“Yes, you said you wanted me to give us a chance for a month,” Alyssa pointed out while Nicholas groaned.
“I didn’t mean it that way. I just said you can decide to opt out in a month if you aren’t happy with me.”
“Oh!”
“So? What have you decided?” he asked impatiently, not satisfied with her reply.
“I haven’t decided yet.” Nicholas sighed and stared out of the window, without prodding her further. He was tired of trying to convince her. Now there was only one option left for him. He had to heal fast and then take matters into his hands. What would he do? He hadn’t decided yet, but this time he wouldn’t wait for her reply.
“We’ve reached.” Nicholas looked around to see that she had stopped the car outside his building gates.
“You expect me to get down here? C’mon, I’m injured,” he protested. Alyssa started the car and drove in through the gates into the guest parking area, while Nicholas’s heart danced with delight. Could he convince her to move in with him? Alyssa got down and opened the passenger door to help him out. She led him to the elevators while he gazed at her, expecting her to escort him all the way to his bedroom.
His heart skipped a beat when she stood patiently while he unlocked his door. She helped him inside and then released him suddenly. “I should get going, Nicholas. Take care of yourself and follow the doctor’s instructions,” she advised, her eyes watching him closely as if she wanted to stay with him.
“Stay, Alyssa.” She chewed her lips as if contemplating his offer. Suddenly, his phone buzzed, and he looked at the caller ID and gasped with surprise.
“Why is Daniel Van Every calling me?” he muttered and before Alyssa could tell him not to accept the call, he accepted it anyway. Alyssa groaned and wanted to hide somewhere, knowing her dad would want to talk to her.
“I heard Alexander attacked you and you’re in the hospital, son. Which hospital are you admitted to? How are you now?” asked a worried Daniel Van Every.
“Yes, uncle Daniel, but I’m fine now. I was at Bellevue, but I just got discharged.”
“That’s good to hear. Do you know where Alyssa is? She has left home and hasn’t been taking our calls.”
“She’s here with me, uncle Daniel.” Alyssa glared at him angrily. Knowing of her strained relationship with her parents, how could he give her away?
“Please let me have a word with her, son. Can you hand the phone over to her?” asked her dad. Nicholas handed the phone over to her and Alyssa had no other option than to talk to her step-dad.
“Yes, dad,” she said, all the while glaring at Nicholas.
“I’m sorry on behalf of your mom. Please come home, Alyssa.”
“It’s not your fault dad, please don’t apologize. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine where I am.”
“Where are you staying? Of course, I have reason to worry.” Alyssa was tongue-tied since she couldn’t tell him she was living in Eva’s apartment. Daniel Van Every hated Eva and would unnecessarily create problems if he knew she was living in her apartment.
“Umm, I’m staying at a friend’s house, dad,” she said, glancing at Nicholas for help.
“Which friend?”
“A close friend, dad. Don’t worry about me,” she tried hard to dissuade her dad.
“Which close friend, Lisa?” he asked in a grave tone, while Alyssa looked helplessly at Nicholas. He grinned and took the phone from her hands. This was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
“She’s staying with me, uncle Daniel. I’m injured with broken bones and she just brought me home from the hospital,” said Nicholas, while Alyssa gaped at the insolent guy. Did he have a death wish now? Didn’t he learn his lesson even after landing up at the hospital? There was a shocked silence at the other end for a few seconds while Alyssa’s breath got stuck in her throat with apprehension.
“It seems you’re seriously injured, son. I’m sorry that you had to go through that. Update me about your health. Once you’re well, we could sit down for a discussion.”
“Sure, uncle Daniel,” said Nicholas while Alyssa blinked at the sudden turn of events. How did Nicholas charm her dad’s heart so easily? How did he not object to her staying at Nicholas’s house?
“Good, take care. I might drop by any day to see you two.” After he disconnected the call, a shocked Alyssa slumped to a nearby sofa. Her dad’s parting shot had her head reeling with confusion. Now would she have to move into Nicholas’s apartment of all places on earth?
