Chapter 23 DO YOU THINK THIS WILL WORK?
23.
~KIMBERLY~
ONE WEEK LATER.
The past week went in a breeze with me and Rafael being loggerheads at each other, we barely talked except it's about the renovations we're making in the house or my school. I'm already done with my online registrations, all I had left is the physical registration which is happening tomorrow morning and then, I'm eligible to resume classes, I'm already five weeks behind on school work which is going to make the next few weeks very tedious for me so I'm trying to squeeze every other thing that needs to get done today.
The renovations are almost done except painting, Rafael doesn't have a particular taste about the choice of colors but he's a perfectionist, I definitely have to be careful with the colors I choose so he doesn't raise his eyebrows at me judgementally.
Such a fucker.
Dragging, the little sample buckets in the packaging boxes containing colours into one of the spare rooms on the first floor which is right beside the kitchen, I return to the living room to get the white board and brushes I will be using for the test.
Suddenly, a knock comes on the door, I stare at it for a while and walk towards the door, it's already a few minutes before eleven and Rafael isn't yet back.
After the event that happened with Eliana, I've been getting anxiety from knocks.
Sighing, I drop the board and other stuff with me and saunter towards the door.
"Rafael." I call, slightly surprised, why is he knocking?
He looks devastatingly handsome even though he's just coming back from the office after a long day, his eyes drool a bit and he smells a bit of alcohol."Did you drink?" I ask and I watch him assess me from head to toe, his expression plain as ever.
I suddenly start feeling conscious of my clothes, I'm in a crop top and small shorts which are as casual as ever.
Am I supposed to dress myself up in the house because I married a billionaire?
"Yeah, just a few glasses with my executives." He answers in a tight voice, making me know that he's not totally drunk.
"Oh, sure." I mutter, trying to keep my voice leveled as ever.
"What are you doing?" He asks as he steps into the deeper part of the living room, his eyes on the board and brushes splattered on the floor.
"Oh, I'm trying to run some tests on the colors available so I can know the ones to select from the painters tomorrow."
"Hmmm, great." Rafael mumbles, dropping his briefcase, he takes off his suit and proceeds to start rolling his sleeves up. My mouth waters at the sight of his ripped biceps, he looks so fucking good, clothed or not.
He bends down a bit to pack the brushes in one hand and the white board on the other hand.
"You really don't have to do this, Rafael, I got it covered, You've been in the office since morning, just go to your room and rest,I..."
"Are you using the room beside the kitchen?" He asks, totally ignoring my blabbering.
I press my lips together in defeat and nod, he probably thinks I hate having him in my space because of his cold demeanors but he just aggravates me in a way that's unexplainable and I'm beginning to grow on him.
I fucking hate my easiness.
Without a word, he lifts the white board up and takes them to the room, duly, I follow him and quickly start setting the paint buckets on the floor.
Rafael joins me as well and begins to open the hard seal of the buckets while I bring and arrange them out for him.
This makes the work much more easier and less burdening for me.
"Do you like flashy colors?" I force myself to ask, hating the thick tension in the room.
He looks natural and himself as ever making it seems like I'm the only one freaking out here.
"I don't really have any preferences, Kimberly, just make it your taste."He shrugs, breaking the seal of the last paint of the bucket before raising his head at me.
"I want us to do this together, I don't want to set your home to my liking only since this is only temporary." I stutter, the little changes I've made in the house are as a result of my own personal liking and it makes me feel guilty that Rafael doesn't have a say in this.
His jaw clenches at my words and he offers me a terse look before they all dissolve into his normal cold face.
Oh,God! Did I say something wrong again?
"Home? That word is so fucking cordial."
"Rafael,I..."
"I don't have a home, Kim. There are times I spend weeks and months in my office because I suddenly hate the idea of sleeping in, if I get tired of this place after this whole deal is done, I will sell it off and go to one of my other houses."
A bile lurches in my throat at his words, I swallow nothing, suddenly feeling lightheaded, this man coming out to me that he doesn't have a home breaks me apart, I suddenly feel like crawling up to his chest and pull him in an engulfing hug until he suffocates.
Why is he so unalive? Why does he look so dead every time I see him? Is there something breaking his heart? Or he can't let go of his parents' death?
One of which I caused. How the hell am I supposed to live with the fact that I made someone an orphan?
And did Rafael start coming home every night because of me? His source of torment?
Oh,God!
"Do you think this thing will work?" The words roll out of my mouth with tears laced in my mouth, I quickly wipe my face to prevent the tears from falling.
His brows drags together in confusion but he relaxes again, getting the meaning of what I'm saying.
"No, Kim." He breathes out tiredly and rub his eyes. My breath hitches in my throat as I await his words.
"But let's try."
I let out of the breath I didn't realize I'm holding after he said those words.
"And for the record, I'm sorry for what happened with Eliana, she didn't influence my decision in the way you thought of, I knew what I'm getting in when I pro
posed that contract to you, trust me, Kimberly."