Chapter 23
1378 Words
Rachel
Today was the day I would demand an explanation from Chase. I had used yesterday as a rest day.
I did my chores and I freshened up.
Norman wasn't going anywhere today so I borrowed his car.
I was still on my leave.
I didn't rush or panic. I got to Steel Cell Group's premises within fifteen minutes.
I did not have time to greet the receptionist or socialize. I went straight to Chase's office.
I stood outside his office for a brief moment. Then, I took a deep breath and knocked the door.
I did not wait for him to give me the signal to enter before letting myself in.
His head rose sharply and the hard contours of his face was set in a frown. His lips was parted in preparation to scold me for my disrespect.
I did not wait for him to call me in before barging my way into his office. That was blatant disrespect to Chase.
No matter how kind Chase is to his employees, he had some lines that he forbade them from crossing.
My action was one of the taboos.
His words died in his mouth when he saw me.
I closed the door and leaned my weight against it.
A smile hung in my lips.
It wasn't a warm smile. Coldness oozed from my lips.
"You have something to say?" I goaded as I stared at him.
He sighed before he dropped the work he was busy with.
"Rachel." Chase called.
He did not say anything after that, he just called my name.
This was not what I was here for.
I stopped leaning on the door and approached him.
I put both my hands on his huge desk. I made sure my eyes was level with his.
"Chase, why are you ignoring me?" I asked calmly.
However, it was the calm before the storm.
"I am not ignoring you, Rachel." He replied.
I chuckled but there wasn't any hint of mirth in my action.
"Do you know what my opinion of you is? You are a person that doesn't like to lie or pretend. Why are you lying to me now?" I questioned.
A c***k appeared in my voice at the end of my words but I ignored it. I did not break eye contact with Chase.
I wanted to catch any emotion and thoughts that would fleet across his pupils.
Regardless of my intent to know his thoughts, I knew it was a futile action deep down.
Chase was too enigmatic and mysterious.
His thoughts can't be grasped. His indepth thoughts hide behind his dark pupils.
Except Chase wants a person to know what he feels or what he is thinking, that person would end up with nothing.
"You said you didn't ignore me? Why is it that when I call, you refuse to pick up the phone? I thought everything was going smoothly. I thought you felt something for me. I thought you felt the same emotions I felt for you." I said.
My words started with a huge momentum but towards the end, my voice mellowed and it was almost in a whisper.
Suddenly, I felt like a fool for coming here. I felt like a gullible and idiotic woman who chased after the impossible.
My hands seemed to lose power.
I stopped leaning on his desk and I straightened.
My heart vibrated with soul-crippling pain. My eyes burned with tears.
I thought I would get the answers I wanted if I confronted Chase. It seemed like I was naive.
I turned to leave.
"Do you want to know the truth?" His deep voice asked.
His words stopped me.
My grief reduced. I had the urge to roll my eyes.
Why did I come here?
If I was not seeking for the truth, will I put myself through this emotional rollercoaster?
Would I confront him?
I faced him again.
"Guess." I commented.
His eyes stayed on my red eyes for a moment before he stood up.
He walked around his desk to stand before me.
His hand held my chin.
He caressed my jaw for a second.
"I love you." He dropped the sentence like an atomic bimb.
My eyes dilated and I stared at him in shock.
A little bit of confusion was mixed with shock in my intense gaze.
What was he talking about?
For a brief moment, I could not get my thoughts together.
"What did you say?" I asked I incredulously, "Repeat your words."
I knew Chase felt something for me.
I had always believed that this bit of feeling came from my passive seduction.
I thought what I felt for him was more intense than what he felt for me.
Now, he was slamming me with words that my brain can not interprete.
I thought of many things in that brief moment.
How can he love me?
I don't think his feelings for me would have reached that level yet.
"I love you." He repeated.
It seemed like there was nothing wrong with my eardrums. I heard him clearly.
Soon, anger replaced my shock.
I shook my head and his hand dropped from my chin.
"I can't believe this. You said you love me but you are able to ignore me and my attempts to get through to you with a clear conscience." I said with a glare, "This love of yours is too complicated for me to follow."
I turned around so I could leave.
His warm hands held my shoulders captive. I could not move an inch.
He moved my body to face him.
"Rachel, you don't understand." He said.
I didn't try to stop myself from rolling my eyes this time.
"Don't roll your eyes at me." A deep growl accompanied his warning words.
I stopped immediately.
However, I was not willing to back down.
"Well, I won't understand anything if you are not explaining what is going on to me." I shrugged.
His hands followed my action.
"Rachel, I am dangerous. My love is dangerous. I thought about it and I felt like it is unfair to you." Chase started.
"I don't appreciate people making decisions on my behalf. I also thought we were together. I did not know I was just in a one-sided relationship." I replied him with hurt in my voice.
This wasn't what I expected from him.
According to him, his love was dangerous. Did he ask me if I wanted to stay away from him before he made his decision?
No.
He left me out of the decision-making process.
He just decided to go MIA on me.
When he ghosted me, I always wondered if I had done something to offend him.
I did not know that he avoided me for this kind of reason.
"You are naive. My love is constricting and obsessive. I would want you near me every time. I would get you to stay away from other men. I would want your whole focus to be one me and me alone. These things are just the beginning." Chase said in a strained voice.
His dark eyes threatened to swallow me.
A dark fire was kindling within his deep pupils.
It was like a tsunami made from boiling lava was approaching me.
He continued, "Besides, I thought you were just acting in a fit of pique."
My hands held his collar in a tight grip.
I dragged his collar down and Chase was forced to bow his head.
"Chase, this is where you are mistaken. What I feel for you isn't something I woke up to. I don't know when things changed between us but I began to like you more than a younger sister should." I said, "My love is also obsessive. I would do all those things you mentioned and like you said, that is just the tip of the ice berg."
He did not do anything to interrupt me. His dark eyes just stared at me.
"My love is like an abyss. I am paranoid and possessive. You see, that is why we are the right match for each other." After I finished my words, I kissed him.
To me, kissing made my declaration more permanent.
It was the start of a new chapter.
- Writer
