CH 12 : Fate

ROSE

“Is there something you haven't told me?” he asked, grabbing my arm as I began to stand. He looked as if he had any intention to kill me with his gaze. He suddenly appeared to have begun giving lava.

Had I destroyed his image this early? Or he was already over me?

“I don't think so,” I replied, turning my head around; there’s no point in talking.

His grip on my hand suddenly tightened when I shouted “Ouch !! You're hurting me !!”

People’s way of treating other human beings has definitely changed.

 I tried pulling my arm back only to have his grip tightened. With slight force, he pulled my body close. He’s definitely not having his way off of me, right?! He promised after all. Not to touch me.

A slight horror shivered through my body, which I refused to be seen. My heartbeat quickened but wasn’t sure if it was with the fear or the touch of his breath on my neck. His eyes were fixed on me, almost killing me with their intensity, and besides all of his burning anger, there seemed something more. Something that shocked me to the core— worry!

RYAN

I took a wet wipe from the first aid kit and began rubbing it over her cheek. She looked completely lost and soon the marks of four fingers started to appear on her skin. It had turned a tone blue, only to have my temperature heightened up.

 "Now, you aren't going to tell me that you accidentally slapped yourself !!" I was sarcastic but with a perfect reason. She hasn’t told me any of that, and with her expression it felt like she hadn’t even thought of mentioning it even in the future.

“It's none of your business”, her eyes were furious and were barking at me with the same intensity.

“Seriously! I'm your HUSBAND !!” I lost control of the level of my tone.

“A CONTRACTED one !!”

 Shock.

It was an understatement, as I looked into her gaze. Its guards pulled up, maybe even equipped with some rifles and nuclear bombs. I knew I had lost it.

 Firstly; she was slapped because of me, and as from the video, it was Ladia was has slapped her. That drenched woman!

Secondly; she hasn’t told me any of this. Just the thought of her in pain held my nerves trembling. She didn’t trust me. Not even a little bit, to tell me any of those.

Suddenly I felt my anger evaporating, I didn’t know if I should be angry at her or me. It was me who started this, then why does it hurt so bad. So bad, that I suddenly want to cry, to wrap my arms around her and apologize.

“Don't worry I didn't do anything to destroy your reputation !!” she said, calming her tone down. If you drag a knife into me, trust me it wouldn’t have hurt as her words did.

 “Reputation ?!”

ROSE

He is giving me a look as if it doesn't matter—at least not more than me. But still whatever the case might be, no matter how shocked he seemed from my words it's a contract, a contract. I repeated in the back of my mind.

 And suddenly, he stopped. His raged almost gone, replaced by a painfully calm yet sad expression. His grip on my body loosened, as he gently held me to sit on the couch.

“Stay here.” His tone was low, filled with guilt. Was he sorry for what happened? Does he care?

With that he vanished for a few seconds, leaving me confused in my own thoughts. He behaved as if my words had really hurt him— least that I want to admit, it hurt me a little too.

He came back with an ice pack, and gently cupped my face, taking a little space from the couch. His eyes refused to meet mine and were concentrated on my cheek, and my body seemed to be completely frozen at its place. It feared me that I wasn’t pushing him further, nor that I even want to. Instead, maybe a small part of me was even thinking of pulling him closer and crying in his embrace and no matter how much I wanted, I couldn’t seem to hate that part.

“I’m sorry” his voice was a bare whisper, and his heavy lids lifted to reach mine. His eyes held the utmost sincerity, that was so intense binding my eyes that after a moment I had to tear my gaze off of them.

 I nodded. There were no words that I could find.

With that, he was about to get up, when my mouth automatically opened to say some words that I probably wouldn’t have ever said, “By the way, your ex was really hot!!”

Yes, I was trying to play it cool. It didn’t affect me, who he was or will be in the future with, or — it should affect me at all.

He scanned my expression for a moment before saying, “She wasn’t my ex”. A gentle smile colored his face, as he spoke “Jealous?”

I shrugged, “Not at all. Just curious”

“She is Ladia” I looked at him surprised. I didn't expect him to actually tell or explain me anything “and she isn't my ex …to be true none of them were my girlfriends "

“Who?”  Damn, I could hide my impatience and it only made his grin wider.

 “The one you see in the magazines and news” he replied with a completely normal tone.

 “But didn't some of them mention that they are in a relationship with you?” I asked. Guess my tongue has lost control. Can somebody pass me a knife to cut it?

"Still jealous !!" he smirked.

 “I told you, Just curious” My tone had abruptly heightened in defense.

“You should be after all I'm your husband.. right ?” he teased.

 “Leave it,” I said annoyed, “Your thing, none of my business” He pulled me back to the couch as I began to stand.

 “It's just what they say, I never accepted or commented on that,...after all who would waste his time on clarifying controversies” he again smirked, "But if you want I can clarify next time after all my WIFE wants that right ?”

“Whatever,” I said, without giving him the opportunity to see my reaction. If I honest— I was relieved by his confession. Not because I was beginning to feel for him. Instead; I didn’t want to be slapped again— right?

--

A few days had passed since that incident I haven’t seen Ladia on TV or any magazine after that incident. I wonder if Ryan has anything to do with that.

“Whatever”  I whispered, but no matter how much I try I couldn’t understand why he was doing this. From that day, he’s been treating me so nicely (he still teases me about being jealous—that, of course, I wasn’t and I’m not) making me dinner, dropping and picking up from the office. He even bought me a little chain necklace with a star on it.

It’s for the status of my wife. You don’t need to be overwhelmed.

That’s what he said to me. Well, it wasn’t that I was blushing hard when I received that—okay maybe I was.

But whatever, right now I was packing all of my stuff to leave— ohh, don’t worry the I’m not going back ( the contract isn’t over yet; Sigh!), we were going to visit Ryan’s family in the Netherlands(A big sigh!). His parents have been asking us to visit their home after the wedding, but his busy schedule didn’t allow us to visit earlier.

They even recommended we have our honeymoon in the Netherlands only—to which of course I refused. There was no need. I had smiled while talking to them on phone.

So now we were visiting for almost a week, and I would be lying if I as that it’s not making me nervous. It was true that besides during marriage Ryan’s parents and I have never actually conversed. I may have acted well during the wedding ceremony but wasn’t sure if I could do it in front of them.

Geez, I don’t want to hurt them.

 The laptop was the last thing that I adjusted in my bag.

---

By four in the evening, his private jet was ready to take our journey from the predictable weathers of California to the erratic Netherlands.

 The flying was affable. We were welcomed by his parents as soon as the aircraft landed on their private platform, and it didn’t take his mom a moment to come and wrap in the warmest hug that I had ever received. She was so happy to receive me, and it was only making my heart bounce through my chest hurts.

We were soon taken to a place and I once thought could only exist in fairy tales and movies.

You must have seen the prince’s castle in a lot of Disney Barbie movies, the one with enormously huge gateways, thick stoned walls, ancient architecture, and full of cultural heritage— well just say that wasn’t even half the description.

His grandma met us at the gate and was very pleased to take us inside the mansion no castle that  I had no words to describe how beautiful it was.

Until the fate twisted…

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