Chapter 11
Questions
***
“Why am I thinking about it anyway? As if it does matter?” Leila muttered under her breath as she walked towards Hunter’s mansion.
She was thinking about Butler Henry’s words. And it was her third time thinking about whether to continue to go towards the mansion or not.
But she had to go… as if she had a choice.
Leila rolled her eyes at the mere thought of it.
“Did he really marry someone already?” She said unconsciously as she pouted her lips.
That certain thought made her heart sink.
“Wait, why am I thinking about it anyway?” She still couldn’t stop herself from taking her monologues, and she frowned.
“Why would I even be surprised? He’s handsome, tall, and hot… not to mention that she was also hot-tempered, snobby, and…” She tried to create her own inside joke about it but the sulking feeling attacking her system just wouldn’t budge.
“He might not come home now, huh? Because… he’s married. Now, what?” Her lips pouted at that as her hands on her waist and walked back and forth like a crazy woman.
“Why am I so bothered about it anyway? Ugrh! Leila Mercado, you are such a pathetic fool.” She murmured as she scratched her head frustrated and annoyed at the same time.
No matter how much she tried to ignore her feelings it just wouldn’t leave her. Thinking about the news that Hunter married yesterday made her entire system crush. It was as if something inside her suddenly seemed so lost and… died.
Surely, Leila didn’t want to feel that way. She tried hard to make it seem like she wasn’t affected at all. She tried to sleep it all off, but she was just so preoccupied with everything that she just slept for about an hour or two.
“This is so bad.” She said as she faced the mansion’s gate.
Finally. After her contradicting thoughts and monologues.
“Stop thinking about it, Leila. As if you care about what he wants to do with his life, right?” She asked herself for the nth time before letting out another deep sigh before pressing the doorbell.
However, her thoughts were still drifting towards Hunter’s wedding. She couldn’t deny how bothered she was because of it… And she didn’t even know why.
“This is so frustrating…” She murmured under her breath.
She was in such deep thought that she hadn’t noticed Hunter opening the gate for her.
“Thanks, Butler Henry.” She uttered without looking at him still, her thoughts were drifting that she hadn’t noticed that it was Hunter all along.
Her lips protruded, as her mind was still lurking about Hunter’s wedding. She let out another deep sigh.
Hunter’s brow rose as Leila walked past him. He felt like something was odd about her. She seemed so out of her mind that she didn’t even notice him.
He felt offended at that without any apparent reason at all. He just didn’t want the fact that she didn’t give him her attention like she used to be whenever he’s around.
‘What the f*ck is that, Hunter?’ A part of his mind interrupted his thoughts.
However, he was more concerned with the fact that he wanted Leila’s attention… he wanted her to look at him. He wanted to see those sparkling, dark brown eyes.
He cleared his throat wanting her attention.
“You think I’m that old?” He couldn’t hide his annoyance anymore.
‘Why can’t she look at me?!’ He groaned frustratedly as his frustration grew when Leila didn’t look at him, even with his sudden comments.
‘What the hell are you thinking, Hunter? So, what if she won’t look at you!’ He instantly castigated himself.
“Tsk!” He annoyingly grumbled.
He was about to walk past her when Leila’s eyes widened in surprise. She even blinked it three times like a crazy lady trying to distinguish whether he was just an apparition or not.
It was as if she were being awakened by her own deep thoughts.
“Tsk!” Hunter couldn’t stop himself for the second time he disappointedly looked at her.
Leila gasped as if she had just confirmed that he’s real and not just an apparition!
“H-Hunter!” She screamed at the top of her lungs and smiled widely at him.
Before he knew it she was already hugging him tightly. He groaned in pain as he felt his wound being squished by her tight embrace.
“What the f*ck is wrong with you?!” He instantly grimaced as he slightly pushed her away.
He wanted to punch himself as he saw her eyes slightly saddened and hurt by his abrupt reaction.
Hunter swallowed hard as she bowed her head and played with her fingers like a child being scolded by her parents.
“S-Sorry…” She lowly murmured under her breath.
Hunter clenched his jaw as he felt the guilt creeping into her entire system. However, he didn’t want her to see it in him that he acted so cold and serious.
“I want my breakfast to be served in thirty minutes.” He coldly said.
He took a swift glance at his left arm there was a slight streak of blood in his light blue shirt. Now, he wanted to curse himself for choosing that bright color. He instantly walked away before Leila could even see it.
