Chapter 20: chapter 20
In Love with the CEO
Chapter 20
Author:
ALEXANDER
William: “I knew you’d feel betrayed. I wanted to tell you everything from the start, but Thea wasn’t ready yet, and you know how hard it is to say no to her.”
Me, smiling despite myself: “Yeah, that’s not wrong.”
William: “So, can I assume you approve of our relationship?”
Me: “Do I have a choice? You’ve already turned her head. Look at how she spoke to me last time—she’s never talked to me that harshly before. But let me tell you, the day you make her cry, I’ll forget you’re my brother.”
William, smiling: “I love her too much for that. I plan to make her the mother of my future children.”
Me: “Who would’ve thought? William talking about having kids.”
William: “That’s because I hadn’t met the right one yet.”
Me, laughing: “Either way, for your sake, I hope it lasts, or I’ll kill you, dissolve your body in acid, and then organize a search party to find you.”
William, smiling: “It’s your sister who’d suffer the most. Where would she find another man like me? So handsome and virile?”
Me: “No, I don’t want to know the details—it’s still my sister.”
I have to admit, love suits her. I understand now why he didn’t want to tell me last time about the girl who was taming him. I really hope I don’t end up caught in the middle of their story and that they’ll end up happy. Even though my sister is young and sometimes immature, I know they can build something together if they truly want to.
Having been with an immature woman myself, I know how hard it can be to handle and manage them.
William, taking a serious tone: “I heard Alex left the house. What happened to get you to this point?”
Me, sighing: “I messed up.”
William: “Finally, you’re starting to realize things. What are you waiting for to go get your wife back?”
Me: “It’s not like I want her to come back so we can build a real husband-and-wife relationship. This separation is probably the best thing for her, but at home, it’s really tense, and Julia misses her terribly.”
William: “And you? Don’t you miss her?”
Me: “Yeah, a little. I admit I got used to seeing her every evening when I come home, and even the faces she makes in the morning when she wakes up—I miss those.”
William: “Don’t you think that’s enough to fight to get your wife back?”
Me: “I don’t think I’m ready to invest in a romantic relationship or love anyone right now.”
William: “But you already are. You love that girl. Don’t you notice how you smile when you talk about her?”
Me: “Stop seeing love everywhere. Still, I spoke to her mother, and she told me to come pick her up.”
William: “You think going through that woman will fix things? She’ll only make it worse.”
Me: “Of course I know that. I want to bring her back, not push her further away. She doesn’t want any contact with me, and since I don’t want to go through her mother, I had someone stationed near her apartment to keep me informed of her every move.”
William, laughing: “No, you didn’t.”
Me: “Well, I didn’t have a choice.”
William: “And what info have you gotten so far?”
Me, a bit ashamed: “She rarely leaves the house, and when she does, it’s to go to the grocery store. Her eyes are always red, and her face is swollen.”
William: “She’s spending all her days crying over you. Do you realize that?”
Me: “Of course I realize it. I don’t see why she insists on staying in her corner when it’s making her suffer.”
William, surprised: “Is this the same guy who was just threatening to kill me talking?”
Me: “Let me handle it.”
William: “You can see from miles away that you love this girl, but if you refuse to accept it and tell her how you feel, let me tell you, she’s a free woman right now, even if the divorce hasn’t been finalized. Someone else could take her from you.”
Me, getting angry: “She is not a free woman. We’re still legally married. She’s still my wife, even if we’re not living under the same roof right now. If she dares let another man touch her, I’ll kill them both.”
William: “If you don’t want her, step aside for someone who can own up to their love and their relationship.”
Me: “That’s out of the question. Anyway, she’s had enough time to herself to think. I plan to pay her a little visit tonight.”
William: “You know full well she won’t let you in. Don’t rush things and push her away even more.”
Me, smiling: “You know better than anyone that my actions are always calculated.”
William: “And I’ve noticed that when it comes to this girl, you lose all your senses pretty easily.”
