Chapter 81 Will Do Anything
“What?”
“I told you already, it was purely lust, at least for me.”
“She was drunk, probably thought it was you and I took it as some sort of invitation and went with the flow,” He explained as calmly as possible, turning away from Luke who made a miserable face.
“Nothing personal, nothing emotional, nothing deep.”
“...She said yes to be my girlfriend,”
He sighed, “I mean, if you were dating, then she clearly cheated,”
“You must confront her. You are mature enough to make decisions for yourself, if you can continue or not.”
“Okay,”
Nodding, Luke didn’t continue the conversation as it would be futile, knowing he must confront Arabella to gain explanations about her actions and walked away.
… Unsure where to lead that relationship he started wholeheartedly.
For the first time, he was serious with life. For the first time, he wanted to become a better man.
And now all of it was being eradicated, his path was becoming blurring.
Carrying the ache of the distasteful sight, he came down, rubbing his temples to think on how to confront Arabella about it only to find her waiting for him.
“Luke, Luke, Luke, please, listen to me,”
“Listen to what?”
His steps halted, averting his gaze agonizingly but losing her composure, she held his arms hopelessly, refusing to let him go.
“I-I was drunk, I-I didn’t know it was him, please, believe in me,”
His jaw clenched, holding her wrist to create distances.
Not greeting her devastated sight, having zero energy to spectate more than he already did.
“Luke, look at me, please,” She begged, he shut his eyes.
“I swear, I won’t go near him, I won’t even talk to him, I will never look at him- heck, not only him but any man ever again but please don’t leave me,”
Resting her head against his shoulder, she embraced his arms, not wanting to leave him.
“Please, please, please,”
Not wanting to lose the man who could show her life could be beautiful, that loving won’t be painful, she was willing to do anything.
With those tear-filled eyes, she stared at his stoic state for the next few seconds and professed.
“I love you, Luke… I love you,”
Taken aback at her confession, his eyes shot open, finally after a series of pleading, staring back at her miserable woman.
“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.
“And I beg you, 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!"
Rejecting her needy call, he roughly parted his skin from hers and walked away, leaving her all alone in the hallways to reflect on what her inane actions led her.
…Leading her to swear into becoming an obedient and good girlfriend…
But, in the hallway, where she was rejected, William heard her confession.
Curling his hand in a fist, inexplicable rage brimming in his hollow chest.
‘Of course… what I want is automatically given to Luke. Whether it is a toy or the love of ‘my’ pathetic life,’
Thinking furiously, he walked away too.
With this perception etched, ‘Not this time, not this fucking time,’
When he had maintained his distance, he was fine.
But, when he tasted her lips, there was no turning back.
Now, he wanted to be selfish, he needed her and he knew if he meddled, he would devastate everything so he considered departure as the safe option.
…To knit an intricate plan…
1 WEEK LATER,
Luke went into depression, he stopped being his usual cheery self.
Unwanted thoughts began to knock on his mind and William decided to take the situation to his advantage.
“Still thinking about it?”
His voice broke, covering his face with his hands, “How could she do this…?”
“You should watch out, Luke, look at what happened today. It can also happen again,”
He shivered, tears brimming in his eyes, “What do you suggest I do then, William?”
“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,”
“I am seriously suggesting you, Luke, control Arabella. Make her how ‘you’ want her to be,”
“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,”
…Making their whole relationship toxic.
Acting upon William’s words before leaving for London, Luke confronted Arabella who held her head low in shame, not sure what to speak anymore.
“I am sorry, Luke, I am so sorry,” She whimpered, failing to lift her eyes.
“I truly want to work on our relationship, Bella, but how can I? I-I feel horrible… I-I can’t get this out of my head…” He growled, slamming his hand down on the table.
“I will do anything you say, Luke, but don’t leave me. I never meant to, I am sorry,”
“I think we should see where it would lead. If we work, we will tell everyone. If it won’t then we will part ways without telling anyone. Okay?” He asked heavily.
Placing his hand over hers hesitantly to which she smiled with tears glimmering and nodded.
“Mhm. We will sort all matters out together. There is none but you for me after all!”
.....“Guilty of my actions, I became a mindless doll for Luke.
But, as if controlling my heart was possible, William displayed himself as the best man, the same charms, the velvety voice.
How could I have resisted that?... Only to realize it no longer exists in him.”
Helena was proven right.
She lost everything on the bets she placed on William. On her path to desire him, she was left with nothing in the end.
Not even William was hers anymore…
“I bore with everything, didn’t go to extremes, sought mercy, did everything possible because… I did everything in my senses and on my free will…”
Coming to the present, she found herself trapped in the apartment, again with dejection building uncontrollably in her chest.
She got what she always wanted but today, she thinks- ‘Was it worth it?’
At what cost she obtained her darkest desire? And in what terrible condition?
Was that the life she imagined to lead with him?
A life of fear? Intimidation? Anguish? Becoming a thing?
But, in the end, isn’t what she wanted after all?
Him?