Chapter 82 82

Chapter 82 82
GRAYSON
“Gray can you hold my hand, it’s really starting to hurt.” Scarlett whispered, but her arm was the least of my worries, the seat being stained with her blood, even more so.
Adeline couldn’t even look at me without that…there was not the one word for it, but two things were certain. Hate and disgust.
I messed up. Once again, I screwed her over and broke my promise. She would understand when I explain to her though, it was for our future, she had to understand.
Her face flashed in my eyes like a nightmare my brain didn’t want me to forget. What if she wasn’t around long enough for me to explain? What if she gets fed up and leaves, with ever bit of joy I clung to like it was the only thing I needed to survive, with our baby. Just fuck my life.
“We’re almost at the hospital, Dr Steve is already waiting on standby, you’d be fine.” I played with her hair, it had always been one of my favourite things to do, not just because I cared, but because her hair was insanely soft and gentle against the fingers, like you were grabbing air and actually able to feel something. It would be so easy to just pretend the past never happened and she was just back, but there was only one problem.
Did I want that? Did I want her back in our lives. Last time she made a mess. The past did infact happen and she wasn’t just back because she finally realized she loved me, she was back for some alimony now that…it didn’t matter. What mattered was the fact that I couldn’t make any mistakes this time. I was going to cut her off my life, Johnnys and make sure she doesn’t get a cent out of it this time.
“I’m so glad I have you here with me, what would I have done if you weren’t?!” She gasped like she just made the biggest discovery known to man. Scarlett was a scheming bitch, granted, but she couldn’t possibly have cut her own arm. Her body, skin and hair were her most prized possessions, they were the most important things for her ‘career’ afterall.
“I’m so glad I was there to help.” I plastered on a smile I didn’t quite feel. And just as I utter those distasteful words I was caught in my own thoughts.
Like a hot slap to the cheek, it hit me. Never in all my years of life did I even think I would come to a point where I was sure enough to say it, to admit that Scarlett was too bland for me, she was no longer the exotic lady I had fallen for, she was just like every other girl looking for her next paycheck. Adeline was different. I wasn’t going to mess that up just because I wanted to cause Scarlett the most pain known to her kind, an empty bank account and a debt full life.
As I looked at Scarlett’s puzzled face, staring up at me with expectations I was far from satisfying, I felt nothing, absolutely nothing. It was both freeing and terrifying. Freeing because I knew for certain I was never going to be swayed by her deception. Terrifying because what if one day I woke up and I felt the same way about Adeline, or worse, she felt the same way about me. What if that day was today? What if leaving her while I rushed to make sure Scarlett doesn’t suspect a thing, was the last straw for her, the final mistake she needed to unlove me for good. Shit.
“Stop the car.” The words tumbled out of my mouth in hasty panic.
“Sir?”
“Gray, what’s going on?” Scarlett’s ‘pain’ was soon forgotten in my abruptness.
“I said stop the car!” I snapped. Images of Adeline with her bags packed, ready to leave again. As much as I hated to admit it, if that happened, I was almost certain it would be the last time I saw her, she would never forgive me like she had in the past and I sure as hell was not going to lose the one woman who loved me wholeheartedly despite my blindness and moment of insanity. I would actually rather die than let that happen, but for now, let’s start with taking public transport.
The car screeched to an abrupt halt strong enough to shove us to a few centimeters forward. “Take Scarlett to the hospital, Dr Steve is expecting her, I would find my own way.” I instructed as I freed myself of the seatbelt, hopefully Scarlett too soon.
“Gray what do you think you’re doing?!” Scarlett shrieked, her eyes wide with panic like my life outside the comfort of my car was the world coming to an end. Maybe it was, but I would rather my last moments be with Adeline than a faking, lying bitch like Scarlett, financial loss be damned, Adeline was and should always be my priority.
Instead of responding to a pretty obvious question, I stepped out onto the side walk, slammed the door in her face and tapped twice. In no time, the car thrust into action and zipped down the road.
