With clenched fists, I stood there with tears brimming in my eyes, watching him going still. Color slowly drained from his face as his gray eyes widened.
“W-what did you say?” his deep accent asked.
“I said what you heard. If you don’t trust me at all, I don’t think this thing between us can work.” Shaking my head, I wiped my tears furiously. “I’m tired of you continuously keeping me in the dark! I’ve already suffered for years because of your one-sided decision. I won’t take more. You can now happily stay in your penthouse with your stubbornness, secrets, and privacy! No Emerald will nag you again and again to know your past from now on!”
Ignoring the way his shoulders tensed, the crazed look that flashed across his eyes, his clenched jaw, I turned around and stormed out of the room.
“Don’t you dare step out of the penthouse, Emerald! You aren’t going anywhere!”
This time, I didn’t flinch at his roar as he started to approach me. Instead, as soon as I stepped out of the room, I closed the door from outside, locking him in. I knew he wouldn’t let me leave at any cost. But if he was stubborn, so was I.
His heavy fists landed on the other side of the door. “What are you doing? Open the door, Emerald! You’re not leaving me! No way in hell! I won’t let you!”
“I will! And you can’t stop me!” Yelling out, I strode towards the main door.
“Emerald! Stop it! Open the door, please! You don’t mean what you’re saying! You can’t leave me!” The door jiggled with the force he tried to open it. “Rosebud, please! Baby, open the door. You belong here with me. You can’t just leave like that. I won’t let you! Please, baby. Open the door!”
Shrugging my jacket on as I pulled the main door open, his voice made me hesitate.
“Baby, please! I-I love you…”
I gulped the thickness of my throat. My eyes went back to the closed door of his bedroom.
I hesitated.
Then the words he spit out earlier rang in my head again. The ache in my heart added fresh fuel to my anger. Gritting my teeth, I wiped my cheeks furiously.
“Goodbye, Achilles Valencian!”
“No! Don’t you dare, Emerald—”
I slammed the door close behind me and the sound of his violent pounding on the bedroom’s door stopped along with it.
I strode towards the elevator as fast as I could. My heart pounded along with the relentless pouring of my tears. The guards stared at me in confusion. The moment I stepped into the elevator, a distant thud reached my ears.
And I knew very well what it was. He freaking broke the door down.
But it was too late. He couldn’t reach me now.
The moment the elevator’s doors started to slide close, he stormed out of the penthouse. His oddly crazed dark, stormy gray orbs met mine, making my heart skip.
“Emerald, stop!” His voice boomed throughout the corridor. The guards went on alert, looking back and forth at us.
But before he could even move from his place, the doors closed, and the elevator began to go down.
The cool breeze, along with the heavy rain, slapped me in the face when I stepped outside. But the rumbling sky and flashing thunders couldn’t stop me.
I needed to be away from this place. I needed to breathe.
With my soaked clothes, I slid inside my car and drove away as fast as possible, without looking back. I knew he was coming after me. And his finding me so soon wasn’t on my wish list right now.
Once I was far enough from the office building, I slowed down near a park. The road was almost empty except for some passing cars and hurrying people under their colorful umbrellas.
The raindrops poured over my windshield relentlessly with the wipers sliding over them in a tireless motion.
Letting out a breath through my lips, I leaned against the seat, closing my eyes. A tear slipped down my face.
Do you trust me, Ace?
He didn’t answer. He didn’t even say a word. I would have understood if he said he trusted me, but he needed some time. I would have kept quiet. But he didn’t say anything.
My lower lip trembled as I bit back a sob. I knew I was rushing him to give me answers. I knew leaving like that was immature and an act of a coward not being able to face the problem. But I couldn’t stay there after he said those hurtful words to me. I knew he was jealous and insecure, but that didn’t give him permission to accuse me of cheating. That didn’t give him an excuse to tell me I had no right to know anything about his past right in my face.
I knew I pushed him, too. I shouldn’t have started the conversation right then. I should’ve stuck to my decision to give him some space. But I just… burst out.
He remained all night and day out without letting me know about his location or if he was all right when I was dying out of concern. Then he came home and started the jealous boyfriend act. And this time, he crossed his limits.
