Chapter 23 His Sincere Assurance
Throwing the phone away, she pulled her hair in frustration, a quaver evoked from her core, hands turning numb with an aching sensation.
“Wh-What have I done, William? I-I got so furious so lost that I.. I.. forgot about Helena…”
Breaths becoming unstable due to the ruckus that had been created. Eyes widened in appalled as she took a long moment to consume what happened.
“I didn’t realize how much she would hate me… She hates me now, she will never forgive me,”
He had no words or statements for consolation. Merely listening with gloom as she expressed her greatest pain- Helena’s anger.
“What have I done!?”
“I have made such a big mistake!”
“I was so angry that I didn’t think… I have separated you too… my angry drowned all of you,”
William narrowed his eyes in compassion but knew his words would vanquish before her agony and saw her regret in her eyes.
It pierced, violently, purloining words from his tongue as he placed his hand over her head.
That was all he could do for both of their comfort.
“Your anger or my desire to call you mine? I am equally involved. I hold equal faults,” He spoke of an undeniable truth and was willing to accept this on his account as well.
“I said yes too. Who forces us? None. I am to be blamed as well,”
He knew if he had spoken now, Helena might have considered it wrongly so he decided to convince her alone when her anger would be reduced.
“Yet I feel horrible, William, what have I done?”
“I will talk to her, I will make her listen that it was my decision, my choice, my fault, you don’t have to be vexed. I am here,”
William curled his lips upwards emptily, concealing the ache of finding remorse in her eyes and reassured her.
“I will take it all under my name for you,”
“What?”
“Yes. I will tell her that if there is someone to blame then it’s me. I won’t let your friendship break, I promise you,”
It was intolerable, it grasped his breaths in the claw of an abysmal pain. Of never receiving her cognition but that was the path he had chosen after all.
And now he prayed that for a second, if possible, she might believe in him which she did- that was enough for him.
“Y-You will?”
“Yes, I told you I accept everything wholeheartedly, I will manage everything,” He nodded and was about to pull away from her but stopping him, she held his shirt.
“Thank you, William…”
He didn’t reply and immobilizing his whole being, to eradicate her weight, she placed her head on his shoulder, hoping to attain his support.
“Thank you so much,”
Murmuring, her fingers, for consolation, intertwined with his, refusing to let go as an indication of her fear.
“I am here, Bella, I always was and always will be,”
William sincerely accepted her merest proximity and ran his fingers through her locks sweetly, closing his eyes to indulge in her sensation.
“There is nothing to worry about in my presence,” He whispered wholeheartedly.
“I will always protect you,” expressing his profound affection which was always unnoticed by her.
“Like always, right?” Sniffing, she pulled away slowly as he wiped her tears with his thumb, bringing a scarlet shade on her puffy cheeks.
“Like always,”
Her eyes failed to greet him, gripping the sheets when his fingers moved across her tender cheek, sending a shiver down their spines.
And before one touch could leave him at the edge of his breaths and senses, he pulled away abruptly, for the betterment of his heart.
“I.. uh.. We should sleep,”
He faked a cough, sitting back on the couch, “I will adjust on the couch,”
“You don’t have to,”
“It’s alright, I want you to be comfortable which I know you won’t be with me being next to you, Bella,” Forcing a smile, he gestured to her to be relaxed.
“I am sorry for making you sleep like this in your room,”
“You don’t have to apologize for anything. I understand you have hesitations, everyone does,”
He continued to smile as to find her sharing the room satisfied him explicitly.
It almost obliterated all his grief that among all the chaos, she was before him… as his, most importantly.
Without exchanging further words, they both laid down to end this stressful day, leaving everything on time’s sake.
That it will heal everything eventually.
Laying on his back with his one hand over his stomach and other over his forehead, emitting shallow breaths with a slightly gaped mouth, William went into a deep slumber.
Unaware, a certain woman, curled like a ball, was innocently staring at him in admiration for the support he showed towards her today.
The next day, hoping to divert her mind from the chaos that occurred yesterday, to get out of Luke’s heartbreaking statements, Arabella decided to work.
Hoping to shift all her attention to work so it won’t ruin her trail of thoughts as her door knocked and her co-worker entered along with some files.
“Here, have this coffee, you are working too hard and the contract papers Boss asked for,”
He smiled, doing out of kindness as everyone at the office could feel her gloom. Placing the files on the table, he offered her the cup.
“Ah, thank you so much, I really needed that,” She smiled back, taking the cup from him.
“No problem,”
Smiling, their hands touched as she grabbed the cup and in that second, the door of her cabin opened, revealing William who was about to leave and wanted to comfort her before leaving.
“Arabella, listen-”
Jumping instinctively, her hands flashed, hitting the cup as it fell on her hand and the table because her mind recalled ‘no interaction with a male’ due to Luke and reacted without cognition.
“Oh Lord!”
“Are you okay, Arabella?”
Shivering, a gasp of pain left her lips when the burning coffee spilled and panicking to find her hurt, he rushed to her side, holding her hands.
“Get some ice,”
“Yes, Sir,”
Although she expected a scolding for making a mess and touching, he was only tense about her.
“Are you okay? What happened? Let me see,”
Her whole being stiff, glancing at the man who expressed endless perturbation for her, blowing on her hand, caressing her hand as she lifted her gaze.
Narrowing her eyes, she whimpered, giving his hand a firm squeeze as he was inspecting it if the burn was too much.
“Oh, it’s not bad, thankfully. You should be careful. Go and wash your hands, it will be okay,” Instructing softly, he unknowingly gave her back a pat to leave.
“Y-Yes, Sir,”
With a blush adorning her cheeks, she nodded and went to wash her hands. Staring at them at how tenderly he touched, caressing her and her thoughts began to swirl into uncertainty.
‘Is he truly devoted to me or is it just an act but… even as acting, why would he agree to lose his brother?’
She knew he was pouring all his endearment in his actions, utilizing all his chance and cherished her that began to induce thoughts, the ones she won’t brim.
‘His siblings are his life, for them, he had sacrificed everything, he would never willingly lose them…
If I call it acting it would be an insult to his emotions.
So does that mean, I am above all?’