I didnt think you existe.., p.1
I Didn't Think You Existed 2, page 1
I Didn’t Think
You Existed 2:
A Fool in Love
Hazel Ro
www.urbanbooks.net
All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
I Didn’t Think You Existed 2: A Fool in Love
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER 1 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 2 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 3 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 4 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 5 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 6 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 7 - DAVID
CHAPTER 8 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 9 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 10 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 11 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 12 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 13 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 14 - DAVID
CHAPTER 15 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 16 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 17 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 18 - DAVID
CHAPTER 19 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 20 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 21 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 22 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 23 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 24 - DAVID
CHAPTER 25 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 26 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 27 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 28 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 29 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 30 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 31 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 32 - DAVID
CHAPTER 33 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 34 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 35 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 36 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 37 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 38 - DAVID
CHAPTER 39 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 40 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 41 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 42 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 43 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 44 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 45 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 46 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 47 - ROSLYN
CHAPTER 48 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 49 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 50 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 51 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 52 - MALAYSIA
CHAPTER 53 - PATRICIA
CHAPTER 54 - DAVID
CHAPTER 55 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 56 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 57 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 58 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 59 - TERRENCE
CHAPTER 60 - TIFFANY
CHAPTER 61 - TERRENCE
About the Author
Urban Books, LLC
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Farmingdale, NY 11735
I Didn’t Think You Existed 2: A Fool in Love
Copyright © 2022 Hazel Ro
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.
ISBN: 978-1-6455-6335-8
ISBN 10: 1-64556-356-1
First Trade Paperback Printing September 2022
This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.
Distributed by Kensington Publishing Corp.
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I Didn’t Think You Existed 2:
A Fool in Love
Hazel Ro
Acknowledgments
Here we are again, and I’m just as excited about this book as I was the first. There are so many individuals who supported me during the completion of the first project and then this one, and there are no words that can ever convey my gratitude.
First, I thank God, simply for being you. Thank you for trusting me with the gift of writing and creativity. You didn’t have to choose me for this, and I am so thankful for this opportunity. I pray that readers not only find entertainment but also see my heart throughout the pages of this book and others.
From there, I have to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Carl Weber. You have made my dream come true by giving me this opportunity, and I thank you from my heart for that. I also want to thank the entire team at Urban Books. Thank you all for getting me and this project where it needed to be and for your patience through it all. I appreciate each and every one of you.
Of course, I owe everything to the best literary agent in the business, N’Tyse. Thank you for believing in me and continually guiding me through this process. You are the definition of a female boss, all wrapped in elegance, style, and class. I can only hope that we will have many more successes to share in the future. Thank you.
And a heartfelt thanks goes to my family and friends. There are far too many to name, but please know that I thank you and appreciate each and every one of you.
Thank you to all my readers and supporters! I can only hope that I have once again created a quality read that captures your heart, mind, and soul. Thank you from my heart for allowing me to have a small moment of time in your world.
Last but not least, a special thanks goes to a very special person, and you know who you are. Thank you for your friendship, encouragement, love and support. You are truly valued and appreciated more than you’ll ever know.
With all the love in my heart,
Hazel Ro
CHAPTER 1
TIFFANY
My nerves were a complete wreck. My heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it would come through my chest. All I could see was the look of betrayal and disappointment written across Terrence’s face as he looked back at me before stepping onto the elevator.
With the help of my best friend, Keisha, he had prepared an amazing night for us here in suite 1307 of the Ritz-Carlton in St. Louis. Everything was perfect. Roses and lit candles were all throughout the suite. Champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries were waiting near the filled Jacuzzi tub. And even the bed was adorned with rose petals, in the shape of a heart. Terrence hadn’t left out one single thing. This was supposed to be our special night, when we confessed our love for one another without any inhibitions—despite the fact that he had a wife. I wasn’t sure if he’d already told her that he wanted a divorce or that he was in love with me. That wasn’t my concern. All I wanted was to share the first night of the rest of our lives together.
But now it felt as if my dream had been ripped away from me.
I’d waited patiently at the suite for Terrence’s arrival. I’d longed for his scent, the gentleness of his touch, and the warmth of his body next to mine. Fantasies had even danced through my mind: I’d envisioned him removing my black silk robe, laying me down on the bed, and having his way with me while giving me all of him. It was going to be a beautiful dream come true for both of us. But when he’d reached the suite, he’d found me here with David—wrapped in his arms, no less. And in a matter of seconds, that beautiful dream had turned into a big, dreadful nightmare. After roughing up David, he’d turned on his heels and left the suite without uttering a word. I’d run to the door and watched him charge down the hallway to the elevators.