It was only then it dawned on me that I had no freaking idea how I was going to actually get one of those orange cars. Do I just stand on a spot and hail one down or do I have to…what do I have to do?
“Sorry, excuse me,” I rushed after the first person like an actual mad man because that’s exactly what I felt like. The incessant horning from cars on either side of the roads, the buzz of passerbys, it was too much! Why were so many people trying to leave their houses and being noisy about it anyways. And as if that wasn’t torturous enough, the sun chose today of all days to shine its brightest, I could felt every ray trying to pierce through my skin and burn me from the inside out!
The lady stopped after what felt like hours of yelling and running after her. She had to be in her mid twenties or younger going by how she was dressed, a two piece, the shorts were shorter than mid thigh and the top piece was barely a piece, more a bikini top than anything. Her eyes widened like saucers. She took her precious time taking me in from my head to my toes like we weren’t standing under the mercy of a very volcano like sun.
“You- You’re Grayson Archer.” She stammered the entire statement like a toddler and I may have tolerated it if I was maybe in my office where it was fully air conditioned, or had earplugs on to block out all that damn screaming, but I didn’t, so the longer she stared dumbfounded, the shorter my patience.
“Yes and I need your help. Could you direct me t-”
“Grayson Archer, the Grayson Archer needs m hel- can I get a picture? Please pleas-”
“I’m actually in a hurry, I need t-”
“Emily would go insane if I tell her I met you on the streets. She wouldn’t believe me, but I can’t blame her, you’re never really seen around unless those events we can’t attend.” She rambled on and on, eating at my patients like a decade starved dog.
I already had a headache from the sun’s torture, I didn’t need anymore. The worst were the passerby and their disregard for safety or personal space as they bumped into me every five seconds, and always on their phones too. I could barely see the person I was speaking to much less what was on my device.
“Ma’am!” I snapped, the longer I tried to hold on to courtesy, the longer Adeline had to think about all the reasons she should hate me enough to leave me for good. “I’d take the picture. Just show me how to get one of those orange cars, I need to get home.” I clipped, trying and failing to hide my intolerance for time wasting.
The seemed to snap her out of whatever shock she had slipped into.
“You mean a taxi?” Of course. I almost face palmed myself because I knew that. Of course I did.
“Yes. How do I get one to stop?”
She looked at me like I had suddenly grown two heads.
“Em… you just stand where you are and push out your hand when you see an empty one.” She spoke choppingly like I was a three year old who just learned to speak and had problems comprehending basic things.
“Okay, thank you.” I nodded. Easy enough, “I promised you a picture.”
“You meant it?” Oh for fucks sake!
“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t.” I managed to force out.
“On second thought, I was just going to grab my car from the lot, I could drop you off.”
“Oh I would want to be a ha-” Don’t be stupid. “I would really appreciate that, thank you. Where?” I really hoped this didn’t come back to bite me in the ass later, but I’d worry about that later, when Adeline wasn’t on the kitchen floor surrounded by broken glass that could hurt her.
Thankfully, she finally got the message and without wasting more time, got her car and we were gunning down the road in no time, thankfully in silence. I gave her as detailed a description as possible, my insides twisting over because if I was wrong, she would turn out to be one of those who gave information for clout and my house address would be her next cash cow. Adeline was worth the risk, I reminded myself.
The car rolled to a stop just by the gate and I should have felt at ease, but I didn’t, I couldn’t. Not until I’d spoken to Adeline and explained just why I acted the way I did.
“Whoa!” She gasped, taking in what should could from the little crack in the gate.
“Your phone.” She cocked a brow in my direction, but handed me a device I hadn’t seen since I fired my last secretary.
“Smile.” I held the phone up and plastered on my best smile, because she did go out of her way to get me home despite having plans of her own, whatever they may be.
“Thank you again.” I rushed as I dashed out of the car and through the gates like a commoner.
I rushed through the door, wood creaked underneath my feet as I hurried to Adeline’s room, but it didn’t matter how fast I moved, my legs were awfully uncooperative.
My heart thumped in my chest at an insane pace, my mind
was going away to many places, but it all came to a point when they settled on…blood?!