BOUND BY THE PROMISE CLAUSE

MAN I WHO CHOSE THE WRONG CLIFF

Chapter Two

MAN WHO CHOSE THE WRONG CLIFF

Maya’s POV

He didn't make a strange move, not even an inch closer to me, neither did I.

For a long moment, the only sound between us was the sea crashing against the rocks below.

Then i sighed. I wanted him to leave already since he wasn't there to help.

"You know, that's a terrible opening line." He said, looking straight in my eyes. Then he got closer.

One dark eyebrow lifted, and I suddenly turned dumb for a second.

"I'm sorry?". I said.

Honestly, I didn't know when I made that statement. He looked at with so much pride like I was his servant taking orders from him.

"'You've picked the wrong cliff.'" He continued.

I folded my arms and then finally said my mind.

"If you're trying to stop someone from doing something stupid, maybe don't critique their choice of location that's so rude for you to do."

I said that in full confidence, thinking it would change things, and to my surprise, the corner of his mouth twitched.

He smiled quietly and switched back to his Mr. Mean guy. I already noticed the smile that really cheered me up a bit.

"I'll remember that."he responded

"You should. Besides, it's not your business what I know with myself," I said calmly.

He got closer, looked me from hair to toe, smiled, then replied

" You're too pretty to waste like this," or maybe I should help push you down since you want to end it so bad."

I looked back at the ocean, so terrified. He didn't look like he was joking. I stepped backwards immediately.

"So..." I said, shaking. "Are you going to call the police?"

"No." He replied.

At this point I already changed my mind about my suicide mission. I asked him again

"My grandmother?"

"I don't know your grandmother, are you ok?" He asked aggressively.

"She's very persuasive." I said softly.even though he looked uninterested, I just wanted to say words from my mouth.

"I don't doubt it." He said gently this time i glanced sideways at him. I got a close view of him

Damnnn!!

His so absurdly handsome. No wonder his so full of himself.

Then i noticed he wasn't the not so in the polished magazine-cover kind of way. His face was too sharp for that, and his expression was too guarded.

He looked like a man who'd forgotten what relaxing felt like..so dangerously handsome.

Then, I did my fashion check as always. I looked at his wears. His black coat probably cost more than eight months of my rent, his wristwatch the latest Richard Mille.

omg! I almost lost my composure. I couldn't even look further it was clear he was multi- billionaire.

I put myself back together and frowned my face.

"Either you're very rich...

or you've made some truly irresponsible shopping decisions." I said confidently.

This time, he actually smiled just as expected. It disappeared almost immediately.

"You notice expensive things?"... Mmm, I like that. " he replied.

" Well, I notice things I can't afford."

He looked at me carefully and his studying and experimentry object.

"And what can you afford?" He asked with his eyes still locked in on me.

I reached into my pocket, pulled out two peppermint sweets, and held them up proudly.

"These." I said

He stared at them with a clear smile on his face .

I shrugged, but still very bold, his eyes were scary, not for me.

"Are they on sale." He asked, laughing.

That wasn't funny to me, i didn't even blink, I looked for a way to fire back at him.

"Well..." i pointed at him.

"That's alarming, so you have teeth."

His expression changed instantly, I felt so satisfied, but I wanted to see him smile more

"I meant, you smiled,

You should probably do that more often. It's much less serial-killer-ish." I said, trying to cheer him up a bit

He looked away, shaking his head at least I could see a smile.

"You always talk this much?" He said .

"Only when people interrupt my dramatic moments." I replied, smiling.

"You were about to jump. I just saved you. You should give me some credit." He said gently.

"I was still thinking you just concluded I wanted to jump." I won't let him get the praise he wants.

"At the edge of a cliff in the middle of the night." He cut me off immediately

"I like ocean views.

"They're less crowded at night. You try it sometimes. " I said bravely.

I could see on his face for the first time.he looked serious.

"What happened?" He asked so calmly.

The question landed gently.. too gently that I almost broke into tears, but I hate people feeling pity for me.

"Well, life." I responded. I reached out to adjust my coat so I could leave

"Life doesn't usually bring people here." He continued

I gave a small smile. "Don't worry, you won't meet me here again."

Something flickered across his face a recognition not because he knew me but because he understood that sentence.

Before he could respond, a phone vibrated in his coat pocket. He glanced at the screen, and His expression hardened instantly.

He declined the call.

The phone rang again. He declined it again. Now I'm curious to know why and who

" Your girlfriend?" I asked.

"No." He responded.

"Wife?"

"No."

"Tax collector?"I asked again.

