Chapter 33 The Deadly Game
Two years ago, after a certain incident, Luke went into depression. He was on the verge of losing it all, from his cherished bonds to his life.
He stopped being his usual cheery self. Unwanted thoughts began to knock on his mind, he became… doubtful.
Staring at the ceiling, the recent moment with Arabella struck him.
“I love you, Luke… I love you,”
“You do realize this is the first time you are saying you love me, right?”
“I know and I mean it,” She nodded hastily, tightening her grip on him, gathering her words, becoming desperate.
“Give me another chance, this won’t happen again, I swear,”
He couldn’t help but to chuckle dryly, “Swear huh? Don’t you think it’s too late for that?”
“I will do ‘anything’ you say but please don’t hate me, please, I will never disappoint you again, I will never hurt you,”
“I think I need time, Arabella, it’s better you stay away from me for the time being,”
He was about to leave but she shouted painfully, "Please, Luke! Don't abandon me! I love you! Only you!"
“Fuck,” Cursing, he rubbed his temples, unsure what to do anymore.
His path was becoming hazy.
‘Should I give her a chance? Or break up before our bond could actually start? What should I do!?’
Plus, his ideal, his brother was leaving for London as well and he was left on the edge of questioning until William decided to confront him.
“Still thinking about it?”
His voice broke, covering his face with his hands, “How could she do this…? What did I do wrong, William?”
“I thought she loved you. It can't be a drunk mistake. Although I warned you already that she cannot be trusted,” William softly spoke, placing his hand over his shoulder.
“What…?”
His eyes widened in horror and worsening his state, William continued, rendering him unable to perceive properly.
“You should watch out, Luke, look at what happened today. It can also happen again,”
“Again?”
“Yes. What is the guarantee of cheaters after all?”
He shivered, tears brimming in his eyes, “What do you suggest I do then, William? I don’t want to lose her. I love her…”
And it provided him with an opportunity to carve his path as Luke asked his brother miserably for help.
“I.. I don’t want to lose Arabella… For the first time I felt this way for someone, I-I want to become a better person,”
Panicking, Luke began to look here and there, attempting to suppress his tears as William watched with strange feelings.
“There- There has to be a misunderstanding… a mistake,”
“But, the fact she cannot be trusted is undeniable. Therefore you must keep that woman in control,” William whispered, tightening his grip over his shoulder.
His eyes shrunk, almost disgusted at the suggestion and declined hastily.
“That would be so wrong, William, I can’t do that, I have no rights, I am her lover, not owner,” He whispered, lowering his head.
“Why not? Aren’t you in a relationship? Doesn’t she have some obligation to be sincere after what happened?”
William gave his shoulder a pat, moving closer, persuading him into believing his advice could never be wrong, shaking his formidable ethics.
“Okay, I will leave next week but what is the guarantee she won’t go to someone else?”
Leaning forward, William whispered in his ears, “What if Bella cheats again?”
“Stop it, please, please, William,” Luke gritted his teeth, covering his ears as tears streamed down his face.
“That is why. Keep her in your palm, Luke,”
The incident shook his very core, he forgot the line between right and wrong. Curling his hand in a powerless fist, he hated how it sounded.
But… he found those words right.
At a certain point, to escape through his agony, the doubts and forget what happened, he knew he wasn’t wrong either.
“That is why I am advising you, control her, keep that woman in your palm so she will be yours only."
“I do.. Badly. And I am afraid of losing her. What if she gets weary? What if this relationship became a suffocation for her?” Luke asked breathlessly, tears gleaming in his eyes.
Afraid one day he might become undesirable, the fear of abandonment coated his resonance… truly afraid of losing her.
"You truly want her, don’t you?”
Luke trailed off vaguely, “Yes, I want her wholeheartedly… but not like a puppet,”
“It’s okay to be selfish in love, my brother.”
“Really?”
“Yes, don’t you want her to be how you want?” William asked seriously, changing his perspective about a relationship.
“But… not by forcing.. Doesn’t change happen willingly?”
“Exactly. And since you are loyal for the first time, handling affection and shit must be difficult for you.”
“It is…”
“Believe me, she won’t understand unless you actually stop her. Who knows Bella better than me after all?”
“Don’t double my dismal, my brother,”
William continued pushing him towards a corner of no return.
His heart thumped madly, not liking where this would lead but to become selfish.
He couldn’t control that either.
He wanted her all for himself, her presence- according to him- brought him towards a path of betterment.
“I am seriously suggesting you, Luke, and until then don’t let a word about your bond out,”
“And you think it will work? Will it make her blind towards me and think about me only?” He asked miserably, that if could help, he would actually comply.
“Yes, trust me,”
William flashed his charm that eradicated Luke’s doubts and he believed his brother mindlessly.
“I will think about it…” Luke was hesitant.
William hummed, rising from the seat dominantly.
“And yeah, until I am back, you guys reach a mutual decision. I don’t want rumors to arise after this incident,”
“Okay,”
“Let’s see how long your relationship will last…”
“Hopefully forever, I have never felt this way for any woman, William, I will do anything to make sure nothing but I exist on her mind,” Luke whispered sincerely.
Pressing his hand over his heart to create a world of happiness with her through good and bad, to live happily ever after.
“Then you better cut off all her male interactions,”
And Luke finally gave in, staring at his brother in admiration with a feeble smile,
“I guess… if you are saying, you must be right.”
William smirked, perfectly hiding all his maliciousness.
“Good…”
Luke followed William’s words and Arabella for the sake of a ‘good girlfriend’ obeyed him too, without realizing it was wrong on both sides.
…Making their whole relationship toxic.