I could only imagine what was going through Terrence’s mind. Did he really think I’d invited David here? Did he honestly believe there’d been more to my and David’s embrace than an expression of friendship?
My heart literally felt like it was in the pit of my stomach as I tried now to concentrate on what to do next. Oblivious to everything around me, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and tried calling him, but just as I figured, he didn’t answer. In fact, his phone didn’t even ring. The call went straight to his voicemail, so I knew that he’d turned off his phone. After trying several times more to reach him, I shot him a couple of texts, begging him to at least return my call.
“God, if only he would just hear me out and let me explain. I know that we can fix this,” I said aloud to myself.
“Listen, I know you don’t want to hear it, Tiff, but maybe this was all for the best.” I was surprised to hear David’s voice, as I had forgotten all about him being here. He walked from the bathroom while wiping his face with a towel as he continued sharing his unwanted thoughts. “I mean, did you see how he attacked me? That man’s temper is outrageous, and you don’t need a guy like that in your life. And, hell, he better damn well hope I don’t press charges either.”
My mind was so caught up with what had happened with Terrence, and David was the furthest thing from it. Although, when I thought about it, he was actually the one to blame for everything that had happened. As I glanced over at him sitting comfortably on the bed, my anger started to boil deep down inside me. Had it not been for David, Terrence would have never left the way he had, and we’d probably be making love by now. Yet as I looked at David, I was suddenly reminded why he was here in the first place. With everything inside me, I tried to muster up a little compassion for the man I had once been engaged to marry. Of course, I never would have imagined that David would be diagnosed with cancer, and my heart truly went out to him. But in all honesty, that’s as far as it went. All I wanted was to get rid of him so that I could be alone and try to find Terrence. With that in mind, I took a deep breath and considered the best way to let him d
“Uh, David, look, I know that you’re going through a pretty rough time right now, but tonight was just not the night for this, all right?” I said as I paced back and forth. “If you haven’t noticed already, I had plans here, with Terrence, and his seeing you here may have messed up everything. I have to find him and somehow try to explain this and fix things, so I hope you won’t mind leaving.”
“All right, sure. If that’s what you want, then I’ll leave,” he said, still not budging from the bed. “I guess I probably shouldn’t be here, anyway, but I was so desperate to see you, Tiff. It was like I said on the phone when we spoke yesterday. I needed to see you face-to-face.”
“And, like I remember telling you, I needed to think about that. So, this just wasn’t the time or the place to pop up on me the way you did, David. And now everything is ruined.”
Then, as I was speaking, it finally dawned on me. All at once, I stopped pacing and looked at him firmly.
“Wait a minute. How exactly did you know I was here anyway, David? Because if I recall correctly, I said nothing more than I’d come back to St. Louis when we spoke. I didn’t even know that I was coming here until earlier today. So, how is it that you showed up at this hotel, at this very suite, tonight, knowing I’d be here? And please don’t say anything stupid, like it was all some big coincidence, because we both know that’s not the truth.”
His behavior suddenly seemed odd. He started to wiggle around, refused to look directly at me, and struggled to get his words out. “Well, I . . . I . . . I hope you don’t get upset, Tiff, but since I already knew you were here in St. Louis, I hopped on the first flight. All I planned on doing was meeting you at your old house to talk to you. But then I saw a post on Facebook that Keisha had made. She posted something about taking her bestie to the Ritz and hoping all your dreams came true. That’s when I decided to get an Uber here instead going to the house. I wasn’t even positive about what I was doing, but I thought it was worth a shot.”
He took a deep breath and went on. “Anyway, I lied to the young lady downstairs and told her I had an emergency and had to speak with you. I even gave her a hundred-dollar bill for her trouble. Then, after confirming you were here, she gave me the room number. But you really have to understand, I felt so hopeless when I found out about my illness, Tiff. All I wanted was to right my wrongs with you from the past in case anything happens to me.” He paused for a second as he met my gaze. “I’m sorry. I truly feel miserable about everything, but I felt like I had no other choice. But, please believe me, I had no idea about you meeting up with this Terrence guy. I promise,” he pleaded, his hands raised, as if he were surrendering the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
“David, I can’t believe you. Tracking me down here? And lying and paying the desk attendant downstairs? All of that is damn near considered stalking. And you’re talking about pressing charges against Terrence? I should press charges against you.”
