Chapter 14 chapter 14
Chapter 14 chapter 14
In Love with the CEO
Chapter 14
Author:
ALEXANDER
I go knock on Thea’s door, hoping deep down that she can tell me where Alex went with all her things. When she opens the door, I rush to ask the question burning my lips.
Me, worried: “Where is she?”
Thea: “Who?”
Me, growing impatient: “Who do you think? Where’s Alex?”
Thea: “Where would she be? She’s sleeping, isn’t she?”
Me, getting angry: “Sleeping? She’s not in our room!”
Thea: “Oh, yeah, sorry, I forgot. She’s in the room you were using recently.”
I thank her and leave, hurrying to join Alex. When I enter and close the door behind me, she jumps. When she turns and sees me, she lies back down. Is she messing with me or what?
Me, in a firm tone, trying to hide my relief at finding her: “What are you doing here?”
Alex, still facing away: “You can see I’m sleeping.”
Me: “Are you screwing with me or what?”
Alex: “…”
Me, standing in front of her: “When I talk to you, you answer. What are you doing in this room?”
Alex: “It’s my new room.”
Me, putting my hands in my pockets: “Who decided that?”
Alex: “I did. From now on, this will be my room here. Now you can leave; I need to sleep.”
Me, forcing her to stand: “If you’ve forgotten, let me refresh your memory. I’m the one who makes the decisions here. You don’t have the right to make a decision without my consent. So I want you back in our room in the next five minutes, and that’s not a request.”
Alex: “Know that I’m not setting foot in that room. I’m not moving from here. I don’t want to disturb Mr. and his memories. Go ahead if you want, but I’m not budging.”
Me, slightly amused: “You should know I always get what I want. I’m leaving, but in the next five minutes, I want to see you in our room.”
I leave her there, knowing full well she’ll be wise to listen to me. I was sitting in an armchair when she enters the room, making her displeasure obvious.
Alex: “What’s your problem with me, seriously? You don’t want me here, so why are you forcing me to stay? What’s your deal?”
Me, in a harsh tone: “My problem is that Julia has always had both her parents in the same room, so you’re not going to change that. And this is the last time you make decisions like this in my absence. You’ve been warned.”
Alex, starting to cry: “Why are you forcing me to stay in a room where I can’t touch anything or move freely? Let me go back to the other room. Why are you so set on torturing me? What did I do to you?”
Me: “If it’s about the closet, it’ll be cleared out tomorrow, and you can do whatever you want with it. If you need more space, you can even put some of my things in a suitcase. But other than that, understand that you’re not moving from this room.”
With those words, I leave her there and head to the shower. I wonder how she can be such a spoiled brat in front of me yet become a mother Julia can rely on. Her ability to swing from one extreme to the other will always amaze me.
When I return, she’s lying on her side of the bed, and her sniffling tells me she’s still crying. If she’s going to cry every time I don’t give in to her whims, I think crying will become a big part of her life.
Unlike yesterday, it’s short-lived. A few minutes later, I don’t hear her anymore. I think she’s asleep. I turn over, trying to find sleep myself.
ALEX
It’s been a few months since Alexander and I got married. He comes home late every night when everyone’s already asleep. At first, it was hard for me—his indifference was killing me slowly. But over time, I’m getting used to it, and day by day, I realize this man doesn’t love me. He just needed me to take care of his daughter. I’m not the happiest woman in the world, nor am I the most miserable. Spending time with Julia gives me the desire to become a mother, to carry life, but I also realize every day that it’ll always be a dream if I stay with this man. You need to make love to hope to get pregnant, and that’s something that’s never happened between us. I’m eagerly awaiting our divorce so I can go start my own family.
This morning, like every morning, I lay out his outfit on the bed, but instead of going to wake Julia, I sit on the bed, waiting for him to come out of the shower. I plan to have a discussion with him—it’s the only time I can see my husband.
Alexander, drying his hair: “What are you doing there?”
Me, defensive: “I’ll have you know this is my room too.”
Alexander: “I’m not denying that, but don’t you think Julia might be late for school?”
Me, sighing: “It’s Saturday today. She doesn’t have school, so I’m letting her sleep a bit longer.”
Alexander, putting his hands on his hips: “So what do you want? I need to get dressed. Can you leave me alone, please?”
Most of the time, I tell myself I’m used to his sarcasm and contempt, but he’s so good at hitting where it hurts that he always finds his mark. How can my own husband ask me to leave our room so he can get dressed?
Me, pretending not to be hurt: “I’m not moving. If you plan to get dressed, you’ll have to do it in front of me.”
Alexander, with a smirk: “I’m just saying this for your sake, you know. I wouldn’t want to make you drool and then leave you hanging, so it’s up to you.”
With that, he drops the towel tied around his waist, revealing his entire body to me for the first time. This body he’s denied me. I can’t help but let my gaze linger on, you know, what I’ve dreamed of all these months, what I’ve longed to have inside me all this time and which has been forbidden to me. For the first time, I see it in real life.
My throat goes dry, my body shivers. I’m fighting so hard not to throw myself into his arms. I’ll never humiliate myself again by asking for what’s rightfully mine.
Alexander: “Stop looking at it like that. You’d think you’re staring at a steak on the grill.”
Me, caught off guard and embarrassed: “I think I have the right to look at my husband, don’t I? Or am I wrong?”
Alexander: “Are you going to tell me what you want already?”
Me, trying to regain my composure: “I’d like to go back to work.”
Alexander: “I don’t think you lack anything here to need to work. If you want more money, just tell me.”
Me, cutting him off: “It’s not about money. I’m tired of staying in this house doing nothing all day. I need to keep busy.”
Alexander: “If you’re that bored, you can go out, have fun, but there’s no way you’re going to work.”
Me, trying not to get angry: “What’s your problem? I’m not asking for your permission; I’m informing you. I plan to find a job.”
Alexander, retorting: “And I’m informing you that this isn’t a discussion but an order. I don’t think you can properly take care of Julia if you have a job, so for now, it’s not an option.”
Me, trying to convince him: “But let me at least try to show you I can do both.”
Alexander, cutting me off: “It’s no. The subject is closed. You can leave.”
Me: “I can’t wait for the day I get away from you. I’m sick of you.”
Alexander, laughing: “Already? You’ve got a long way to go.”
Me: “Keep pushing me to my limit, and I might end up killing you in your sleep one day.”
He doesn’t even respond, the idiot. He doesn’t give a damn about me, that guy…