Chapter 39 A Suspicious Phone Call
Skylar changed for bed while Christian walked out of the room to attend an important phone call. She smiled thinking of the day they spent working together. She loved working with Christian! His words echoed in her head like a broken record. The confidence with which he claimed her as his hinted at a long-term relationship with him, like a happily ever after.
It confused Skylar! Why would he want a happily ever after with her? Didn’t he love someone else? Yet he never mentioned another woman’s name. Surely if he would have loved someone so much, she would have heard of her! You couldn’t suppress true love!
She changed for bed and lay down, thinking about her relationship with Christian. Could she go ahead with an actual marriage with him? What was stopping her, actually? Christian wasn’t so bad, after all! A smile lit up her lips, and she felt she could go ahead with it.
Christian didn’t return to the bedroom even after an hour. Concerned, she went out in search of him. He was nowhere around, but she could hear his voice from the porch outside. Who was he talking to? Although it wasn’t in her nature to eavesdrop but this time she couldn’t contain the curiosity bubbling inside her.
“No, you have to be patient. Don’t lose hope.” She heard Christian whispering into his phone.
“I can’t come over now. I’ll try to wrap up my work early and come over. Can you hang on until then?” he breathed. Skylar’s eyes widened at the tenderness in his tone. Who was he speaking to? Was it the woman he loved?
“I’m sorry I couldn’t call you lately, but from now on I will. Keep me updated.” The more he spoke, the more Skylar’s heart constricted with pain and jealousy.
“No, I’m not marrying right now. I’ll postpone it if you want me to.”
Skylar stomped back to the bedroom, unable to listen anymore. While she was considering marrying him for real, he was planning to postpone their wedding. Who was the woman he was talking to in such a gentle manner? She had to find out. After a while, Christian came into the room and smiled at her.
“Any problem?” she asked, knowing fully well he wouldn’t tell her.
“Nothing important. I’ll just freshen up.” He picked up his clothes from his suitcase and headed towards the washroom, but Skylar could feel the tension he exuded. Something was definitely the matter! What could it be? Would he leave her now and marry the one he loved?
Upset at her stupidity, she chided herself mentally. How could she even consider a contract marriage with such a man? How could she fall for his charms? She shouldn’t have ever agreed to this loveless marriage. Their parents never wanted this. All they wanted was to get her married to Sebastian! Then why did she agree to marry him?
Lying down on her side, she closed her eyes to feign sleep. No, she had to get out of this engagement as fast as she could.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming message. She quickly picked it up to check. It was a message from Alyssa in their group chat.
Sorry, couldn’t take your call, earlier! I’m in San Jose at my grandparents’ house. Grandpa fell and hurt himself badly.–Alyssa.
Oh! How is Grandpa now?–Skylar.
He’s released from the hospital. Following his doctor’s advice strictly.–Alyssa.
Even I’m away on a trip!–Eva.
Skylar’s eyes popped out at seeing Eva’s message in the group.
With whom?–Skylar.
My brother. Who else?–Alyssa.
Ooo–Skylar.
Really?–Hayley.
Skylar smiled at Hayley’s message.
What were you doing, Hails? I called you too.- Skylar.
She’s living with Ashton. Don’t you know?–Alyssa.
What rubbish! I’m living in the same apartment as him.- Hayley.
It’s the same thing, girl.–Alyssa.
No, it’s not.- Hayley.
What about Sienna? She hardly chats with us nowadays.–Skylar.
Don’t you know? She’s a celebrity now. She has moved in with Lucas Donnelly, the hottest bachelor in the country!–Alyssa.
She met him in Phoenix, right?–Skylar.
Yep. Her love story is speeding on like a racing car. Mark my words, she’ll be the first one amongst us to get hitched.–Alyssa.
Oh, is it? Who’ll go next?–Hayley.
Anyone but me. I don’t like any guy yet! Maybe I’ll die a spinster and a nanny to your kids–Alyssa.
Neither do I.–Skylar.