“So, when are you moving in?” asked a grinning Nicholas, who didn’t at all look injured.
“Very funny! Who asked you to lie? I would have thought of something.”
“I saved your delicious as*! Shouldn’t you be grateful to me?” he said, looking offended. Alyssa grumbled and covered her face with both hands, already at her wit’s end. What would she do now? Should she move into Nicholas’s house? There wasn’t any other option left for her.
“Yes. Thank you for creating more problems in my life.” Nicholas bowed a little but winced in pain, alerting Alyssa instantly.
“Stop goofing around, Nicholas. You’re injured. Why don’t you just sit down and relax? I’m sure dad was just kidding. He wouldn’t drop by,” said Alyssa. Nicholas eased himself onto the sofa, right beside her.
“What if he does? It’s obvious that there’s something on his mind and he wants to talk to us.” Alyssa’s eyes widened, knowing what her dad was curious about. He wanted to know about their relationship. “So I would suggest that you move in here till I’m better. Otherwise, he’ll know you’re staying in Eva’s house and he would definitely go over to fetch you.” Alyssa gave him a look of surprise.
“How do you know where I’m staying?” she asked, looking clueless and confused. As far as she remembered, she hardly told him where she was staying. Nicholas winked at her and closed his eyes, resting his head against the backrest of the sofa.
“Nicholas, I’ve asked you something,” she pestered, but he just smiled like a creep, still with his eyes closed. “You know what? You’re worse than Alexander and dad. Are you keeping tabs on me?”
“So? That doesn’t make me a bad guy! You, too, can keep tabs on me. I’ll be honored!” Alyssa muttered curses at him and he chuckled, irritating her further.
“I don’t have time for your shit. I’m going home.” She got up to leave, but Nicholas caught her wrist.
“Move in with me or I’ll engage the packers and movers to get all your stuff from Eva’s apartment and also from your parents’ house to here.” Alyssa gave him a look of horror.
“No, don’t do that. I’ll move in but for that, I would need to get my stuff. So, can you please leave my hand?” she said with a fake, sweet smile. Nicholas returned her sweet smile and reluctantly released her hand.
“Help me up. I’m coming along too,” he said.
“Are you crazy? You’re injured. How can you come along?” she scolded him, but he shook his head stubbornly.
“I don’t trust you. Once you leave, I know you won’t come back,” he said.
“I’ll be back in a few hours. I’ll get lunch for you,” she said to coax him to relax.
“I’ll be waiting for you, Alyssa. I’ll stay hungry till you come back,” he said with such intensity that Alyssa knew how serious he was.
“I’ll be back,” she promised, and walked out of his apartment while he stared at her longingly. Alyssa drove over to Eva’s apartment. Thankfully, her suitcase was intact, as she had unpacked a little. So it wouldn’t take her long to collect her belongings and leave. However, the moment she went inside the bedroom, she froze seeing her brother lying there on Eva’s bed. What was he doing here? Didn’t Eva say that he had disappeared somewhere? Panic gripped her heart, and she was about to leave silently when Alexander sensed her presence and turned around to look. His tear-stained eyes popped out with shock, as it was obvious he had expected no one here, least of all Alyssa.
“Lisa? What are you doing here?” he gasped, composing himself a little and wiping his tears off hastily.
Alyssa was too shocked to see his state of mourning, as she had never seen her big brother cry. Was he crying because of Eva? She took baby steps towards him, her heart filling up with concern for him. He had always looked out for her since the day she was born and now, when he needed her the most, she couldn’t escape without comforting him.
“Yes, I was staying here. What are you doing here, Alex? Eva was looking for you everywhere,” she said sitting on the bed beside him. Alexander gave her a look of surprise.
“Why would she look for me? I’m sure she’s busy with her wedding,” said Alexander bitterly.
“So you know about her wedding? Won’t you stop her, Alex?” she whispered, but Alexander shook his head.
“No.”