dress up so gorgeously to avoid garnering too many eyes. Nevertheless, this was a rich people’s event and she was certain she’d be the least to draw anyone’s attention.

[GRR!! GRR!!]

Her phone rang, snapping her out of her daze, and picking it up, she was delighted to see the caller ID—it was Star.

“Are you done? Quick, take a Pic. I wanna see how you look!” Star quipped excitedly, infecting Elara, who laughed softly.

“Okay, okay, wait a bit,” she replied before swiftly taking a selfie from a good angle, which she immediately sent to her.

“Oh my god, you look gorgeous!!” Star exclaimed, “Are you trying to get a husband or something?”

“Haha very funny, anyways have you been able to contact Terra? I’ve tried for some time now, but nothing,” Elara spoke as she placed her important belongings into a matching green bag studded with shimmering pearls.

“Oh, she’s very busy with family matters. You know how this stuff usually is; oh yeah, you have normal parents.”

“Openly dissing your parents young lady?”

“Just saying the truth, babe,” Star shrugged, “I’ll be sending your pic to Terra. She’ll love it! Have lots of fun at the wedding, girl.”

“Hm, I will.”

After waiting for a while, Elara receives a message from Merlin and immediately picks up her handbag and leaves.

“Good morning, Miss Elara,” Merlin greeted amiably. He had on a gold and green suit with his black hair holding strands of white slicked backward, enunciating his calm brown eyes.

He radiated with elderly grace, which commended respect regardless of status, leaving Elara with a cozy feeling similar to that she had when with her father.

“Your wife seems like a wonderful lady with multiple talents Mr. Merlin,” Elara commented lightly as the male escorted her inside the backseat of the limousine before moving to the front.

“Why yes, she’s a very lovely lady,” Merlin responded gleefully, the fondness in his eyes undeniable. It was obvious he was completely enthralled by his spouse.

“I see why you’re always gloomy every weekend,” Elara chuckled, “I’ll try my best to convince Terrence to stop intruding on your precious time with your wife.”

Merlin was elated, grinning widely as he responded, “That’ll be very much appreciated by me, Miss.”

Despite having not been done, Merlin was already excited because he knew two things: Miss Elara was a woman of her word and the type who kept her promises. Secondly, his infatuated boss didn’t stand a chance against her appeal, which meant less work!

His () of Elara improved due to this; it might not seem like much, but spending so little time with his lovely wife had left him quite depressed. Could it be Elara who noticed this as well? Either way, he was very grateful!

Soon they arrived at the scene of the wedding.

The wedding was held on the lush outdoor terrace of the Elysian Grande Hotel, overlooking a sparkling ocean. The colors of green and gold intertwined beautifully throughout the event, with eye-catching decorations and flowers lining the canopies and aisle, which led to a magnetic altar. The air was filled with an alluring blend of nature and wealth.

Guests were invited to sit on gold-accented chairs, surprisingly more comfortable than they appeared. Beyond the terrace, a sleek stone bridge extended from the hotel grounds toward the ocean, connecting to a petite private pavilion that hovered gracefully above the water.

Yet, all of this was merely an understatement of the wedding’s beauty. Despite the breathtaking scenery, what truly caught Elara’s attention upon arrival was the massive table stretching across the terrace, overflowing with food and drinks of every kind, which almost left her drooling. Thank goodness Merlin held unto her then—otherwise, her actions would have been a sight for sore eyes.

“Remember, Miss Elara, you’re to act as my junior sister, alright?” Merlin pleaded.

“Of course, I’m an excellent actor.”

Within that moment, a neatly dressed escort approached them and, after confirming their identities, led them to their seats before leaving them after a respectful bow.

“After this, you should adopt me Mr. Merlin; it’ll be nice to experience being a younger sibling for once,” Elara jokingly remarked as her sparkling eyes followed the servers who approached them with appetizers.

“That’d be lovely but then you’d have to help me with my newborn babe,” Merlin countered cheekily.

“Huh? You have a baby?!” Elara exclaimed in surprise before gesturing a sign of thanks to the servers who left immediately after serving them.

“Yes,” Merlin replied eagerly, showing her a picture of a chubby little angel wrapped up in white sheets; her adorable little hands reached upwards as her mesmerizing smile dazzled Elara.

“Awwww, so cute, oh my god she’s such a heart stopper!” Elara squealed delightfully.

