Chapter 24 Out Of His Mind
Shaking her head, suppressing her smile, she soaked her hands and entered her cabin only to find her table pristine, files arranged, the dust on the vase was gone, table cleared as if no coffee was spilled.
“Still a clean-freak?”
“Two years are not enough to change the habit of years,” He chuckled sheepishly.
“Anyways, the contract papers got ruined, so I sent him to print them again. Fortunately they weren’t signed by any party yet,”
William was sitting on the couch, using his phone with one leg over the other, enhancing his bewitching features that made her heart skip a beat.
Once again recognizing her footsteps, a smile crept on his hard features, rising from the seat while asking sweetly.
“Is it better now? Or shall I put some ice?”
“No, no, it’s fine…”
“Seriously, what ghost possessed you to jump like that?” He chuckled playfully, poking her forehead to be so clumsy.
Her eyes innocently glance at him, witnessing his profound emotions that were willing to display his best demeanor for her recognition.
To find someone putting most heartfelt efforts for her was beautiful.
It felt peaceful as if her old William with whom she grew up was revived.
“Thank you,” She whispered, looking away before his eyes could notice her stare, maintaining a fair distance from him.
“What happened? Are you feeling okay? Did I startle you? Did you have lunch? You can take a day off if you want,”
His series of questions came, tilting his head to get a glimpse of her face.
“No, and, Luke always said to prioritize career,”
He scoffed, waving his hand to shrug that thought off because he was present for her, he wouldn’t prefer her stressing over work.
“Oh, your one day off won’t change the fortune written in my fate. I own this building now, take advantage of it, all privileges are yours,”
“What exactly do you intend to do with this?”
“After making ample profit, I will sell it to a third party, I believe we both know that I am doing this for you only.” He told her nervously, scratching the back of his neck before offering again.
“So, do you want to go home? I can drop you before leaving for work,”
“No, I am fine, I will work, I don’t want to go there… without you,”
“I see. Then text me before leaving so we could be home together. I doubt you can handle Luke’s wrath,” He suggested softly.
“Yeah.. I know,”
“Okay then, take care. And if you need anything do let me know, I am here for you, Bella,”
Whispering affectionately, burying the urge to kiss her forehead, he left for work as well.
Carrying the distress, she continued working but since tension didn’t allow her to focus properly and praying she won’t mess up things like she did before.
She decided to take an early leave and texted William about it. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her composure, believing in-
‘Go home, stay in the room until William returns and not involve yourself slightly with Luke,’
To her it sounded simple but the second she entered, her eyes fell on Luke who was sitting in the hall, dispersing melancholy everywhere.
Her steps froze, a shiver went down her spine at his condition.
Messy hair, face red from the effect of the alcohol, hanging his head low, emerging hollowness.
The bottle of whiskey was clutched firmly as three buttons of his shirt were opened, still in yesterday’s clothes but in a worse condition.
Staring into nothingness, he took a sip from the bottle, failing to notice her approaching footsteps.
Unwillingly shredding compassion for his state, Arabella asked softly, holding her dress firmly in dismal.
“You are here?”
Her question reached as a mock that evoked a husky, dark laugh, leaning his head back on the headrest, connecting his eyes piercing with hers.
“After stealing my sleep, my emotions, my everything… you expect me to fucking work?” He snarled.
Her jaw clenched, disliking his state and glared back and with wrath dropping to his core, burning it, Luke lost his senses.
Curling his hand in a fist, he hissed, expressing his regret.
“You have ruined my life, I should have left you that day… But, no, it is my fault for trusting you,”
She scoffed, folding her arms at her chest, “Oh, please, stop creating a shield of a past incident.”
Enraged with him blaming her, she stepped forth angrily, pointing her finger at him.
“Why don’t you accept that you regret being my boyfriend, you were only toying with me,”
“Yeah, you are right. You have proven going into a relationship with you had always been a wrong decision,”
He did the same gesture, losing his breaths as the alcohol had affected his ability to perceive.
“You really think I have cheated, right?”
Her mouth gaped in disbelief, disappointment reached its peak as she asked in a broken tone.
“Did you not? I have fucking cystal-clear proof right before me. What else is left to believe in?” He hissed, rising from the seat, intimidating eyes following her composure that pissed off.
“Yeah… you are right. And you know what?”
Lifting her head high, she looked dead into his soul and hit his sensitive spot by declaring unwaveringly.
“You deserve this pain for worsening my inferiority-complexes and insecurities.”
Subduing the ache, Arabella stepped forward to which his eyes widened.
Losing all her hopes as the remaining coals of their bond blew as well.
Everything flashed before her for the final time, like a final spark before dying permanently.
She realized she fell for a wrong man but her transparent disheartened feelings ignited his ego.
“Then why the fuck did you come near me and became my girlfriend, huh!?”
Furiously throwing the bottle away, shattering it as her steps stumbled out of flinching when he approached her with a hunting gaze.
“Why did you attach your heart with mine?! Why did you go to him?!”
Pointing at his heart, he came closer, hovering over her as tears out of heartbreak brimmed in both of their eyes.
Inexplicable anger almost forced him to do something he might regret later, subsequently she attempted to bring him back to his senses.
“L-Luke, stop it-”
“Why did you lie to me, Arabella!? HOW DARE YOU-”
But, before his hands could grasp her harshly, William entered at the last moment, pushing Luke back before he could hurt her in spite.
“Luke, Luke, Luke, stop, enough,”
“You too stop trying to act like a fucking saint after stealing my girlfriend, William!”
No longer in his right state, Luke pushed William back too, breaking into a sobbing, not wanting to listen to any justification or lock his tongue.
“I am sorry but it became uncontrollable, I tried to stop myself… I couldn’t,”
Shrinking his eyes, William tried to hold his shoulders to cease his anger and help him relax.
Instead his words doubled his fury as he slapped his hand away, panting badly, falling into a hazy state, he ended up sobbing.
“That doesn’t give you the right to fucking marry her! And she, that woman even agreed!? Was she that desperate to leave me for him!?”
That was the extent she could hear, moving William out of the way, she pushed Luke by his chest furiously, screaming at him.
“I WAS OR YOU WERE, ASSHOLE!?”
“Please, listen, things got out of hand. Arabella came to know. I couldn’t see anything too-”
Coming in between to stop their fighting before anything unfathomable could happen,
William was disturbed explicitly, moving his hands in the middle to halt them.
“I care for both of you, please sit down, talk, listen-”
But, growing out of control, Luke’s jaw clenched and without a second thought, becoming uncaring of everything, he slapped William across his face.
“SHUT UP, MOTHERFUCKER!”