Chapter 6

• Emily
• I let out a deep sigh, even though I know it hasn't ended yet. It's just the freaking beginning of my turmoil.
• I gawk at the agreement and immediately stuff it into my bag before anyone comes.
• "Woh!" Suzzane's voice comes from the door. "That was a long meeting. What were you guys doing?"
• Anxiety crams inside me with her abrupt question, triggering the hell out of me. I wonder if I'm looking fine. My clothes, my face, my hair.
• Dammit!
• I wonder when Kane turned into such a horny monster. Well, am I any less? I behave more grossly than him. Whatever relationship we had back then was more of love and affection. Now, it seems like only lust and longings.
• "What did he say?" Frederick comes in, concerned.
• I clear my throat. "Am— I just tried to convince him for the project and he said he'd think about it and let me know tomorrow"
• "That's great news. That means he's thinking about it, at least. You should be happy," Suzzane beams.
• I force a smile to hide my stress. What am I going to tell them? I don't even know what Kane exactly means by being imprisoned?
• Won't I be allowed to do my work either? How will I answer my fellows if they ask me where I am?
• Damn! I need to check these papers as soon as possible.
• ——
• He's such an asshole!
• That's what I scream aloud after reading the entire agreement. My head is bursting out with anger. I was patient enough to read all the terms like staying with him, not moving until he allows, submitting each time he asks for, blah! blah! blah! But my patience gave up after I read the stupidest clause ever. It's not even written in official words but some stupid grossly lines.
• "You'll not be yours anymore"
• In short, he is too interested to own me for thirty days.
• Did he literally watch all the stupid half-porn movies before thinking about this?
• I stare at the agreement laying on the table next to my meals. I indeed made dinner for myself but couldn't swallow a single grain.
• Frustrated, I throw my head back on the couch and close my eyes. The flashes of our extremely passionate and wild moment hit my sanity again as I open my eyes wider, panting.
• Lord!
• I can't even stop thinking about it. Rolling my eyes, I look at the clock. There's not much time left for me to decide.
• Who knew that grouch would turn into a monster someday?
• If this monster gets me weak to my knees, that old grouch used to weaken my heart.
• I indeed miss the old version of him.
• I miss him.
• Unknowingly and unexpectedly, my eyes well up and a thick drop of tear escapes. Wiping it off with the back of my hand, I remind myself, "I shouldn't care. I don't love him anymore"
• ——
• "What do you want me to do?" Frederick asks in confusion, sitting in front of me.
• I literally summoned him at this hour because I don't have time and I need a solution.
• "I need money before this morning," I shrug.
• "Okay," he rolls his eyes. "How much?"
• "I need to pay the whole debt"
• His eyes open wide. "What?"
• "Yes"
• "Emily, it's about millions. How will we manage?" His question does make sense.
• I cover my face, breathing heavily and hanging my head.
• "Are you okay?" He asks, tilting his head. "What happened suddenly? Did Kane Gabriel reject the offer?"
• "I wish he did," I shrug, banging on my head.
• "I don't understand what you're saying," he shakes his head in confusion.
• "It's him," a whisper escapes my mouth as I dart my eyes on the ground, letting out a deep sigh.
• "Him? You mean him?"
• I nod slowly. Only Frederick knows about a little bit of my past, not much.
• "What does he want?" He asks.
• "I don't know," I lie because I can't share anything that involves Fredrick in this mess.
• "Listen, Emily. It's next to impossible. Who will lend us so much money in a few hours? I think you better talk to him. It doesn't matter if he's your ex. It's completely a personal thing. I hope Mr Gabriel is professional enough to think about it.
• And I wish he was.
• There was a time when he used to balance between both but now he literally crossed the limits.
• I grab my head again, leaning back on the couch.
• My phone rings, bringing me out of my thoughts again. An unknown number flashes on the screen. I immediately pick it up.
• "Hello," I blurt out of frustration.
• "Are you frustrated, little dove? Or desperate to pass this night so we can meet tomorrow," Kane's playful voice comes from the other end, making my blood boil.
• "I wish I could avoid meeting you," I seethe and hear him cracking up.
• "You know that's impossible now. You should have thought about it before daring to walk into me again. It was your choice to come to me and it'll be my choice to let you go," his voice is sharp and ardent.
• Only if he didn't utter shit, I would keep listening to his attractive voice for hours.
• "What did you decide, by the way?"
• "Didn't you learn to be patient? I have time till tomorrow," I shrug.
• "I know the decision, right? Do you have a choice?"
