Savior

Chapter Sixteen

‘Sole?’

‘Come again.’ I was barely able to say that.

‘I know this is shocking for you.’

‘What do you mean “had a child”?’ Was it not alive anymore? Or…thousands of questions were going through my mind.

‘No child lives with her right now but she definitely gave birth to one. I’m assuming either its dead or she gave it up in an orphanage or something.’

His words added to more confusion. ‘Whatever you’re saying is making no sense to me.’

‘That’s why I asked you to give me some more time, so that I can get more clarity about the child.’

‘Are you sure she had a child?’ He nodded.

‘The private investigator that I hired saw her going for a health check-up. She’s given birth before once was mentioned in the medical history form.’ An unsettled feeling started to develop in my stomach. She had a child. ‘Can I ask you something?’

‘Hmm.’

‘Did she ever tell you…about being pregnant?’ He hesitated.

I shook my head. ‘It’s not mine.’

‘How can you be so sure?’ Right how can I be so sure? It could be mine.

‘I’m not. But if it were to be mine she would’ve told me.’

‘Maybe she wanted to but you didn’t listen.’ I closed my eyes. I wish she would’ve come to me even once after our break up. Even if

I was angry I would’ve listened to her, even if everything had fell apart I would’ve listen to whatever excuse she wanted to give me for what she did. But she never came to me. Never.

‘She didn’t contact me after our break-up.’

‘She could’ve wanted to raise the child on her own or…’

‘It could be someone else’s.’ I said through gritted teeth.

‘Let’s not make assumptions yet, let me….’

‘Drive to her home.’ I said.

I could see him panic. ‘Sole?’

‘You’re right. I shouldn’t make assumptions. I’m going to find out the truth and Luna’s going to tell me everything herself.’

Luna

As I lay on the bed, still in my dress my mind wandered to the wedding I’d just attended. Emily and her husband had come to my rescue but couldn’t get over the fact that I still let Sole have the upper hand today. Why did his touch felt ever more intoxicating than before? If Daniel hadn’t interrupted us I was sure I would’ve let Sole kiss me again. Why couldn’t I keep my guard up? Tears swelled in my eyes as I turned to the side and rested my head on the pillow.

Speaking of Daniel, if only Emily had mentioned him before, maybe I’d avoided going to their wedding. But the way she took things was commendable. I was happy that at least one friend understood me. After Sole left she came up to me and told me how Daniel told her everything that happened three years ago and what was his and mine relationship. I was thankful she didn’t take the situation in the wrong way.

By the time we were done with our talk, Dave found me. I didn’t want to talk to him but my aunt’s face came to my mind. She would’ve been really upset had I left the party without him; after all we were supposed to get married in few days. All through the way Dave kept apologizing for behaving the way he did but my mind was preoccupied by Sole. When we reached home I didn’t even say goodbye to Dave and just left without another word.

Thankfully everyone was already asleep or I would’ve been bombarded with question for Dave definitely must have told Gina about our argument.

After a deep sigh I got up from bed to get changed. Removing the earrings and the bracelet, my hands went to my foot and that that’s when I noticed the anklet I was wearing. How could this be here? It was the same diamond anklet Sole had given me three years ago on the day of the music gala I performed in. My eyes widened in horror. I didn’t know I still had it. Where did it come from? Then suddenly I remembered. How dare she? Gina knew this was a gift from Sole, then why would she ask me to wear it? Didn’t she know the kind of memories attached to it?

Three years ago

I’d kissed him. I’d run to him and kissed him. Not believing my courage I smiled to myself and entered the stage to play the piece that I’d prepared along with my grandmother.

When I finished playing and bowed lightly the audience erupted in cheer. I could see Sole in the audience cheering the loudest. He then rushed backstage to of course meet me as I’d asked him.

Giving me a hug instantly when we spotted each other he whispered in my ear, ‘You were bloody brilliant. Makes me want to call you my girlfriend in front of everyone.’ The he bit his lip. We walked hand in hand out the venue and were looking away from each other, not sure of what to say next.

To put an end to the awkwardness, I asked, ‘Should we go have dinner somewhere nice?’

‘Um actually I was thinking of cooking for you tonight.’ He said.

‘Okay.’

We came home and he went to the kitchen. ‘Just give me fifteen minutes!’ He shouted from inside. He’d been cooking a lot for me recently and I was getting attached to his cooking. Which sometimes made me worry, what if one day he decides to leave? What will I do with this attachment? Will I be able to forget him?

