Chapter 54 Is he insane?
Isla’s POV.
The evening breeze kissed my skin. The gala was half way done when we left.
He pulled his coat over my body, making me feel warm.
We walked toward the car silently. My stomach painfully twisted from the drink I had earlier.
His eyes moved all over my body. I tried to steady myself, placing my hand on my stomach.
“Are you okay?” He finally asked.
“Why did you do that?” I cut in.
“Do what?” He shied away, pretending not to know what I was asking.
“Why did you tell her you were my husband?”
He paused. There was this flicker of warmth in his eyes.
“Why not?”
“You! You shouldn’t have said that. What if people start talking?”
I tried to take a step toward him, and then my hill slipped, twisting my ankle.
“Ouch,” I whispered, almost hitting my head.
His hands moved faster than my body.
He grabbed me into his arms, our body wrapped around each other.
My heart slammed my ribs as heat flushed my cheeks.
I tried to pull away. “Are you hurt?”
I finally pulled him away, and tried to steady my feet on the ground.
“I’m fine,” replied, pretending I was.
“That was so close. Thank goodness people didn’t notice.”
“Do you feel embarrassed?”
“I don’t, I just… I just feel like people would think I was married to your brother and still cling to you.”
The longer we stood, my ankles got worse. I could bear it any longer.
I tried moving them, and almost fell again.
He closed the distance between us, and then lifted me like I weighed nothing.
It was already late when we arrived home.
My husband was standing at the door when I walked into the house.
The expression on his face was cold and unreadable as usual.
I didn’t want any arguments with him tonight, I already had a chaotic day.
We hadn’t talked since the last incident and I wasn’t ready for him yet.
I silently walked past him like I didn’t notice he was standing there.
“You look beautiful tonight. It must have been a nice day.”
I didn’t say anything, I clutched my twisted ankle, like the ground would open if I placed them steady.
“What happened to your leg? Are you okay?”
I still didn’t say a word, silence had always been the leverage I had against him.
He wasn’t someone who liked to be treated like he didn’t exist, especially when you ignore his questions.
“I’m talking to you, Isla.” He followed me behind.
I had asked Damian to leave. That I could go back by myself.
Just like I had expected. He would be by the door or the living room waiting for me.
I didn’t want to see two brothers misunderstanding each other because of me.
And thank goodness, Damian has listened to me today, unlike any other day.
He gently grabs my wrist. “Can you please say a word to me, Isla?”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“Last time you promised we’d talk when you were done for the day. I didn’t hear from you.”
I let out a sigh. My body reacted to his touch on my wrist, but I resisted.
“What’s happening? My body never reacted whenever he touched me… is this some kind of… no.” I murmured to myself.
“I don’t think I want to have this conversation tonight,” I freed my hand from his.
“Can I at least take you to your room? You don’t look fine, I…”
“You don’t have to do that. I can’t take care of my…”
He swept me off my feet. I gasped, eyes sharpened.
“Put me down! This minute. I told you I can take care of myself, you don’t have to…”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He smiled as he carried me into the hallway.
“How could you carelessly twist your ankle? You’re not a baby…”
He said as he dropped me on my bed.
“I didn’t mean to. Maybe I walked too fast and didn’t watch my steps.”
My voice suddenly turned soft. I had always used a mean voice whenever I talked to him.
“You were out for fun?” He walked toward the first aid box beside the bed.
“No. For a charity gala.”
“Alone? Or…”
My eyes met his. “I went with your brother.”
A cold smirk carved on his face, but then he softened them.
“It was just work related. I also met new people too. An opportunity I didn’t want to miss.”
“You had a good time then.” He smiled, applying an ornament on my bruised ankle.
“Mmm,” a soft moan slipped my lips. “It really twisted more than I had expected.”
“Sorry. Just hold on a little. I’ll be done right away.”
“I’m really sorry for what happened last time. I didn’t think about your feelings, I was just being selfish…”
I didn’t really hold it against him. If there was a selfish person here, that would be me.
And I believe that this marriage wasn’t what either of us wanted.
Maybe if I didn’t care, if I had followed the rules written in the contract and had not fallen in love with him, none of this would have happened.
I expected too much even when I knew that it was impossible.
“You don’t need to apologize. If I had followed the contract, if I didn't expect anything from you, we wouldn’t end up torturing each other.”
His eyes locked on mine, there was this warmth in them I hadn’t seen before.
“You shouldn’t say that. If I had given you the respect and treated you more like a wife and not an outsider, things wouldn’t have escalated to this.”
I lifted my head, pulling away from his gaze.
“I think I should go to bed. We should have a proper conversation about this tomorrow.”
He stood, eyes still warm. “Promise?”
I breathed. “Sure.”
He walked towards the door. And then turned before leaving.
“Good night, Isla.” He turned and walked away.
“Good night…” I muttered in a way only I could hear.