“Listen, I did it only because I had to see you. It couldn’t wait until you came back to Texas.” Out of nowhere one lonely tear began to creep down his cheek. He reached out and grabbed my arm, then took both my hands in his. His tone softened when he said, “I needed to see your face again, Tiff, and look into your eyes. I had to know that despite everything that’s happened between us, I’ll have you by my side while I try to battle through this illness. Please, you have to understand.”
My heart sank further as I watched the man whom I had once planned on marrying wallow in his grief in front of me. As much as I wanted to be angry with him, I couldn’t. Besides, I knew I would live to regret it if things didn’t turn out the way I hoped. So, I released my hands from his, tightened my robe, and walked a few steps away from him to put some distance between us.
“David, I already promised you that I would be here for you. I meant it when I said I would try to help you in every way that I possibly can, as much as I can. But I also gotta be totally honest with you too. That’s really all that I can offer. If you’re expecting anything more than that, then you need to know that I can’t give it to you. I mean, what we shared was special in its time, but that part of my life is over, and I’ve moved on.”
“I know. I guess a small part of me hoped that I could somehow win your heart back before, well, you know . . . before it’s too late.” He dropped his head in his hands.
It crushed me to see him that way. I started to feel like maybe I was being too rough. I had to admit that he was dealing with a major illness, one that could possibly have a negative outcome. I had no idea what he was truly going through or feeling inside. So, as much as I wanted and needed him gone, I decided to ease up a bit and be a little more compassionate. I sat down next to him on the bed, placed my hand on his knee, and tried to offer a sense of comfort. However, I couldn’t help but keep my eyes focused on the door, still praying that Terrence would show back up.
“Listen, I’m sorry, David. I know that finding out you have cancer has to be a lot for you and that you’re trying your best to make amends for past mistakes. But to be truthful, when it comes to you and me, too much has happened between us that I still can’t forget just yet.”
“Or that you can’t seem to forgive, you mean.”
“Well, I guess that’s kind of true too. It’s just that forgiveness takes time. It’s not something that happens overnight. And, unfortunately, not enough time has passed since you did what you did to me.”
His eyes locked with mine, and I could almost see a hint of sincerity in them. “Look, I know I messed up before, but this whole cancer thing has really opened my eyes to what’s most important and to how much I really do love you. I only want a chance to make up for where I went wrong before. And I promise, I’m done with all the lies and deceit. I need you right now, and I want you back, Tiff.”
I saw his lips moving and heard the words coming from them, but I still couldn’t believe my ears as he poured his heart out to me. And, even more so, that it was happening right now. All I could think was that I had to find a way to bring some closure to this situation without hurting him. “David, I don’t think—”
Before I could get another word out, I suddenly felt his lips cover mine as he gently kissed me. There was no way he had the nerve to pull a stunt like this, I thought. And as I pulled away, I almost wanted to haul off and smack him, but out of nowhere, there was a knock on the door. Right away both our heads turned in that direction as if in one motion. I knew it had to be Terrence, and I figured he’d come back to straighten this whole mess out. And although I couldn’t have been happier, I feared what might happen if he found David still here.
Panicking, I jumped off the bed and started to yank on David’s arm while whispering to him, “David, you have to get out of here before Terrence sees you again.” My eyes went from him to the door and back to him when another knock sounded. However, instead of reacting like I hoped he would, David just sat there, looking like he could care less.
“I’m sorry, Tiff. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here with that guy,” he said, his volume of voice at a normal level, and I was sure Terrence could hear him.
“It’s not what you feel comfortable with, David. So, please leave,” I whispered.
As I watched him get up in an unconcerned manner, knocks sounded once again. Suddenly, I had a change of thought. “No, no, wait. The closet. You have to hide in the closet, okay? Then I’ll distract him, and when he’s not looking, you can go ahead and sneak out.” I pushed his back toward the closet, not giving him a chance to offer up any rebuttal. The more I thought about Terrence being on the other side of that door, the more I knew that I was doing the right thing. There was no way on earth he would ever be able to understand David still being here. And to tell the truth, I still didn’t understand it myself.
“David, please, if you love me the way you say you do, then you’ll get in the closet and leave quietly when you get the chance.” I was using his same manipulation on him, and that was when he said the one thing that made me feel sorry for him all over again.
He stopped in his tracks and turned to look me dead in the eyes. “Tiff, I know you want me to go, and I will, but I also have to be honest with you. I’m scared. I mean, what if the doctors can’t cure this? What if I don’t have much longer to live? That’s really why I came here tonight. And that’s why I kissed you. It might be my last time with you.”