I always ignored his possessiveness over me. But I couldn’t tolerate when he said those words.
Behind his back.
I was already mad at him for telling me such a huge lie and doing those things to Warner.
I always thought his doing all the insane stuff for me would stop someday. But now, after knowing what he did to Warner, how he sent him away and then when Warner came back into the picture, he threatened to destroy him if he didn’t go back to Seattle using his friend, I knew he would never stop.
Anyone in my place would’ve freaked out. When they’d know how an insane man trapped them with their insane ways, they’d have run for the hills. But here, I just ran out of the penthouse.
Because even after everything, I freaking loved that man. Even after knowing what he did seven years ago. Yes, he did it for me, but it didn’t hurt any less. I tried to focus on forgiving him and moving on. Because that’s where our happiness lies. But tonight, I felt like everything was crashing around me at once.
Not to mention he bribed the police to save his father’s murderer. And even if that wasn’t the whole truth, he wouldn’t tell me. Why? Because he didn’t trust me.
What did he think? That I’d leave him once he told me about his past? Or I’d tell his secret to someone else?
Punching on the steering wheel, I got out of the car under the open air. The rain wasn’t heavy anymore, but it was still there. With slow steps, I approached a bench at the side of the road and sat on it. Fresh cool air filled my lungs.
My phone hasn’t stopped buzzing since I left the penthouse.
I let it be. I knew who it was, anyway.
Letting out a sigh, I looked up at the sky. Even after the heavy pouring, the dark clouds still engulfed the sky.
I knew he was looking for me. But I wasn’t going back to him so soon. Not after what he did.
Yes, I told him I was leaving him. But the truth was, I knew my statement wouldn’t stay consistent for long. I knew I couldn’t live without him for long. Even after everything, I couldn’t hate him a pinch.
But that didn’t mean I wasn’t hurt.
I could still hear his silence. It hit me like a dagger to the heart.
And above all, there was still a sword hanging over my neck.
Arthur.
I hadn’t seen him since that day. Well, I didn’t go to the office after that. Though he didn’t do anything else after that confrontation, I knew he wasn’t going to sit still. Knowing that I knew his truth, he’d always have this fear of being exposed in his mind. And he would do something to prevent that.
And that vexed me. I wanted him out of our lives as soon as possible. But until I knew what part of Ace’s past he was using as a weapon against me, I couldn’t do anything. And that was half of the reason behind my urgency to know the truth.
I could just tell Ace about it, but I couldn’t take the risk of Arthur doing something to Ace, either. I just couldn’t. What if he was telling the truth? What if he really did know something, the same thing Ace wanted to hide from me?
I groaned. Frustration built up in me. Everything was turning into a mess.
My phone buzzed again. I glared at his name that flashed over the screen.
I didn’t know what I was going to do next, but I wasn’t going back until he tells me that he trusts me and promises not to repeat the words he spit tonight. He had to rectify his mistake and apologize to Warner. For everything he did to him.
I cut his call and wiped my face. The rain stopped, leaving goosebumps on my skin with the chilling breeze it left. I was only in a thin cotton sundress. The wet fabric clung to me like a second skin.
My phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message. From Warner.
Warner: Please, Emerald. Just one last time. Don’t I even deserve it?
I frowned in confusion. What was he talking about?
And then I read the other message he sent me earlier. It was delivered in the evening. My phone wasn’t with me then, so I couldn’t check it earlier.
Warner: Em, I know I crossed my line again today. For that, you must be mad at me. And I’m really sorry for that.
Warner: I’m leaving for NY tonight. I don’t know when I can see you again. So… can you please meet me one last time before I go back? I want to remember your smile when I leave.
My frown deepened. He was leaving? Tonight? But why so sudden?
I sighed. Of course. After the way I hurt him and after what Ace did to him, why would he want to stay? Plus, he had a life of his own.
I also didn’t want him to leave on a bitter note. I wanted to apologize to him for Ace’s actions again.
Sniffling, still with a heavy heart, I got up and walked to my car. When the phone buzzed again with the devil’s name flashing on the screen, I turned off the phone.
I wasn’t important enough for him to tell me anything, right? Let him taste his own medicine now.
