Chapter 44

“Fuck no!” I said looking at him Like he had grown another head. “there is no way I’ll trust you.”

He looked at me, not saying anything. I got infuriated by that. “have you forgotten? Not up to two weeks ago you were nothing but cruel to me, and all of a sudden I should you??”

“yes” he said calmly, taking another bite of his pancake. Th3 dog was wrapped perfectly around his leg and he was unbothered by it.

“Are you nuts?!” at this point that was the only explanation I could think of.

“I apologised to you, and since them, I have never done anything to hurt you, so I think I have established the fact that I can be trusted” I looked at him, perplexed that he could think such a thing.

“I never accepted your apology.”

“Still, doesn’t stop the fact that I haven’t done anything wrong” he said non challantly.

“Look, how about you tell me why exactly you want to help, then maybe, just maybe i could understand you.”

He opened his mouth to speak and just then, my phone dinged. I had a message.

It was from an unknown number. I opened the phone. It was a video. One I wasn’t ready for.

“Kiss me” Emily said smiling at the camera. It was taken in away that i could only see only the his head. He complied not even denying her wishes.

A hand came, covering the screen.

“I want to help you because once upon a time, I was you, heartbroken and maybe now, i want a little revenge and this is a way I see fit.”

There was a way he said it, the way his eyes flickered when he said it. For a moment, I could see a different side of him. If I thought he was scary before? It didn’t come close at this

“Fine let’s say i agree to take revenge on him. What do you even plan on doing?”

He smiled. I was already regretting bringing it up.

“Simple. He is cheating on you with another woman, so you find another man.” I looked at him

“I don’t think you’ve noticed, but I’m not the most attractive to find just any man.” I said pointing to the places my scars where.

“Fine, then I sill be your fake lover.” I didn’t miss the way he agreed that i was unattractive and honestly, it did sting a bit.

“You know you could have lied” I stated, snorting a bit to act as though it didn’t hurt me.

“lie about what?” he looked up confused.

“that I was at least attractive.”

“Oh, i didn’t know you wanted a confirmation” he was fine earing but now and was playing with the dog.

I sat flushed at the comment he had just made.

“Have you given her a name yet?” he was oddly fond of the dog.

“no, nor do I care to give it a name” it reminded me so much of that night, a night i wanted desperately to forget.

“ she”

“excuse me?”. I said carrying my plate to the sink to clean up. He might know how to cook, but cleaning was not his strong suit.

“It’s a she. She is a Pomeranian and can’t be older than four months” he studied me a bit.

“You seem not to care for dogs, or is it just she in particular.” I said nothing to that. There was nothing I could say.

He didn’t exactly know why or how Ben had left and I wasn’t about to tell him ‘obviously the night we had sex, Ben had given me this dog.’ I honestly was going to die before that could happen.

“They aren’t just for me.” I said instead. He nodded his head.

“They are the best when they see you as a companion.”

“you seem to very well like them” I said diverting the talk away from me.

“Yes, I had one not to long ago, he died due to a disease.” He looked genuinely sad. “it was the time I met you actually. I know it’s no excuse but for what it’s worth, you weren’t the only one I was an arse to.” I nodded.

I wasn’t a dog lover. Or an animal lover in general, so i couldn’t understand what it felt like.

“let’s name her Kaya” he said Still looking at the dog with so much adoration.

I couldn’t lie, that was better than the name I had given it that night.

“cool” I said no longer interested in this conversation. “So, about our earlier plan, how do you intend to go about it?...”

**

I never thought I would be packing out like this.

It was just months ago when Ben seemed like he couldn’t live without me. He wanted to be in my presence every waking moment he was talking marriage, our future, everything.

And now he barely wanted to be around me.

“are you sure we are doing the right thing?” i asked Elias who was helping me move.

He got me a small apartment to stay in while I executed my plan. I was to pay him back every cent. It was part of the agreement we made, from my end of the deal.

I still remembered all those weeks ago when Ben, Emily and Elias had gotten drunk and they called me a gold digger and couldn’t leave him because I would have no where else to go. They were right though, even if it hurt. But that was not a mistake I was willing to make twice.

He gave me a job one I was qualified to do. Though it. Wasn’t something I would have ideally wanted to do, but the pay was worth it.

“having cold feet already are we?” he teased, dropping my box in my new room.

I didn’t want to leave Leeds, it was a place I had found comfort in because I was familiar with it, and Elias agreed.

“no” I said even though I was indeed having a cold feet. My phone dinged again and I was scared to pick it up.

Another provoking video?

Something worse?

I checked who it was fro. And I instantly released a sigh. It was fro. My dad, apologising on not keeping in contact these past days.

I smiled. My dad.

It was nice to say.

“whose got you smiling like that” Elias teased. Causing me to wipe the smile off my face.