( Beverly Hills, California. )
“She knows we’re together!” Jeffrey reached for her but Nicky took a huge step away.
“It doesn’t matter if she knows you’re MY boyfriend. Ashley’s so much in love with you that she can’t complete a single sentence without including your name! You guys spending so much time together rekindled her feelings without her knowing it… and without you realising it.”
“I’ll stay away! I… I promise I’ll stay away from her.” He stuttered, dreading where the conversation was headed. Nicky smiled sadly.
“I’m not a monster, Jeff. Like you rightly said, she still needs you. And besides, what difference does it make?… I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
“No. Stop that!”
“Stop what?!” She retorted, feeling the hurt too.
“Wh…. h… let’s go in and talk….”
“No!” Nicky stated firmly, knowing that the moment she stepped foot in his bedroom, her decision would automatically change. It was an innocent invitation but with deadly consequences.
“I don’t like Ashley. Nicky, you know I love you so much.” He held her and she let him.
“I’m not so sure of that anymore.” Nicky whispered her confession.
“Ni…” She stopped him from saying more. The mist in Jeffrey’s eyes turned thicker.
“I need a break. From you, from everything.” She moved her hair away, sucking in a very painful breath.
“Nicky, we can’t break…”
“But I am. I’ld rather cry now than cry later when it’ld hurt so much. If it makes the pain any lesser, know you didn’t lose me, Jeff…” She whispered and looked up at him with teary eyes.
”But I lost you…”
***
“Help me run for a few days. Send those crucial documents via email and if there’s any meeting I need to be visually present in, inform me on time. If it’s delicate, I’ll connect through video call. If not, deal with it yourself. Jake’s left, right?” Natalia asked.
Elva nodded subserviently, professionally typing away on her laptop at the same time.
“He left some hours ago. You should see the maximum security he put in here. Makes me feel like I’m under some sort of house arrest. He’s going undercover, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, there’s nothing I can’t handle for now but bear it in mind that I’ll be expecting a raise soon… after carrying the weight of an Empire on my shoulders alone!” She aggrievedly pursed her lips and leaned back on Natalia’s chair.
“Quit whining. You have the council’s aid. How’s the investigative crew?”
“Still working. Naomi’s in charge. You should see her enjoying the position! Those guys are worst than bees! Should I send the data gathered so far?”
“Yes. I’ll go through them as much as I can this night.” Natalia said and looked at the wall clock. Elva made some kind of sly noise and mischievously looked at her.
“What?” Natalia frowned.
“Did I say anything?”
“No. But your ugly face is looking for the gossips you won’t find!” She scorned.
Elva frowned back.
“You’ll still come back here and find me! In fact, I don’t need you anymore. Go away from my screen! Oh, but before you do, Es…”
“Elva, I really have to go now.” Natalia rushed out after hearing the shower turn off. “We’ll talk later. And remember to send those files.” She breathed and hastily ended the video chat.
11: 50pm.
Natalia climbed into bed and pulled the duvet on top the big white shirt and shorts she was wearing. Then on second thoughts, she groaned and picked up her laptop and phone which she’d ordered ‘via’ Arian De’ Argent.
If he still was.
Elva’s emails popped in after she fired it up. She went through them with utmost concentration. Just then, Arian walked into the room already dressed. He was wearing a simple black shirt over sweatpants and was using a white towel on his hair.
Natalia tuned up her discipline but her sinful eyes kept following him around. Arian gently pushed away the moist strands behind his ears and used a hairband to pack his raven black hair halfway into a ponytail. Yet, some strands still fell by his pretty face.
Natalia’s phone beeped and she forced her eyes away. Arian climbed into bed beside her.
“What are you doing this late?” He moved his head closer to her. The strong scent of his wash soap glided into through the air and into her senses.
“Just work.” She muttered. Arian nodded and stayed that way for a few more minutes.
“Goodnight.” He placed a quick kiss on her cheek before falling in bed and facing the other side. Natalia kept working but later realised something.
She smiled and crawled over to him. Arian noticed and quickly shut his eyes. She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
When he still didn’t move, she placed her leg around him and kissed his cheek.
“Are you asleep?” She whispered with a smile.
“What are you doing?” He muttered without opening his eyes.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” She shrugged and snuggled more into him.
“For ignoring you.” He placed a kiss on her hand and entwined their fingers.
“Please stay this way.” He said and touched her leg. Natalia blushed and held him well. They stayed like that for a while.
