His 24K Obsession

Chapter 4- Crossing Paths with the Past

"That guy must've have driven nuts," I hissed in annoyance.

I walked towards the main hall, thumping my feet hard on the ground. As my heart followed the same pattern—loud and pulsating.

However, I still can't believe that the dream I was so much flustered about was totally real. It's like a big slap to my face, to even think about how much I like that kiss. When the fact, I was literally kissing the most annoying person in the world.

After signing the Task Attendance paper, I slammed down the pen unknowingly out of my own senses. What he did earlier is still stuck in my mind, like a virus glued upon my cells that I can't get rid off.

Everyone's eyes were darting on me, as if I am certainly guilty of something. I ignored the knives underneath their eyes, pointing at me and meandered out of the hall like nothing ever happened at all.

My eyes were glued on the ground the entire time. When my head bumped on a broad shoulder, I regretted to ever not lift my head at all.

"Sorry," I uttered and was about to walked pass the guy. However, his fingers held my arm firmly to entirely stop me from my track.

"Adira?," he called out. Which somehow pulled my curiousity to know who was the person calling me by my first name.

No one calls me by that name. Except for one person, I quickly rolled my eyes upwards.

'It's him, Leo'

I revoked my arms within his grasp and stand henceforth—covering his shadow from the blazing sun.

My brows lifted in a defensive form, as my eyes were calm, that in any minute the fire ignited within would be able to eat him alive.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. As if he cared about me at all.

"Not your business."

His eyes traveled down, scrutinizing my entirety. When the windows of our souls meet, his eyes bended down on some kind of emotion. I don't know if was it care or pity.

"You work here? What happened? Tell me." he reached out to hold my hand but before he was able to take the initiative of caging my palms against his. I put it out from his reach and walked three steps backwards.

"I'm sorry. I just want you to know that I cared for you. You can tell me—" I cutted off his nonsense and plastered the reality to his face.

"You don't have to care about me, and you don't have the authority. Where did you get the audacity to do so? Our connection stops when our relationship was over. We have no connection at all. We are only two strangers with the streak of familiarity remaindered on our skin." there was a hollow of darkness reflected from his eyes. As if I was the reason for his hope to diminished.

I turned my back from him and was about to walk away but, his next few words strike me down to the bottom of the rock.

"Didn't you want to know why?"

The hot liquid started to fill my eyes, making everything else from my vision to be somehow blurry. And the pain that has always been there, squeezes my heart to distraction.

I can be deaf, to not hear a single word out from his mouth. But I cannot be blind enough to still acknowledge any lies to jump off from his sharp deceptive tongue.

Yes, I wanted to know why. I searched for the truth I could not find. I search for him to know why but I couldn't find him. But now he comes in all of the sudden and wants to tell me the truth? Did he think that I'm a toy? He can play anytime he wants?

"My justice to seek the clarification of that reason has already ceased to exist."

I then left him dumbfounded and walk calmly, as if it didn't affect me at all. But, as soon as he couldn't be seen by a naked eye, I quickened my pace until steps became leaps.

My calves burned, as my breath forming clouds in the air. I halted my pace as soon as I've reached the corner, where no one usually comes.

I felt numb with my hands were as cold as an ice. I felt like I've been fallen into a cactus and my heart were punctured a millionth times by tiny pins. It didn't really hurt that much, it was numb. Numb enough that I almost couldn't feel myself at all.

I hate this feeling. Being trapped between two walls with no doors to escape with. My hand squeezed my chest to feel pain from the numbness, and to remind me that I am still alive.

"Are you crying?" a deep, gruff voice echoed behind me.

I wiped my tears away to lie from which he had witness. And yet, I know he's not blind and he knows the truth from which he asked.

"No." I simply replied and walked away but before I was able to go far from his post. He grabbed my arms and pulled me close to him.

There was no emotion portraying his eyes, but there was a sign of concern from his earnest voice.

"Tell me."

I felt a certain reassurances from the texture of his voice. The way he spoke was like telling me, 'Go on It's okay, cry it out'. And so I did.

I never cared to look ugly on front of him. All I know it was the best feeling I've never felt to anyone. His hand traveled up to my back and pushed my body down to his. And let my head lay on his chest, as his shirt were soaked by the hot liquid streaming down my cheeks.

After separating my body from his touch, there was a spark of awkwardness in between us. That I was not able to stare from the emptiness filling his soul.

