Chapter 69

Daniel.

Bella's concerned expression prompted her to ask, "Are you okay?"

"To be honest, I don't think I am, but I'll definitely get over it in a few hours," I replied, being honest with my feelings.

Truthfully, I felt incredibly embarrassed at that moment. The unexpected presence of Christina and the chaos she caused in front of Bella had caught me completely off guard. Merely stating that I was upset would be an understatement; I was seething inside, struggling to withhold myself from giving her a resounding slap as she continued to spew venomous words.

Normally, I never entertained thoughts of violence, especially towards women, and I had never laid a hand on one before. But for the first time in my life, Christina had managed to provoke such a horrendous image in my mind.

I despised her even more for putting me in a position where I would even consider such a repulsive act.

To make matters worse, her audacity to mention how she had ruined things between Rebecca and me only heightened my anger. I couldn't fathom how she could be proud of her destructive actions as if they were her greatest achievements.

Following this incident, I had made up my mind to speak to my father as soon as possible. He needed to intervene and put that brat in her place, to stop indulging her and make it clear that she would never have the chance to marry me.

"Is there something on your mind? You seem lost in your thoughts, and I'm guessing you weren't paying attention to what I just said," Bella said, snapping me back to reality.

"Did you say something? I'm sorry, Bella. I got lost in my thoughts for a moment. What did you say?" I inquired.

"It wasn't anything important. I just asked if you're sure everything will be fine or if you'd like to talk about it instead. I noticed earlier that you seemed quite upset, and the look on your face worried me a little," she responded.

Bella's words only intensified my frustration towards Christina. I never wanted Bella to witness me in such a state, and hearing her mention that she saw a side of me she had never seen before raised concerns that she might perceive me negatively. I certainly didn't want that.

"I apologize if the look on my face scared you in any way. Honestly, I never wanted you to see me in such a state, and I hate that you had to be here when this happened. The expression you witnessed was a result of my anger, and I was struggling to hold myself back because Christina was really pushing my buttons," I explained sincerely.

Although uncertain if it was the right thing to do, I chose to be truthful with Bella instead of making excuses. I felt terrible that she had to witness me like that, but I also recognized that I shouldn't blame myself for what transpired. Christina was the one who crossed the line without any consideration.

"There's no need to explain the look on your face to me because I completely understand why you'd be upset. If I were in your shoes earlier, I would have likely lost my temper and given that girl a resounding slap to shut her up. She was clearly crossing boundaries, and she would have definitely deserved it," Bella replied, and I managed to force a smile.

"Honestly, that thought briefly crossed my mind too, and it pains me that she pushed me to such an extent. I've never been in a situation where I've wanted to harm a woman, and today marked the first time I had to exert control and prevent myself from committing such a terrible act," I admitted, and she let out a sigh.

I wasn't sure if I was making the right choice by expressing all my thoughts so honestly. I wondered if I was potentially jeopardizing our relationship. But despite my concerns, I had the courage to be truthful with Bella, hoping she wouldn't judge me for feeling this way or perceive me as an aggressive person. These thoughts often crossed my mind when I was upset, regardless of gender.

"I can tell that you're worried, thinking I might be judging you for what you're saying. Trust me, I completely understand how you feel, and I want you to be as open as you need to be. I won't judge you for anything you say to me right now," she assured me, and I didn't know how to feel in that moment.

I was genuinely delighted by her response, as it was precisely what I needed to hear. At the same time, I was amazed that she could perceive my emotions without me having to articulate them.

For a while, I found myself simply gazing at her, lost for words. It wasn't until she called my name that I snapped out of my trance.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she inquired.

"You might find this a bit cheesy, but what you just said made me fall in love with you all over again, and I'm contemplating something that I probably shouldn't be," I confessed, and she furrowed her brow in confusion.

I hoped she would play ignorant and act as if she didn't understand my intentions or thoughts. That would have provided the perfect excuse for me to act on my desires at that moment.

"I'm not entirely sure if what I'm thinking aligns with what you're thinking, so I can't advise you to go ahead. I'm uncertain how I would react to it," she replied.

"Why? Do you not like me enough to engage in such, or do you have reservations about me?" I asked.

Reflecting on it now, I realized that I had never been completely open with her about my feelings, and I had never heard her express any sentiments regarding me or our relationship.

I knew for certain that she didn't despise me, as she wouldn't bother making time for me or spending time together if that were the case. She would have outright rejected me from the start to prevent any false hope of a potential connection.

"I'm not one to lie or pretend, so I won't beat around the bush. I'm not sure if I like you as much as you claim to like me, but I do have some level of affection for you. I find myself worrying about you, even when I shouldn't," she explained.

"As for pursuing what you're contemplating, I'm hesitant to advise you because I'm uncertain if I'll react in the way you desire or if it will create awkwardness between us. I'm still unsure if I'm ready for a relationship because there are other priorities I want to focus on at the moment," she continued.

I understood her intentions without requiring further explanation, and I could empathize with her perspective.

I recalled a time when I, too, wasn't interested in being in a relationship. It was mainly because I believed I needed to prioritize my career and establish my own identity separate from my family's reputation.

"You don't have to justify yourself to me; I completely understand where you're coming from. I won't pressure you into anything because I genuinely intended to wait for you. I'll continue waiting until you're ready, but I'm uncertain if I can wait indefinitely," I responded. "The question now is, if I decide to wait for you until you're ready, will you eventually come to me, or will I end up wasting my time?" I asked, genuinely curious to hear her response.