CHAPTER 131
ROBERT’S POV
I couldn’t control the level of anger boiling inside me. I was so angry as I stepped out of the house I could tear the whole damn world apart. I couldn’t believe she kicked me out. Like a fucking stray dog. She didn’t believe what I told her about Scarlett, and she chose that bastard over me.
She should have just let me disfigure his face. I didn’t like him or any other man getting close to her and touching her. She was mine. Mine! She had told him everything that happened between us in the past. Who the fuck was he to involve himself in matters that didn’t concern him and talk to me like that? Did he at all know who he was messing with?
If he hadn’t intervened, I think there was a greater chance Lily would have heard me out. She would have believed me. Even though she had acted all berserk because I took the kids without her knowledge and said all that hurtful shit to me, I saw that look in her eyes. The heart-rending tenderness of her beautiful amber gaze.
Even though I was drowning in an unsurmountable rage, I felt relieved to know the Lily of nine years ago, the same Lily I fell in love with was still there. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, I could still see it. It’s just that the hatred and grudge she harboured for me all these years had eaten deep into her, threatening to consume her entirely. If only I hadn’t been so blinded by my love for Scarlett, none of this would have happened. If only I could turn back the wheels of time, then I would set the path straight for us. We would be so deeply in love no one can come in between us.
Nonetheless, I won’t give up on her and my kids. My family. I made it clear to her. No matter how hard or far she tries to push me, no matter all the hurtful things she says to me, I’ll endure and keep coming for them till I’ve won them over. But my time was limited. She warned me not to show my face in her house again, for the umpteenth time.
If she acted this way, even sending that middle-aged lady who was very nice and had received me warmly away because she tried to defend me, who knew what she might do next if she saw me anywhere close to the house or kids? She might call the police or worse, she might want to kill me.
I needed to tread carefully. But most importantly, I needed to act fast because time wasn’t on my side any more. Every second counts, so I must make good use of my time. I don’t want to lose her to that yappy Chihuahua. He was like a prowling predator waiting to attack, but Lily didn’t see it that way. I bet she trusts him more than anyone else she knows and that saddened me to the core.
My phone rang in my pocket, stopping me as I was on my way to my car. I huffed out in a mix of frustration and annoyance knowing I had wasted too much time already. My chauffeur must have grown restless waiting for me. We had parked a little further away from Lily’s house, in a spot where she’d never see the car. I had decided on that before we arrived because I didn’t want her to know I was in the house. But it was of no use since that middle-aged lady whose name I learnt was Nana Mae from the kids had called Lily to let her know I was home with the kids.
I checked the caller ID of the person calling only to see it was my mum. I wondered why she was calling. Probably to know how I was doing. I hesitated a bit before picking up the call because honestly, after what just happened I didn’t have the strength to talk to anybody.
“Hey Mum,” I forced a smile, trying as much as possible to make my voice sound at least neutral so she wouldn’t sense something was off and start worrying.
“Hey, Robby!” Her overly cheerful voice blared through the speaker. “How’s my favourite son doing over there?”
“I’m fine mum,” I said, continuing to walk. I could see my chauffeur outside, leaning by the car, looking around as if admiring the beauty of the estate. He must have been tired of sitting inside the car, getting all cooked up.
“Great,” she jollied.
“Our flight was delayed,” she said with a hint of sadness in her tone. “Your father has a lot of appointments and business meetings to attend, so he won’t be coming with me. I should be leaving in two days. I called to know your exact location in LA.”
I stopped walking, my brow knitting into an affronted frown. I didn’t know this was the reason she was calling. If I had known I wouldn’t have bothered answering her call. I couldn’t let her come all the way here just to help me talk to Lily. If Lily had been that wild and difficult with me, who knew how she’d react to seeing my mom? During our time as married couples, she and my mum never got along. Not to mention, my mom could be overbearing at times.
“Mum,” I called, trying not to sound unruly. “We talked about this and I said it wasn’t necessary. There is no need for you to come. I’ll handle everything on my own.”
“You’re so stubborn like your father,” she snorted, her voice sharp. “This isn’t something you can handle alone. You need our help even though you won’t ask for it. I have already decided to come over there. Nothing you say or do will make me change my mind. Now, send me your exact location…”
I started wiggling my phone, making sounds that made it seem like I was having a bad network.
“Sorry mum but I can’t hear you clearly over the bad network. I promise to call back when it’s all good.”
“Robert, you’d better answer me,” she growled in frustration. “I know you’re doing this on purpose…” But before she could finish, I ended the call. Knowing she’d call back any second, I quickly switched my phone to airplane mode.
‘Sorry Mum but I’m only doing this because it’s the best thing to do.’ I said inwardly to make myself feel less guilty for what I just did. The next time I’ll be giving her a call will be when I have finally won Lily and the kids over. I hoped my faith wouldn’t fail me as I wanted us to reunite much sooner than I expected.
On seeing me approach, my chauffeur quickly strengthened himself up and froze in shock as though he’d seen something his mouth couldn’t describe. My brows furrowed as I couldn’t understand why he was looking at me that way.