“Arian, can I… ask you something?” She used her free hand to rake his silky hair softly.
“Mhm.” He mumbled sleepily and she bit her lips nervously.
“Why… why did you run away from home?” She felt his fingers twitch in hers.
Arian stalled for a few seconds. “I had to… I needed to.”
“Are you gonna go back?” She gently asked, returning her head to the crook of his neck. Arian took a longer time to reply.
“I don’t know.” He confessed but changed his mind. “I don’t think so.”
The certainty in his voice threw Natalia off balance. She took in a breath and kissed his neck. “Do you wanna talk about it?”
“Not really.” He stated and she nodded. She understood it was gonna take a bit of time.
“Can I ask you something else?”
“If we’ll stay this way throughout the night…” He hummed. She blushed when his hand slightly slid up her leg.
“Why are you so different? You rarely smile and avoid long body contact.” She pursed her lips. Arian remained mute for some time before he shrugged.
“A lot of things in my life took my smile away. And the other? I think Selena made me hate it. She got clingy a lot and it really got to me.” Natalia swallowed her jealousy and focused on penetrating his soul.
But instead;
“Everyday?” She muttered and he nodded.
“Everytime?” She whispered and he hummed. She inhaled his intoxicating scent and pouted.
“Every night?” Arian didn’t respond at first. When he opened his mouth;
“In fact, don’t tell me.” She took her laptop to the couch and sat on it. Not knowing was definitely better than knowing.
She felt the green faced monster clawing at her heart, trying to break free and disfigure that bitch’s face!
Natalia scoffed and positioned her laptop well. She wasn’t jealous. She told herself and wet her lips, punching the delicate keys like a madwoman.
Arian moved from the bed and sat beside her but she pretended not to notice.
“Won’t you come to bed?” He asked.
“Not sleepy.” Her aggrieved heart continued to bite her.
”But…”
“I’m busy, Arian.” She pointed. Arian crashed back on the couch and folded his legs.
“You promised to cuddle me.” He mouthed. Call your clingy bear to do it! After all, ‘she did it a lot’. Natalia mentally snorted… or so she thought.
“I missed your jealous side.” He chuckled. She whipped her head to him in a flash! Did she say it out loud??
Arian smiled. Natalia threw her face away and stood up to hide her blush. But he caught her. The force pulled her back on him.
“Stay here with me.”
“I’m going to bed.”
“Then let’s go together.”
“No. You’re staying on the couch while I’m going there alone.” She concluded and stood up but he forced her down again.
“Then we’ll stay here together.” He finalised. Natalia stopped wriggling in his hold and enjoyed his warmth instead.
“We’re still not cool.” She pouted, starting to feel sleepy. Arian chuckled and held her closer.
“Arian, why did you try to commit suicide?” She asked, fiddling with his shirt after noticing his elevated mood.
Arian was stunned. “How did you…”
“It doesn’t matter. You have people who love…”
“Please don’t start with that man again.” He sounded upset. She looked up at him.
“Why?” She gently whispered.
“Whatever way you see me today is mostly because of him.” His look was frosty. Natalia warmly took his hand.
“Arian, you’re gonna be fine. Do you wanna talk about it? You can trust me. I’m here with you.”
“Is that so?” He asked with an indifferent voice. She looked at him.
“You promised the same thing before you broke up with me through my mom and left without a word, remember? I’m sorry but it’s hard to believe.” Her eyes slowly glistened with unshed tears.
“I don’t know who I can trust. You say you’re here for me. That you won’t leave? But I doubt that.” He said and stood up.
“And do you know why? Because it won’t take more than a single phonecall from your current boyfriend…” He bitterly spat.
“… for you to run off to him, leaving me again. I’m really trying to believe you’ll stay. I’ve been thinking about it all day. But the only conclusion I’ve been getting is that you’ve done it before, so it won’t be hard for you to do it again.
“Before you broke up with me the second time, you told me repeatedly that you’ll never be a mistress. Which means that sooner or later, if your boyfriend doesn’t call… you’ll still leave me. Because I’m still stuck in an arranged marriage by law.” Natalia let her tears fall.
“I’m sorry, Natalia. But you can’t really judge me for being different or less clingy because I don’t wanna get heartbroken all over again. If I fully let you in, my heart’s gonna suffer the more even though it’s willing to.
“Seeing you here, it feels like you’re too real to be true and that thought alone makes me scared for another heartbreak…”