"Anyway, Antonio is looking for you." He reminded and walk passed me.

"Why do you always appear anywhere?"

His track stopped with my question, waiting for my next words to fill my mouth.

"Who are you?"

He turned his head and lifted his lips into a smirk. Leaving me with no answer at all and continued his way.

.

When I arrived at the Archon's office, I found Leo sitting right on the guest seat. His eyes walked with me until I sat on front of him.

"Ah, Amara Hija." I stood up when he called my name and went to shake his hand.

"I want you to meet my son, Leo." I felt like I got choked on the spot hearing what he just said. Leo is his son? I smiled fakely, not even bending my eyes like a bow.

"I will therefore assign you to work with Leo. Supervising the resort." It was just two days, why am I assign to a higher position this instance? Is it Leo's doing?

"Why the sudden promotion, Sir?" just the urge of clarification was indeed at the peak of It's curiousity.

"I just think you deserve it. I mean you don't deserve to be at your current position at all." there must certainly be a confidential reason behind all of this.

"Thank you, Sir." I bowed down for the gratitude, although I know there's something fishy with this thing.

"You both may now leave and start working." I pursed my lips and darted out the door.

"Was it you?" I asked as he was about to close the door.

"About what?"

"About my promotion. Was it you who made it possible?" his brows furrowed in confusion. Definitely a clear sign that this isn't his doing, then who did it?

"I don't know what you're talking about but, Adira let's talk."

"There's nothing to talk about, let's just do our works and act as if we had no past at all. It was all in the past anyway." my lips lifted in a synthetic smile.

We roamed around the entire island to do our work, and manage things together, the entire day. Just work and no feelings connected at all. I don't want to be with him at all. I despises his presence but work should be prioritize more than it. And so, I'm doing this for myself growth and none for anything else.

As we walked on the white sands surrounded by the green tall trees, with the cold air wrapping around us. He stopped and looked at me. There was only silence that surrounded us. Nonetheless, I presume for any conversation with him.

"Let's talk. Please." He begged.

This guy won't literally stop until he gets what he wants. I know him and for sure he'll beg for hundred times until I give into him.

"Go on and I'll listen." I crossed my arms, waiting for him to speak for his side.

"That night was absolutely an entire misunderstanding. It wasn't what you thought it is." that lie again. He's starting to pledge for his own innocence which cannot be prove unguilty.

"The way you sit on top of her and kissed her passionately on front of me? It was a misunderstanding?"

"Adira, I was drunk! I drunk that night, I didn't know what I was doing!" his voice raised as if I gave him the authority to do so.

"You two-timing, cheap-lying wanna be! Don't you dare raise your voice on me ever again! You don't have the right for it." who do he think he is to raise his voice upon me? Just because I was inlove with him doesn't mean it gives him the right to disrespect me.

"Okay, okay! But please believe me I was drunk that night. I did not know what I did." tears were running down like a stream from his cheeks.

"Being drunk weren't an excuse or a reason to commit infidelity! I also did got drunk but did I? Did I cheat on you?"

"Adira—"

"No, Leo. Much way worst the shamefulness and the embarrassment I felt when you dump me infront of hundreds of people. Did you think I was cool with it?"

"I did it, not because I really wanted for you to break up with me. I had thought it would make you beg to me to stay and forgive me." his statement made me chuckled loudly.

" What do you think of me? Gullible enough to believe your stupidity? Just because I am a woman doesn't mean it gives you the ability to belittle my gender. And think that toxic dominance of yours would make me kneel on my knees and beg for you to stay. You are not God, and you are not to kneel with." I tried to walked away from him but he trapped my body between his arms. In a tight forceful hug.

"Let me go!" I shouted deep from my lungs

"No, come back to me Adira. You are once mine and will be mine again." the dominance lingering on his voice weren't for love but obsession.

"I was only yours once but never again!" I kicked his balls, that made him quivered in pain that he let go of his hands against me.

I ran as fast as I could. Gut-wrenching, heart-pumping after several thrusts my legs became tired but, I did not stop. The adrenaline coursed through my veins, as the thin layer of sweat covered the nape of my neck.

My breath came in short grasp and I stopped half-way through the Villa. It was very dark and no light. I didn't notice that he actually brought me far enough for me to run 20 kilometers. We were near the forest.

I could see the lights from the tents of the kitchen and the market halls. The villa was also lighting up and I know I am near enough. But then, someone suddenly grabbed me from nowhere.