He looked at me strangely with a smile

"So that's your third guess?"Seriously," he asked

Before i could respond, his phone buzzed a third time.

This time, he answered.

"What?"

His voice turned cold. Every trace of warmth disappeared.

"No."I said no."

He was really fuming. I really got scared.

"I don't care what my mother wants." He said angrily.

I looked away politely because I didn't want to get a piece of that anger. He continued

"... Tell the board they can wait until morning. "If they can't wait..."They know where the door is."

He ended the call without another word and then looked toward my direction. I blinked, I didn't expect this side of him.

"Well, someone is definitely getting fired tomorrow." I finally managed to speak.

"They'll recover." He responded

“Hmm, you sound too confident." I replied

"I am." He replied boldly.

I studied him carefully and he looked so pissed.

"You don't work in customer service, do you?" I asked him

"No.What gave it away?" He replied.

"I knew it. You've got the emotional availability of a brick wall that's not good for a good-looking guy. "

He almost laughed again and then started wondering within him. Who is this woman?

Most people froze around me, but She kept insulting me with the confidence of someone discussing the weather.

"You've been staring," i cut him off.

"I've been observing. Why so confident? " He asked

"Oh, it was your plan to make me scared, or are you going to kidnapp me?" I replied instantly.

Although I was scared but I made sure he didn't notice even a slight of it . For a moment, neither of us spoke. He didn't respond, and then I asked

"Can I ask you something?"

He nodded once, looked at me, and said

"Go ahead."

"Why are you here?" I asked

He looked out at the sea.

"The same reason most people come. To dramatically question their life choices?"

"Something like, You don't seem like the dramatic type." I said, smiling.

"I'm not." He responded

"You definitely are." I said that intentional. He looked confused.

"You wear an expensive black coat to stand alone on a cliff in the rain." I pointed at him.

"That's cinema."

For the third time that night....

He laughed.

A black SUV rolled to a stop several metres away. Then another and another. Doors opened simultaneously.

Several men in dark suits hurried towards them. One of them stopped a respectful distance away.

"Sir."

I blinked, very shocked

Sir?

The stranger looked irritated. I looked back at him the same way.

"I told you not to follow me." He said angrily.

"We had no choice."

"You always have a choice." He replied

"The Madam insisted."

His jaw tightened. I just stood there watching the whole drama.

"I'll deal with my mother later."

The men nodded. Not one of them questioned him, no one. they literally worshipped him.

I looked from the men to the stranger, then back to the men.

Finally, i understand i slowly whispered—

"Oh... You've got bodyguards too."

"A few." He replied.

"A few?"

I counted them myself

"One... two... five... eight..."

I stopped.

"I ran out of fingers." I shouted.

One bodyguard coughed to hide a smile, the stranger noticed. So did i .

I pointed dramatically at him.

"You."

The guard froze almost immediately.

"You almost laughed."

"I didn't." He responded sharply

"You absolutely did." I continued.

"I apologise." He said calmly

"You should. Your boss clearly runs a very strict no-fun policy." I replied.

The stranger rubbed a hand across his face and said

"I don't have a no-fun policy."

"Oh, you don't?" I answered.

"Yes," He replied.

"Could've fooled me, but it's clear." Before I could finish, a fourth black vehicle pulled in.

Now, I'm even more impressed.

I whistled, looked at him, and asked

"Either you're royalty or you're in serious trouble."

For the first time all night. He looked me straight in the eyes.

"I'm both."!

Before i could ask what he meant, another suited man approached.

"Mr. Vale..."

He lowered his voice.

"The family meeting can't be postponed any longer."

Mr. Vale i repeated the name silently. "Vale," I have heard it before i just couldn't remember where.

He looked back at me, kept closer, adjusted my coat, and said calmly.

"Go home."

I folded my arms, went backwards a bit

"Bossy." I said

"It's late. I'm just looking out for you. This isn't a safe place." He replied

I smiled and then moved closer to him.

"Funny."I was just about to say the same thing to you." I said, looked at his face, and walked past him and his men.

For the first time in years...

Lucian Vale watched someone walk away from him without asking his name, his money, or his status.

I shoved my hands into my coat pockets and strolled down the path. Halfway there, i turned around.

"Oh! "I never got your name."

He looked up and held a gaze at me for a long second.

"Lucian vale," He replied

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Wrong Cliff." That was the last thing I said. Then, i disappeared into the darkness.

Lucian stood perfectly still.

One of his guards cleared his throat.

"Sir..."

Lucian didn't answer. Instead, he found himself watching the empty path where I vanished. For one time in a very long time... Someone had left him speechless, and he couldn't explain why now he wanted answers.