“She sure is, takes it after her mother,” Merlin spoke softly, the obvious love for his daughter flooding his eyes.

“We had already given up on conceiving with our age and all, but then the heavens remembered us, and now I’m the most fulfilled man on earth,” Merlin recounted, “She made me understand why people change after they have children. She also made me understand why a person would rather suffer for the rest of their life to fend for a child rather than manage themselves.”

“My wife and my daughter are my whole world, my love for them is infinite and boundless. The love my parents never gave me, I pledged to give them, so I apologize, Miss Elara. You can be my junior sister, but I don’t think I can ever love you like I love them.”

Observing the love-filled eyes of the male, Elara chuckled, “I understand that feeling. I might not have kids now or in the future but I can understand the feelings that overwhelm you. The joy that fills your heart when you’re with your loved ones. The comfort and satisfaction that brings meaning to life’s futility, I understand that feeling. I genuinely believe that we humans were born to love; otherwise, why does it feel so fulfilling?”

“I believe that also. This is why I can’t help but pity anyone who has never tasted genuine love, like Mr. Terrence. I know he acts very willfully and in a way you might find problematic, but I beg of you, please be patient with him, Miss Elara. He has no one. Even if I’m but an employee who tries my best, I can only go so far.”

Merlin sighed, his eyes filled with a turbulent emotion that showed his care for Terrence.

“His family, the ones he’s close to, do not treat him well, and the decent ones are not close with him due to his ties with the other members. I can’t tell exactly what happened throughout his life but that child is in dire need of love. Any more would be disrespectful to his privacy, but my plea with you is to please not be disillusioned by his willfulness. He might seem like an icon of perfection but he’s a deeply broken man.”

Elara smiled gently as she faced Merlin, “You don’t need to tell me all this, Mr. Merlin; when I love, I tend to be stubborn, even more than Terrence thinks he is. No matter where our relationship strays, one definite thing is that I’m stuck with him for life.”

“On another note, thank you for caring so deeply for him. It’s ironic when others can give you more love than the people you call family. I’ve never had a moment like that but because of that, I understand how it must feel like.”

Elara sighed, looking up to the sky with a deep gaze, “A family who does not love you is as bad as a lover’s betrayal or even worse, and no one in life deserves to experience such—at least good people don’t.”

“Well, most people aren’t exactly good,” Merlin interjected.

“Exactly, no one is truly good no matter how they present themselves. Perfect goodness is merely fictional but that’s what makes us human, then does that mean we do not deserve love?”

“Yes. Indeed. But we still yearn and strive to love and be loved most of our lives, so even if we do not deserve it, shouldn’t nature at least be merciful enough to reward us for our hard work? No one deserves love, but at the same time, everyone deserves love. That is the paradox of life which makes us who we are—humans.”

“That’s… meaningful,” Merlin uttered in awe as he pondered over the words.

Elara chuckled awkwardly, “I guess I was just spouting random thoughts, haha. But in all honesty, when it comes to me, whether deserving of love or not, when I want to love someone, then I will. The more I think about it the more I notice just how much I’m blessed.”

“What if I loved the wrong person? I cannot even fathom the horror of it all, but I’m glad it’s not that type of situation, and the person I love deeply is Terrence.”

“…. Are you dating now?” Merlin questioned just to be sure.

“No, no, no, I mean platonic love!”

“Haha, you sure are an odd one Miss Elara, but I guess that’s part of your charm.”

“Terrence said the same thing… I’m not that strange…”

Eventually, the main characters of the day arrived, dressed in green and gold accented suits which shimmered beautifully under the sun they made a brilliant entrance before the guests.

“May the groom kiss the groom.”

Immediately, the entire crowd rose in unison, applauding the union of the two. Elara’s eyes softened as her mind wandered off to Terrence; if he was the one before that altar, how would she feel?

Proud? Excited? Happy? The more she thought of it the more she found those feelings lacking within her. How odd, had it been any of her other friends, these emotions were the ones that’d fill her… What made Terrence so different?

‘It’s this feeling again…’ She thought uncomfortably.

Stuffy, suffocating, and infuriating—Jealousy. So strange, she was sure of her feelings; her love for Terrence wasn’t like that, so why?

What was this intense desire to monopolize… to own solely without sharing, to be his special person?

How greedy, she wasn’t ready for romantic feelings yet she wanted to possess the male. Just how much more doom could she bring on herself?

It was all his fault… Terrence Astridge, what the hell was he doing to her?