But Leila, like the nosy creature she really was, instantly followed him. As if his words a while ago just lifted out of her system like a bubble burst into thin air.
And he was grateful for the kind of personality that she had bright, optimistic, and lively. It was just too contagious, but he preferred not to be affected… or to appear like he wasn’t affected at all.
“You’re here! Uhm, how are you? I thought you would not be around today. Why are you here, anyway?” She asked like her questions were a matter of life and death… like she was being chased by a ghost or something.
“And why wouldn’t I be here in my own house?” Hunter’s forehead creased as he took an abruptly stopped.
Leila surely wasn’t that athletic; she surely didn’t have those coordinated muscles… the very reason why she bumped into Hunter. The impact was so strong that she knew she would fall to the marbled floor.
She closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact, but only a warm arm caught her small waist. Her breathing hitched as she immediately opened her eyes, only to see Hunter’s face a few inches away from her.
His deep ocean blue eyes were glistening with too many emotions, which she couldn’t name. Her stomach churned as it tickled her. Her face turned hot as it traveled through her every vein.
She swallowed the lump in her throat carefully as if she was afraid that the electrifying sensation that she was feeling would vanish in an instant.
She could feel the fast beating of her heart. She felt so hypnotized by his deep ocean blue eyes. She could…
But then, Hunter suddenly clenched his jaw as his eyes suddenly turned a darker shade of blue.
It’s so mesmerizing! But how could he do that?
He pulled her up so she could finally stand up. However, Leila was still so dazed by what had happened. He looked away and muttered a low curse, which the latter couldn’t understand.
“Stop staring at me.” He finally hissed as he was about to walk back to his room.
“Y-You got married yesterday, right?” She voiced it out unconsciously.
Leila didn’t know why she had to ask that question after everything that happened, but there was a deep urge inside her to ask that particular question.
She wanted to castigate herself, but she was too eager to confirm. Because if he was truly married, then these feelings that she had…
Leila bit her lower lip at how her thoughts ran inside her pretty little head.
Hunter looked at her bewilderedly as if he were confused by her question.
“What?” His voice was gruff and bewildered.
Leila pursed her lips as she cleared her throat.
“C-Congratulations on your w-wedding. I… I didn’t know that you already got m-married.” She tried to act cool about it even though, deep within her, she knew that her heart was already clenching in pain.
Then, it registered to Hunter that his forehead creased as he stared at her.
“What the hell? What are you talking about? I am married?” He confusedly inquired.
Leila bit her lower lip as she tried to make it like it was a normal thing to say. She even shrugged her shoulders to make a point.
“Uhm, you didn’t go here with your wife?” She innocently retorted back making Hunter look at her annoyingly.
He was confused by her questions, and her innocence and naivety were making his insides stir with an unfamiliar emotion he couldn’t identify.
“What the heck are you talking about? I am very single, and I have no wife! So, stop with the married thing.” He answered impatiently.
Leila looked at him as if she were weighing down his answer… as if she were still suspicious whether he was telling the truth or not.
“What?” Hunter coldly asked, but he instantly grimaced because of the prickling pain in his shoulder.
“Forget it. Just prepare my breakfast.” He tried to sound as if nothing was wrong.
But Leila being Leila, she knew that something was wrong with him.
And her eyes bulged in shock as she saw the blood on his shoulder. Hunter instantly walked towards the stairs. She couldn’t stop herself from following him like the nosy creature she really was.
“What happened to your shoulders? Are you hurt? Did something happen? Are you okay?” She asked nonstop worry was etched into her voice.
Hunter gritted his teeth. His patience was instantly blown away.
“Why do you even care?” Hunter coldly stated before facing him.
Leila bit her lower lip. Maybe, it wasn’t a good idea to pry.
‘I am just too worried.’ She tried to reason out in her head.
“Let me just remind you that you are here to be MY SERVANT. You are here to pay for your mother’s debts. And you aren’t allowed to pry by any means. You should know your place here.”
She closed her eyes firmly. She felt her heart crack.
His voice was low but menacing and cold.
His words were right, but too nasty and hurtful.
For Leila, it’s just too much to hear… too painful to bear. She tried to smile at him behind her broken heart.
“I… I’m sorry if you think I’m prying. I… I’m just too worried. You’re right. I should know my place.” She said brokenly before turning her back on Hunter who had this shocked and guilt expression in his face.