Chapter 100 Pancakes For Luke
In a panicked, breathless condition, William rushed to his place, hoping to avoid Arabella spilling any beans but to his ignorance.
She spilled more than he could possibly fathom.
Things even he didn’t know.
She ensured Luke won’t even look back to her, she eradicated his existence from her life.
But, unaware, William anxiously entered, slamming the door open and saw his brother sitting quietly on the couch with his head low.
“Lu-”
Clearing his throat to sound monotonous, William called him firmly, “Luke?”
Luke looked up at his brother with empty eyes..
But no longer having strength to interfere nor wanting to tell him about the wretched but wholehearted confession, he averted his gaze.
“William, Can…” Luke gulped, “Can I have dinner? I am starving,”
“Uh… Sure. What do you want? Order something or I make-”
He replied instantly, “Remember those fluffy pancakes you used to make at Auntie Liyah’s place? Those,”
“Uh…Sure,”
Nodding, he entered, eyeing the door suspiciously, wondering what they talked about that made Arabella stay in the room.
‘Or maybe she is frightened because of what happened last time,’ He thought sadly, sighing.
Placing his things away, he took off his coat and rolled his sleeves. Washing his hands, he took out the ingredients and began to cook.
Luke slowly stared at his brother with confusion.
‘If you didn't love her back then why did you marry her? What for? Was it to… hurt me?’
Forming his lips in a thin line, he rose from the couch and sat on the counter, how he used to do in their childhood whenever William cooked for them.
William gave him a side eye, dubious what must be going through his mind but kept a poker face and continued mixing the batter.
“So, did she tell you who it was?” He sparked a conversation.
“It doesn’t matter anymore. She says even if it is William, that fact I am his wife is unchangeable. Leaving you guys be is the only option,”
“... So you will leave us forever?”
“Do you want me to?”
“Not me, at least,” William replied honestly with a sorrowful smile.
Lukke frowned, “Then why did you marry her, William? Did you love her? Or was it to hurt me?”
Stopping for a second, William merely exhaled a calm, composed sigh.
“I have told you, it’s not as complicated as you think, I couldn’t resist-”
Luke’s jaw clenched, growling at him in a low tone, “I don’t want this stupid reason. I want a proper, an acceptable reason,”
“What reason will you take as acceptable?”
Frowning, William placed his hand on his sides, tilting his head in confusion.
“Will it be ‘I was jealous’, or perhaps, ‘You got into a relationship with the woman who should be mine,’”
“Should be yours?”
“Just an example, tell me which reason will be ‘acceptable’ to you and I will use it next time,” William remained unbothered.
Distressed at the unfathomable expression formed by his brother, Luke was at a loss of words. He couldn’t read a single thought.
Not a glimpse of feelings, no remorse, nothing at all.
“You love her…?” Luke trailed off vaguely.
Questioning but considering it an example too, William shrugged his shoulders and placed his attention back to the batter.
“Fine. I love her,”
His mouth gaped, “That’s it? So do you actually love her or is it just for my consolation?”
“For you,”
Disliking the nonchalance, Luke took a deep breath to control his composure and corrected his statement.
“Then let me rephrase I want to know ‘your’ reason. Your true reason. Why did you marry my girlfriend?”
He stopped.
A strong hesitation flickered.
Luke saw his feelings shake for a heartbeat but before he could comprehend, William concealed it professionally.
“What if I can’t tell?”
“Why not? How hard is it to say you love her?”
“I just couldn’t say no when she offered marriage,”
“Why not?”
“Somethings are not in our control, Luke, and once again- I couldn’t resist, I couldn’t stop myself.”
“So you love her?”
“If that’s what you want to believe then yes, I do. Are you satisfied now?”
Ending with exasperation, William ended up glaring at him to not nag about the same question whose answer dwells right in his room but confessing it openly wasn’t the right time.
Nor did he have proper words to begin with. For Arabella, he repeated scenarios after scenarios, he collected words, actions, to sway her.
He knew what he wanted to do and when but… no other entered his mind.
He didn’t think once he had to deal with others too.
But- If Arabella had told him the truth- He would accept it. That’s for sure.
“So that’s it?”
Luke chuckled dryly, finding no proper reason from William and for once, Arabella might be telling him the truth.
“Hmmm,”
Relieving that one way or another, Arabella will pay for betraying him, that her deed will not go unpunished, he curled his lips upward.
William was bewildered by his smile and served him a few pancakes with his favorite maple syrup.
“Here,”
“Thanks,”
Placing the rest on the separate plate, he walked to his room and knocked on the door.
“Bella, open the door,”
She opened the door quietly, gaze lowered, wondering if Luke had blurted her confession to his face or twisted the truth to his advantage.
But, none happened as he cleared his throat, “Here, I made these for Luke, have some too.”
She took the plate and saw Luke nonchalantly eating the pancakes and to find William returning the immeasurable love to Luke.
But never bothered to pay attention to her heart’s condition, it worsened her anguish.
Her lips quivered. She hated how he was aware of everyone’s love except for her.
And it made her jaw clenched as she growled, “When is your brother going to leave?”
Luke returned the same reaction and glared, “Why? I am here for my brother.”
Returning a sick smile, he hit her where it hurts the most, “And no matter what he ‘loves’ me, he cannot abandon me,”
Tears refilled her eyes, hating how he severed her most sensitive nerve by his harsh remark that ruptured her composure.
And since William only saw them together and rushed her senselessly, without checking what happened or what they did.
He had zero idea what they were talking about.
Baffled, William exchanged glances with both of them and asked hesitantly.
“Uh.. What happened?”
Her jaw clenched, shifting her infuriated glare to William who held the plate of pancakes made for his ‘beloved’ brother.
Her chest flared as she slapped the plate away from his hand, shattering it to pieces, spilling the food, wasting it.
“You have made me fucking crazy, that’s what happened!”
Yelllin furiously, Arabella slammed the door on his face and locked it once again while William stood stunned at what the fuck just happened.