Vivian POV
I had ran to Max on seeing him, not fully knowing his identity as the heir to the Norman’s enterprise. I wouldn’t forget the look of shock on his face the moment I hugged him out of the blue. But when I recollected my self, I had felt so embarrassed, especially at the way he looked at me back then.
” Vivian?” Max’s voice broke me out of my reverie, my mind had drifted off to the past. ” We’re home already, Are you okay?” He asked and I nodded but I could feel his gaze on me from the rear mirror of the car.
“These days, you’re not yourself any longer Vivian, and you’re really loosing weight, tell me if there’s any problem” He demanded, his voice laced with concern perhaps not concern, but what I have concluded it to be.
I sighed, feeling the weight of every single event that had taken a turn today, my head throbbed immensely with headache, my shoulders completely exhausted, my knees weak, I doubted if I could even step out of the car right now. I had been so sure of scaling through this deal I had with Max, leaving after a month to France with my mother but at the moment, I doubted if I could actually do that again, especially not with me finding out that Mom and Mr Norman had a thing in common, not with everything that is happening lately. But even at all these, I will definitely leave for France with or without my mother, she was getting better after all and I wasn’t hundred percent sure she would agree to leave the city with me. But despite all these, I was sure to leave, to go back to who I am and rekindle what belongs to me.
A pair of strong arms hoisted me up from the car into his arms and I sniffed in his manly scent. Max always smelled good, one of his trump cards that made fall deeper for him.
” You really haven’t told me what’s wrong with you Vivian. If you’re sick, don’t I deserve to know?” He said as he walked into the mansion, glided towards the stairs that led to the elevator instead of the normal passage that led to our room.
Adjusting me in his hands, he pushed one of his fingers out under my waist then pressed on the button and it opened before he got in, still with me in his hands. It didn’t take long before the elevator stopped and opened to a door that seemed like it hadn’t been touched or used for the first time. Max pulled down the doorknob and strode in.
“What is this place” I said faintly, my eyes running rampantly in scrutiny at the room, from the glass windows to the walls that was decorated with different artistic wallpapers. He walked towards the bed that laid at the center and gently dropped me.
” It’s my Mom’s room. No one comes here except I but well….” He paused his statement, his eyes reflecting something that depicted sadness. ” Well, I already brought you here so you could get a good view from the window, I noticed you love things like that” He concluded, going across the room where the closest was located and picked up a dress.
“Here” He threw the dress towards me ” Wear that after you’re done taking a bath, I’m going a downstairs” He said and headed for the door. I suddenly felt the feeling of awareness and emptiness swirl through me.
“Max, wait please” I sounded a bit desperate at this point but I cared less, somehow, a gut in me didn’t want him to leave, it seemed like something was entirely wrong that could rile Max up.
” I can’t stay here Vivian, I really can’t” He replied and I shut my eyes tight in disappointment, not knowing what to say to make him stay.
“But why? You actually brought me here but can’t stay?” I narrowed my eyes weakly at him.
“It’s my Mom’s room Vivian, I wouldn’t feel comfortable staying for a long time here”
“But I want you to stay, for at least until I fall asleep” I urged further but his reluctant stance was still very obvious.
“I’m sorry Vivian, I really can’t” He finally said and turned to walk out but stopped. “Here” He added, pointing towards a button on the wall ” Just press this button, it’s connected directly to my phone, I will come back if you need anything” He completed and turned back to leave again, grabbing the door knob to push it down.
“I’m sick Max” I revealed, putting in a swollen voice and wanting to make my antics believable as much, his hand halted abruptly on the door knob. ” I feel weak, it feels like I would faint anytime soon, I ache all over my body and I my head is throbbing me like crazy__” Before I could even finish my statements, Max was already at my side, pinning my hands to the bed tightly ” Tell me, what else are you feeling? Your hands or your legs? Fuck! I thought right! You need to go to the hospital! I need to take you back there” He coursed and I smiled inwardly, my antics worked even though all of it wasn’t completely a lie, I didn’t expect Max to react positively to it.
“Don’t worry Max, I’ll be fine as long as you stay with me and I fall asleep ” I replied, suppressing myself from laughing.
“Staying with you is gonna make you healthy? This is ridiculous Vivian” He countered but I remained mute and after few moments, he sat beside me on the bed.
Minutes of long silence gone between us, he spoke out” What did Daniel say to you?” He asked. I was surprised, I wasn’t expecting him to ask that question since I thought it was an already forgotten scenario.
“You want to know what we conversed?” My voice laced with cackle.” What if it’s something you wouldn’t really love to hear?”
“I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t like to hear Vivian”
” But__” The ringing of his phone cut me off as he dipped his hands inside his pockets and brought it out. He glanced at the screen for a moment, pondering on whether picking up the call or not in hesitation before he finally picked up, ” What is it?” He asked with a hinge of annoyance in his voice.
“I’ve been waiting for you Max, I’m in your room”