Chapter 122 Mental
Kian
I gasped awake, heart beating rapidly in my chest as a dull ache throbbed behind my head. My stomach growled from the hollow ache of hunger. I’d never felt this weak and out of place.
Sitting upright, I flitted my gaze around and a wave of relief crashed through me as a faint smile slipped on my face.
“Are you okay, Mr. Kian?” Stacey’s voice reached me as my eyes found her. She stood up from the couch, setting the steaming mug of coffee or whatever was in there down.
I pushed back the hair flopping my forehead, my smile widening despite the worried look on her face. “I just woke up from a horrible nightmare. The last time I had one was when I lost someone dear to me—”
Stacey blinked, sitting on the bed. “Nightmare? Do you want to share?”
I was about to reach for the glass of water by the bedside table but she was swift, holding it out to me as I muttered ‘Thank you.’
I took a long sip of water, and as she refilled the glass, I laughed at the absurdity of the nightmare. “Yes, I had this nightmare where I overheard my ex-wife talking about how my uncle planned to propose to her. She was on a video call with her brother, who hates me with a passion, and I completely lost my mind. I ran after my uncle, asked him about it, and my legs gave out beneath me from the wave of emotions that crashed over me when he confirmed it. But I’m glad it isn’t real.”
The fading smile on her face froze me in place and panic surged through me immediately.
Her throat worked. “I think there is a mistake somewhere, Mr. Kian,”
My heart squeezed.
“While I was on a call with my professor, I saw you shouting your uncle’s name as you ran after him. You spoke for barely five minutes before collapsing—”
I spat out the water and that was when I noticed the IV drip dangling beside the bed as dread settled in the pit of my stomach. “Wait, does this mean that you actually sorting out the gifts in the lounge area was real?”
She nodded and the sudden knot in my chest tightened.
“Yes, you were pissed that Verena was ignoring you and you did everything to infiltrate her space,”
My breath became long and ragged. “So, does this mean that it is true that my uncle plans on getting married to my ex-wife?”
“I don't know but I guess it is true,”
Those words were enough to send me spiraling as a guttural scream tore from my throat. Stacey flinched, fear in her eyes as she shifted. “How long have I been out?”
“F-Five H-Hours,” she stuttered.
I yanked the IV from my hand, moving from the bed as I grabbed my coat, my phone, and anything I could get my hands on. Stacey blocked the door quickly, panic flaring in her eyes. “Mr. Kian, where are you going?”
I ripped my hands through my hair. “To her,”
“I would go down on my knees, apologize for all my wrongs, for how I’ve pushed her. For what I had done to Emily. I would apologize as long as it means that she says ‘no’ to my uncle’s proposal,”
“They can't get married. If they get married, I swear I am going to kill myself,” tears pressed at the back of my eyelids, tracking down my cheek.
Stacey looked devastated as she heaved an exasperated sigh. “Mr. Kian, you can't go there like that. You are just going to give her the ick,”
Anger flared within me immediately, my head snapping to hers as I shouted. “Who asked for your opinion? Who do you even think you are to meddle in my business? The last time I checked, I hired you to act as my girlfriend—not share with me your thoughts!”
She clamped her mouth shut and lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry. I forgot my place for a second,”
Irritation curled low in my stomach. “You don't know me, Stacey. You don't know us and what we have been through. I am the only one perfect for her. Not him,”
“My Uncle is dangerous. He is a monster who killed his—”
I paused when it slowly hit me that I had a plan that I stalled because I feared Verena and my uncle knew I was behind the email.
I drew in a breath to calm my erratic breathing and the anger raging through me as a deranged laughter bubbled from my throat. “How could I have forgotten?”
The Verena I knew would never want to stay with a man who was involved in his mum’s death. No reasonable woman would want to stay with someone who killed their mum.
My eyes darted to Stacey who still had this flicker of fear dancing in her gaze as she muttered under her breath. “I have a Zoom call with my research mates,”
My heart softened. I shouldn't have yelled at her.
“Please don't look at me like that…”
Her gaze lifted. “Like what?”
“Maniac,”
She shook her head. “I was only shocked and had not expected such an explosive reaction from you,” she forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
I expelled a sigh. “I’m sorry. When I get angry, I lose control sometimes and that action has cost me a lot. It is the reason you are here,”
“With Verena, please understand that my uncle is dangerous and I need to save her from him. This is only me protecting her.”
Verena
“Daxton, do you love me?” I muttered, head resting on his bare chest as he stroked my hair gently.
Since Daxton confessed his love for me, a day had not passed without me asking how much he loved me. I asked him with every chance I got. I loved the way those three words rolled out of his tongue effortlessly.
He clicked his tongue silently. “Verena, this is like the sixth time tonight,”
The corner of my lips pulled into a smile. “Do you love me?”
“Of course I do,”
“That’s not what I want to hear,”
A rich small laugh rumbled from his chest, the heat from his skin seeping into my breasts as an ache bloomed between my thighs. I listened to the steady, fast rhythm of his heartbeat thumping slowly in my ear and smiled.
Another reason I loved asking him if he loved me was probably the way his heart always scudded hard in his chest whenever the word slipped off my tongue. It reminded me that this pulse belonged to me and I was the only one to elicit such a reaction from him.
“I love you, Verena. Love you. Love you. I might have it tattooed on my forehead at this point,”
I chuckled, eyes closing as he ran his fingertips down the curves of my spine. “That is a great idea but you still have to say it and I love you too,”
His heartbeat picked up and I could hear him smile, a sudden erection pressing against my stomach.
“You’d better not think of it, I am still sore and need a lot of rest,”
“I know, princess. You resting on me bare-chested is torturous for me…and now that I remember, why does Kian know about something we talked about in private?”
My smile dropped from the mention of that name as my head shot up. “Pardon?”
A Cigar dangled from Daxton’s mouth as he reached for the lighter, fingers hovering above the ignition tip. “He knows we plan on getting married. I didn't talk about it with anyone and that leaves me with only you…”
His eyes locked on mine while my face twisted in confusion. “But I didn't—”
My words trailed when I remembered how he had been in the kitchen while I spoke to my brother.
I pressed my eyes shut. “He overheard me talking with Atlas and hurried out of the kitchen? Did he come to meet you,”
The tension eased from Daxton’s eyes. “Yes. I confirmed it and he passed out,”
My jaw dropped. “He’s clearly lost the plot. How pathetic…like what is his problem? Are we sure that he doesn't need to be evaluated for mental illness?”
“I have a better idea, what if I send him to a Psychiatric hospital,”
My brows furrowed because that wasn't what I meant. I only wanted Kian to get his head checked but the glint in Daxton’s eyes showed that he was contemplating something dangerous.
“Physiatric Hospital…Norway…” Daxton mumbled, the shadows from the flames danced on his face.
A shiver slithered down my spine. “What’re you thinking?”
“Nothing,” Daxton lit the Cigar, took a long drag, puffed it as bellows of smoke curled into the air.
I watched with intense curiosity as his eyes darkened while he mumbled to himself. His head snapped to something and anger blazed in his eyes as he forced my head down, grabbed a coat from the next lounge chair, and covered me with it.
“Bzzzhhh…bzzzhhh…” a sound sliced through the silence.
“Isn't that a drone?”
“And that idiot is flying it towards us,”
Kian. For God’s sake, when does this even end?
“Maybe you are right, Kian needs to be mentally evaluated.”