Me: “Stop it. Like I said, I’ll pay her a visit, and she’ll have to let me in because I won’t be alone. I have the perfect excuse: Julia. Don’t tell me I’m using my daughter—it’s for a good cause. Besides, if I’m doing all this, it’s for her.”
William, laughing: “If you say so. Keep making excuses…”
I’ll admit it takes a huge weight off my shoulders to have cleared things up with him. It’s the first time we’ve stayed at odds for so long. I truly wish he finds love too, and if my sister is the one to give it to him, who am I to stand in the way? I sincerely hope he stays faithful despite his many admirers and makes my sister happy. If not, I’m sure I’ll cross his path, and it’d be a shame for such a long friendship to end like that…
ALEX
I’ve decided to take my life back. I’m not going to keep moping over a man who’s not worth it. I see him as a bad experience that can happen to anyone at some point in their life. Life doesn’t stop for that—you have to bounce back from your falls. So that’s what I plan to do: find a job to get out of this house. I feel like I’m suffocating here. Staying busy would help me think about him less, and who knows, I might meet a man who’ll love me the way I deserve. The mere thought of it makes me laugh because I can’t really imagine myself in anyone else’s arms right now except that lunatic’s.
For now, what’s urgent is making a good plate of pasta. I’m starving—it feels like someone’s carved a hole in my stomach. I need something hearty to fill that gap (laughs). We don’t have any potato flour at home, so I throw something on and head out to get what I need.
Lately, I’ve had this bad feeling that I’m being watched or followed when I leave the house. It’s like I’m just becoming paranoid.
On my way back from the grocery store, a man offers to help carry my bags. I’m sure I’ve never seen him before, but he has such a familiar air that reassures me, so I accept his offer. He makes conversation, and I respond out of politeness. When we reach the entrance to my building, he wants to exchange contact info, which feels a bit weird. I’m hesitant, but then I spot Alexander watching us from a distance. The anger in his eyes alone makes me hand my card to the man with a smile. I don’t even wait for Alexander to approach—I head straight up to my place.
A few minutes later, I hear someone ring the bell. There’s no way I’m opening the door for him. At some point, he stops ringing, which is for the best—let him go back where he came from. I don’t want to talk to him, and besides, this isn’t his house. He should call before showing up.
I keep calmly chopping my tomatoes when I feel two cold hands on my arms, making me jump. Who is it? I’m supposed to be alone since my mother’s out.
When I turn around, there he is, standing behind me.
Me, in shock: “What are you doing here? How did you get in?”
Alexander, smiling: “Your mother let me in.”
Me, horrified: “Don’t take me for a fool. How did you get in here? My mother’s not home. Did you get a copy of my keys or what?”
Alexander: “Your mother met us at the door and let us in. Who was that man you were with?”
Me: “I don’t owe you any explanations, as far as I know.”
Alexander, in a harsh tone: “In case you forgot, you’re still my wife. I let you have some time here to yourself, but I don’t allow you to be so familiar with strangers.”
Me, laughing: “I remind you we’re in the process of getting divorced, and who says he’s a stranger?”
Alexander, getting angry: “Don’t provoke me…”
Julia, throwing herself into my arms: “Alexxx…”
Me, hugging her tightly: “My darling, I didn’t know you were here.”
Alexander: “I was just about to let you know.”
Julia: “You forgot about me, didn’t you?”
Me: “Not at all, my darling. Your dad’s never home, so it’s often hard to get in touch with you. I missed you so much.”
Julia, giving me wet kisses: “I missed you a lot too.”
Me: “I’m making dinner tonight—an African dish. I hope you’ll stay with me until dinner.”
Julia, turning to her father: “Daddy, we can stay, right? Say yes, say yes…”
Alexander, turning to me with a smile: “Of course we can stay, my darling.”
He’s not welcome, but if spending time with Julia means putting up with his presence, I’m willing to do it. My mother chose to stay in her room, so we spent the whole evening together, the three of us. We cooked together and ate together. It’d be a lie to say I didn’t enjoy this moment with them. It’d also be a lie to say it didn’t make me dream. I so wished it could be like this every evening, that we could form a real family, but alas, it’s not possible…