• I'm feeling like punching across his face right now.
• Just then, Frederick's phone rings and he picks up. "Yes, Joanne," he gives me an excused look and walks away from there.
• "Where are you?" Kane's playful voice suddenly twists into a cold one as he groans.
• It makes my heart skip.
• "At— at my place," I stammer.
• "And who's at your place?" I can feel the burning anger in his voice which I was definitely not expecting.
• "That's none of your business. I'm still not bound to you to give you an explanation," I shrug.
• "I see. Enjoy the last night of freedom," he says in a calm voice and cuts the call.
• I don't know if I should feel relieved about that. His calmness seemed more like a silence before the storm.
• "Emily," Fredrick comes back after attending the call. "I have to leave for delivering the goods"
• "Yeah. You may go. Sorry, I disturbed you with a stupid thing. I know it's impossible," I sigh.
• "It's okay. You can call me anytime, you know. And what was Kane saying?"
• "Rubbish," I scoff, wriggling my face. "He can only utter rubbish, bloody asshole"
• He cracks up. "Now, I know why you loved him once. He can irritate the hell out of you. I never saw you getting so irritated and uttering curse words.
• I squirm onto the couch abruptly, realising how much he affects me. I'm so calm and composed to hold my anger and frustration. But this one guy literally turned my world upside down in a day.
• "Anyway, I hope he'll be understanding enough. You can do it," Frederick utters the motivational words like everyone and leaves my apartment.
• All I can see in front of my eyes is only darkness.
• ——
• It's eleven at night and I'm still sitting on the couch. I don't feel like eating or sleeping. My head is already aching with stress.
• The doorbell rings, shuddering me on the couch as I get on my feet. Usually, no one comes to my place before informing me. Who could it be?
• Unfortunately, the peephole of the door is blurry. I have been busy lately fixing that. Twisting the knob, I open the door, only to get stunned on the spot.
• Kane is standing at my door with the same irritating smile on his face.
• "Good evening, gorgeous," he winks.
• My heart lips with that one unexpected gesture, reminding me of those unexpected ways when he used to show up at my place with that warm smile.
• I lose myself, staring at him. My voice doesn't even support me to utter a single word as I dive back into the flashbacks.
• "Shocked?" He leans down, bringing me back to reality.
• I suck in my breath and clench my jaw. "What are you doing here at this hour?"
• "Well, I know you still haven't signed the agreement and I can't rule over you. But it's tough to leave you even for a second," he says and steps inside as I take a step back. "So, I thought why don't I accompany you till you sign it?"
• "Don't— don't lie," I scoff. "You're here because you wanted to know who was at my place"
• "Nah!" He shakes his head, stepping closer and closer and I strive to make a distance as much as I can until I stumble back to a stool and almost trip over it.
• I panic abruptly, letting out a small hiss when he grabs my waist before I can fall and locks me with his long arms.
• Still, in the muse of sudden panic, I ogle at him, his intense eyes peering into mine.
• "I wanted to make sure you recall my existence even when you're with someone"
• I gasp. When did this workaholic grouch become such an obsessive and possessive fellow?
• His transformation shocks the hell out of me every time.
• I twist my body in his arms and release myself, throwing a dirty look.
• "Where's your guest, by the way?"
• "He left and he isn't a guest. He is my friend," I scoff.
• "He better be a friend," Kane waves his eyebrows at me.
• He should never know Frederick likes me, for heaven's sake. I'm not having any good vibes.
• "I think you should leave now," I glare at him. "We are meeting tomorrow, right?"
• "It's so unprofessional to behave like this with your investor, Miss Benson," he bends to me again as I strive to move back. He holds my arm again. "You better not move and fall. I'll pull you closer anyway"
• I gulp down, dropping my gaze. "And what was I saying? Yeah! So, I'm not gonna leave you even for a second onwards. What if you disappear again and try to escape from me?"
• The wry smile across his face causes an ache down to my loins.
• "You said I have a night of freedom," I mumble helplessly.
• "Yeah. You do. You can do anything you want but I'm gonna stick to you, follow you and watch you over. That's it," he says with a chuckle.
• Damn him!
• "You're such a devil," I push him away angrily and rush towards my room.
• "Hey, where am I gonna sleep?" He shrugs as I reach the door and turn around with a glare.
• "That fucking couch. I don't allow assholes in my room," I slam the door shut and hear him crackling up.
• It freaks the hell out of me as I fum in anger.
• I really wanna kill this man.
• "Bloody asshole!"