He set the table himself and put the food on it. We began eating in silence, sparing a glance or two every few seconds at each other. After a while he cleared his throat and I looked at him. He wanted to say something but was hesitating.

‘I won’t judge you Sole, you can speak your mind to me comfortably.’ I said. His eyes met mine.

‘I ran away from home.’ He confessed. I tried to not to look worried, he’d just began to open up to me, it shouldn’t stop now. ‘My dad wanted me to join his business.’

‘You’re not interested in it?’

‘On the contrary, I’m very much interested in it. The problem is my dad wants me to join as the director of the company whereas I’m interested in being a software developer in the same.’

‘Which he doesn’t approve of.’

‘Bingo. He treats me as an heir rather than his son who has his own ambitions and goals in life. His wife, my step-mother is of no help either. She’s too busy spending my father’s money to try and be a peacemaker between us. When things got too heated at home, I left. I was walking alone at night when some vehicle hit me.’ My eyes widened which he noticed and calmed me down immediately. ‘It wasn’t something major. I was barely hurt. But I went to the hospital and there I read your letter and saw you. I know this will sound bad but initially you were my escape plan. I wanted to be away from my father and his presumptuousness and living with you seemed the best option.’

Did he just say living with me was the best option? So I was nothing but a way of escaping from his reality for him?  I stared for him and when he looked away I knew I’d heard it correct. Whether he was feeling guilty or not, I didn’t know. What I did know was that just like everyone else he too wanted to use me to his advantage.

‘You’re just like my other family members.’ I said and got up from the table. Running to my room I went to the corner and slumped to the floor in tears. My happy day just became my worst. Why did it happen to me always? Why?

A little later he entered the room and sat down the floor in front of me. ‘Luna, look at me.’ He lifted my face with his hands and forced me to meet his eyes which were just as moist as me. ‘I did come here because of my own selfish reasons but decided to stay here for only one person and that is you.’

‘You’re lying.’

‘No I’m not.’

‘I trusted you.’

‘I know it might hurt but I had to tell you everything because I didn’t want to start this relationship on a lie.’

‘How am I supposed to believe you now?’ I asked still sobbing.

He wiped my tears with his thumb and placed a kiss on my lips. ‘Take your time in believing me. I will do whatever it takes for you to trust me again. Till then I’m not leaving your side. You will always find me here. As I said before, I might’ve come here for some other reason but I’m staying here only for you.’

He was about to get up when I held his hand and stopped him. ‘You promise to never lie to me again?’

I received a peck on the lips again as an answer. ‘Promise.’ He said and I kissed him back. Sweet and soft the kiss went on slowly for

few minutes before he put his hand on my back and lifted me up. We shifted to the bed and he laid me down. Placing one last kiss on my forehead, he laid beside me. I hugged him and he wrapped his arms around me. We slept there and no other night had been as peaceful as it was before.

Present

Locating my cell phone I dialed Gina’s number. I couldn’t wait till morning for her to explain to me why she had made me wear the anklet Sole had given me. After the third ring she picked up.

‘Hello?’ She said groggily.

Not at all sorry for disturbing her sleep, I said under my breath, ‘Why the hell did you do it?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘The anklet.’

She might’ve done it purposely for she immediately said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ And cut the call.

Breathing in anger I walked out of my room, the phone still in my hand and was about to knock on hers when I heard a sound. My phone was ringing but it wasn’t Gina. An unknown number was calling me. I went near the window in the corridor to attend the call.

‘Hello?’

‘Come out we need to talk.’ I was taken aback. Who was this?

‘Who’s this?’

‘Stop pretending. Don’t you recognize my voice?’ I looked at my phone screen to scan the number. No I did not recognize it. Then who was it? And then it struck me the voice sounded similar.

‘Sole?’ I asked though I was praying I was wrong about this.

‘Now come out. I have to talk to you.’ My heart sank. It was him. What did he want to talk about? I was fidgeting with my dress in panic when my eyes fell on the anklet and my mouth fell open. Did he see it and thinks I’m still in love with him?

‘I have nothing to talk to you.’ I said and ended the call. Going straight to my room I closed the door and took breath of relief. This drama seems to never end. How do I make him go away from my life? To make matters worse Gina made me wear that anklet. If he thinks that I’m still not over him he would definitely try to come back into my life and that I can never allow.

‘What are you hiding that you’re this scared of me?’ I opened my eyes when he said that. He was standing right in front of me, in my room. He was here, staring at me, no looking at me in anger or rage. Whatever it was I’d never seen that expression on his face before. But the important question here was why the hell he was in my house, in my room, in the middle of the night?