In This Love

Chapter 9

Avery 

After Mr.Holt left just shortly after breakfast. I was left confused - Mr. Holt really wanted Rhys and I to go to Bora Bora and explaining to him while Rhys was present made my hands a bit sweaty. Maybe it was the feeling that I didn't want him or any of them want to know about me or my past life? Or it was just the mere presence of Rhys in the same room turned my mind into a mush. I debated with myself if I should just agree and go to Bora Bora but the thought of spending time with Rhys in a complete different country was out of the question. Besides, I was honest.

It was everybody's hardwork and a huge cost for all of this

I remembered the words he said just a few moments ago which made my mind go blank and everything in my mind was replaced with pure fury.

But for some reason I wanted it to let it slide. I didn't want to confront him about this because it will only give him the satisfaction of me getting bothered by his words. And if I confront him I'll be acting the role of a wife. The title I completely hated.

Right now Rhys was saying goodbye to his Dad and I was sitting on the couch where my cane was laying. There were some dishes that needed to be done and I felt like procrastinating.

My left hand was in my hair - my fingers soothing the scalp as I was lost in my thoughts. My right hand fell on the couch onto something cold. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked down at the cold material. 

It was a book. A novel.

I squinted my eyes at it "Slaughterhouse Five" I read it out loud. They say you can judge a person by listening to their play list or the genre of the books they read. And taste of Rhys Holt were dystopian and anti-war? 

Pretty ironic if you think about it. My fingers danced across the itched words as I felt the paper. 

It was a good book though. I had read it before back in highschool. It was a really life-changing.

I picked it up and opened where the bookmark was. My eyes shot up in surprise when I realised that Rhys was writing down his own thoughts at the side of the pages.

I read it out loud "Why believe in something that brings nothing but catastrophe? Why do we have to fight wars where we are fighting our own? Why believe in something like time where there is no free will? Why do we even have to live our lives when they are meant to end? A life where we are going to be slaughtered by cruel words, act-" a loud groan echoed into the room and my eyes travelled to the source of it. 

Rhys stood there with his arms folded in front of him "I-I w-was just reading" I threw the book onto the couch like it was acid but my mind kept on going back to the words he had written in it. 

"You were curious" he started to walk towards the couch and bowed down to pick up the book - that was now laying on the floor - he then picked up the bookmark next to me and put it where he had left it. I looked at his every action and it felt like this book was somehow one of his favourites. The condition - in which the book was in - was rugged.

Huh. Who would have thought a playboy would actually be a bookworm? 

"I just wanted to know on which part you where at" I mumbled and thanked mentally that he wasn't being as asshole at the moment since he had just gotten the news of becoming the next CEO on next weekend. Lucky him! - I'm just being sarcastic.

"You've read this book?" He sat down at the other end of the couch , maintaining a safe distance. 

The air around me became thick like tar all of a sudden. Why was he acting.....normal? Then my mind went back to the question he had just asked. From the corner of my eye I saw him quietly reading the book. Pretending I wasn't there.

"Yeah. Back in highschool" I ran a hand through my hair and focused on why was I making a huge deal out of this situation. It was just a small talk.

Right. Small talk.

I should go and get my things too and forget that he really exists.

There was a long silence and I had almost forgot about everything since breakfast - until he brought it up.

"You know I really thought you'd take money from my dad" I whipped my head towards him and my hand automatically fisted into a five. I found him staring at me with a glint in his brown eyes. I gritted my teeth.

Sonetimes I wondered if I was a bipolar because my moods changed within a snap of seconds. And this was one of them.

Maybe he just realised that he was letting his guard down by starting a small talk with me. Or maybe he talked to me in the first place just to ask a question that gave birth to sense of self dignity inside of me.

"Why would I ask for your father's money while I have my own?" I made my comment neutral - I didn't want him to have that satisfaction. Look Rhys - two can play an unspoken game of wits. 

He looked unnerved now like it didn't bother him but I decided to push his buttons "Why? Did you think that I'm like all those women you have been with and still are with I'd like to add? I am many things but I will never ask someone else for money when I can earn my own"

I crossed my arms in front of me as I studied him. Rhys wanted to say something to me but was debating with himself if he should say it or not but he decided to say "I ended my ties with Nora. And even though you want all of us to believe that you are nothing like the breed you loath but deep down every woman has it in her.  Hunger for more money. Even men I might add. Don't  even think that you have me fooled by you foul play" he gripped his book so tightly that it's lapels were squeezed so hard that the paper in it would combust itself due to the pressure of his hold. Why did he keep on persisting that all of my actions were just an act? I am a genuine person not like those he is surrounded by all the time. Maybe that's why he can't differentiate between act and reality 'cause he hasn't known what "real" is.

"You're a prick" I murmured under my breath "I'll take my leave now before I unleash my untamed anger on you" I took the hair band that was wrapped around my wrist and tied my hair with it before grabbing my cane. Now, Rhys had went silent and just read the book in his hands but his face was itched with irritation and annoyance. He couldn't concentrate on his reading. For a moment he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket making both of us go in alert. Rhys was was giving me a death glare at the moment and I simply took the phone out of my pocket and saw a reminder.

"Doctor's appointment at 1" 

I cursed out loud and then the panic settled in. After every month I go to my doctor who is treating me for my paralysis but the thing about these meetings was that I showed different symptoms sometimes things were becoming better and more hope for me came of living my life without the braces and the cane. But the peculiarity about my case was that my system of healing could collapse at any moment and there would be no chance for me to walk properly for the rest of my life.

I looked up from my phone and found an intrigued Rhys staring at me with full interested. 

"What?" I questioned him as I pretended like it was nothing but a ball of sweat slid down my temple as I realised that I might even have a panic attack.

"You turned white" he just shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing while I on the other hand felt complete opposite.

"It's just my doctor's appointment in an hour and I have to get there...quick" I hinted at him "Can you - uh - ask the driver to take me there? Or I can just take the subway" I explained.

❤

"Everything is normal" Doctor Ward said as he looked at my reports.

"What do you mean?" I played with my fingers due to the unsettling feeling of things not going the way I want them to go.

"I won't say that you have stopped responding but your system is just as stable since last month" I sighed in relief but then "Are there any chances of things getting better doc?" I asked him the same question I ask everytime I came for my appointment.

Doctor Ward just sighed and took off his glasses and set them down on the table next to him. And folded his hands together "you see - there are chances that things might go wrong" my heart sunk "but  - if you keep your routine straight then everything might turn out great!" He smiled genuinely and I took a sigh of relief. 

So this was the goal.