CHAPTER 52: I AM SORRY.
Evelyn rubbed her eyes as she rolled on the bed. Her eyes fluttered open and she reached out to her phone to check the time. It was 9 in the morning. She yawned and put the phone down before rolling for the second time. She was so down at the moment and just wished to disappear but it was impossible.
Just when she was about to step into the land of sleep, a deafening sound erupted outside the room and this somehow scared Evie so she jumped out of the bed. Her hair was a total bed nest but she didn’t mind. Who could it be? Kira left early that morning with Tom. She wouldn’t leave the door open.
Nevertheless, she looked around for something that could serve as a weapon for her and luckily she found one…a wood to be precise. She tiptoed out of the room and looked around.
“Who is there?” She asked, her eyes scrutinizing every possible area.
“It’s me.”
“Ah.” She jumped up in fright and was about to hit the wood on whoever it was but the person professionally handled the situation by holding her hands and pushing her against the wall. He collected the wood from her and pinned her hands above her head.
“Can you stop being paranoid?” He teased her. Evelyn’s eyes locked with Raphael’s and she hissed before exhaling. The little strands of her hair had now covered her face and Raphael seemed pleased to see her looking this cute. If only they were on good terms, he wouldn’t mind taking a picture.
“What are you doing here?” Evelyn asked him.
“I am here to see you.”
“I don’t want to talk with you and let go of my hands this instant!” She ordered repulsively but instead, Raphael only came closer to her and wrapped his other hand around her waist after releasing her hands.
He had arrived earlier on and Kira had let him in, giving him a few tips before leaving with his son and he wasn’t going to let this chance go to waste. It was now or never.
“Can you at least give me a chance to speak?” He pleaded and used the tip of his finger to remove the strands that were covering her pretty eyes.
“What exactly do you want to say? Do you intend to lie and deceive me again?” Evelyn retorted and pursed her lips. Raphael closed and reopened his eyes after sighing softly.
“I never lied or deceived you in the first place, Evie and that was because nothing about this issue came up between us. You never asked because you didn’t suspect that much and I didn’t tell you because I was afraid that you would run away. I am sorry, okay? That night, I was too drunk and I had a lot that I was starting to face so I couldn’t control my inner desire to be with someone that night. I wanted to go out but then, after realizing that I wasn’t in my senses and I didn’t want to be the trending topic in the media, I returned to my room only to find out that what I was actually running away from was in my room.” He started explaining.
Evelyn calmed down a bit but still avoided looking into his eyes. She could sense that he was being sincere with the way she spoke but she did not want to prove to him that she had easily forgiven him, that would be too cheap of her to do so.
“Then why did you leave the next morning?”
“You must have heard about the news three years ago of me being dumped by my ex-girlfriend. She took a lot of my shares away from me and the f*cking truth that got revealed was that she was in disguise. She was using a fake realistic appearance for me and everyone else. I tried calling her but her number was not reachable, that was why I had to drink.
That morning, I received a call from Jeremy informing me about the whole thing being in the media and that my father requested my presence at home with immediacy. I had no choice. I knew that I was in trouble and I just could not stay for a minute. How foolish I was to think that I had met you in the room when I got back.” He chuckled gently and slowly rested his head on her shoulders, pulling her into a hug as he continued his story.
“When I couldn’t find you anymore, I was devastated because your face and everything about you was imprinted on my mind. At first, I was scared after assuming that you could have been a spy sent to ridicule me the most and so I searched for you using the help of the CCTV footage but I was unable to come up with anything. I searched for you throughout the three years, Evie. My friends assumed that I could have been attracted or infatuated with you but whatever reason it was, all I wanted to see was you.
Then suddenly, you appeared at the company for the interview. I was shocked and happy to see you at first, but I had to confirm again. You didn’t change but you looked more beautiful than that time. I decided to make you my assistant and give myself time to get to know you. I swore that I wouldn’t get involved with a woman anymore but after that night, I changed my mind.
When I did a bit of research on you, I found out that you have a son that looked just like me…”
“How sure were you?” Evelyn interrupted him.
“A hundred percent sure, Tom and I look alike so much, Evie. When I came to know this truth, I felt more pleased and blessed, I decided to take my time with you and win your heart until you kissed me…”
Evelyn coughed awkwardly and gave Raphael a light smack on his back.
“That was meant to be a mistake of the hormones.”
“But it wasn’t.”
“You were the one who started it first. You slowly made my heart race and I couldn’t stop myself from kissing you.” She confessed and hid her face on his shoulder as she remembered what had fully happened. Raphael smiled when he heard this.
“I know and I am not blaming you.”
“And the fake account?”
“It shouldn’t be fake since I operate it, right? Uhm, fine, I wanted to get closer to you on a different level from business because I knew that you would not be able to speak or share your problems with me in person. I am sorry.” He apologized.
“I just want to take responsibility for my actions and to make you proud, Evie. You deserve the best.” He lifted his head and they looked into each other’s eyes.
“I promise, Evie. My feelings are real and I will continue showing that to you. Just give me a chance please.” He said softly into her ear and this action tingled her ear. She tried pulling away from him but he wouldn’t budge.
“Please.” He added. Evelyn breathed out and shook her head. This was it. There was no more reason for her to drag the issue. Moreover, Tom seemed to be his happy self around his biological father and this was what she ever wanted.
“Fine, I forgive you but we still have a few things to discuss now that everything is changing.” Evelyn accepted him and received a kiss on her forehead.
“You have not changed your mind about being my girlfriend right?”
“Uhm…yes.”
“Good, then but we can as well jump the protocol and become married couples at the registrar. It’s easy.” Raphael suggested but Evelyn stomped on his toes making him yelp.
“Don’t be a horse yet!” She scolded and then got out of his embrace, heading to the sitting room while Raphael was still rubbing his feet to smoothen his pain but a smile was plastered on his face.
_*_*_*_*_*_*_
It was now late in the evening at the Theophilus mansion. Everyone was sitting accordingly and only the sound of the TV was in there. Michael’s face was hard and so was his wife but Vegas seemed not to care at all as he was only pressing his phone undisturbed.
Erica on her own would once in a while look at the entrance in anticipation of Raphael’s arrival. Where was he? She sighed shortly and rubbed her palms against each other.
Soon enough, they heard the sound of a car’s engine and it became clearer the more it drove closer, and then it stopped. Raphael sat in the car for a few seconds after turning off the engine before coming out of the car. His eyes were as cold and hard as steel, knowing what he was about to face.
He slammed the car’s door shut and went in and according to what he had anticipated, the whole sitting room’s temperature had dropped to zero when Michael laid his eyes on him.