That’s hard to believe. Aren’t you rolling on the beach with your Christian?–Hayley.
No. I’m on a Europe tour with him. Why would I roll anywhere with him? I don’t even like him, remember?–Skylar.
You’re just in denial. If you didn’t like him, you wouldn’t have agreed to go on a trip with him, Skye. You’re the toughest person to convince. You always do what you want.–Alyssa.
Skylar considered her words. They knew her since their school days. They knew her better than anyone else. Was Alyssa right? Did she really like being with Christian? Maybe that was the reason she had readily agreed to go with him.
What’s the use? He likes someone from a very young age.–Skylar.
I’m sure that’s you. If he liked someone else, he would have married her already.–Alyssa.
Skylar’s jaws dropped at seeing the message. No, Alyssa was wrong this time. Christian couldn’t like her. A few minutes ago, he was talking to the woman he liked.
No, you are wrong this time. He doesn’t like me. Anyway, good night. I’ll talk to you later.–Skylar.
She switched off the phone in case they kept on harping on the same thing. No, it couldn’t be true. Christian didn’t like her, let alone love her. He was just honoring his parents’ last wish.
The door to the washroom opened, and she feigned sleep to avoid him. She was bursting with curiosity about the woman he was talking to. It disturbed her so much she couldn't get a wink of sleep. She could feel the bed dip and Christian lie down beside her, but she lay like a log, in case he got suspicious. Just when she was about to relax, he snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her towards his chest.
Skylar’s breath hitched, and her heart thumped with dread. What was happening? Would he want to claim her tonight? No, she wouldn’t let him take advantage of their situation. She wasn’t available even if they were engaged.
A deep sigh escaped him as he embedded his face into the crook of her neck. Skylar tensed in panic, wanting to push him away. He planted a soft kiss on her neck, and another on her shoulders before grazing his lips across her throat to her chin. His fingers splayed across her abdomen, stroking the exposed skin there. It made goosebumps erupt all over her.
“Christian stop! What the fck are you doing?” she demanded, pushing him away. She rolled away from him and sat up to pin an accusatory glare at him. Christian blinked with confusion, not having expected her to be awake. He did it every night when she fell asleep and it never disturbed her. How did she wake up tonight?
“Cuddling you to sleep. You like it, don’t you? Last night, you thanked me for not leaving you.” Skylar frowned, having no memory of it.
“What the hell! Do you do this every night when I’m asleep, without my permission?” she demanded angrily.
“So? We’re engaged, aren’t we? I’m not doing anything wrong. There’s no harm in cuddling to sleep.”
“I don’t believe this. I can’t sleep with you.” She picked up a pillow and stormed out of the room towards the children’s room. Locking the door after her, she fumed at his insolence. How could he take her for granted? How could he love someone else yet take advantage of her?
No, this couldn’t go on. She needed to confront him and his family. She needed to break off the engagement and be free of him.
Christian felt upset at her reaction. All he did was cuddle her to sleep. He didn’t kiss her, nor did he ever take advantage of her. He restrained himself with a cold shower every night. Couldn’t she see how much he was suffering to stay away from the woman he loved?
He maintained his distance when every second all he could think of was to kiss her, to claim her, to make crazy love to her. She was his fiancée, the one he wanted to marry. Why would he need her permission for everything? Wasn’t he entitled to hug her?
He knew she would have difficulty sleeping in the children’s room, but this time, he didn’t stop her. Instead, he closed his eyes and tried hard to sleep. It was difficult to sleep after the disturbing phone call from Lillian.
Sebastian was supposed to reach Erica’s house last night to get her, but he hadn’t reached there. If only he knew before. He would have asked Sebastian about his whereabouts when he called him. Their wedding was fixed next week and Sebastian wanted to take Erica to Lillian’s house. It had been nearly twenty-four hours, yet there were no signs of Sebastian.
Christian picked up his phone and tried calling his brother for the tenth time since he knew of his disappearance. There was no answer again.
He sighed and closed his eyes. Should he postpone everything and go to Cleveland instead?