The Billionaire’s Obsession

Anika's POV Sitting in the living room… My mind is drenched in sad thoughts, my mind roaming back and forth over the events of the passing days. I had never encountered a period in my life as drenching as this was. I was enjoying how my friends were here for me. But I had to admit that I still missed a part of me, my family. I didn't hate who I had become, I just missed who I knew myself to be. I wanted me, but in my mind and in reality, I felt like I had lost the actual jackpot, of course. One of the maids accepted the offer to leave after some pressure from me. As glad as I was about that, deep down something, somehow still didn't sit right. And this wasn't even about the maid whose life was at a risk looking at everything, it just felt like there was still a puzzle to be solved. "How are you doing?" I hear Derrick interrupt the sea of thoughts I was drenched in. "F...fine" I stuttered, still startled. "What's wrong?" He asked, concern over his face. "You seem like you just saw a ghost." He added. "No, no, not at all" I added, pain crawling into my face, "I just wasn't expecting to see you... I mean, I didn't know you were still around" I added quickly, at the sudden realization that what I had just said made no sense. "Hey, listen to me, Anika, you need to stop bothering about things you shouldn't bother about. I don't like seeing you like this. I already told you everything is under control. I would be glad if you'd just take my word for it and stop bothering with it." He said. "You say I shouldn't bother about it like it's that easy, it's not that easy. Yes, life has to go on, but what if something else comes up. I don't just trust myself with this kind of pain. I feel there's a lot that could go wrong, I don't know." I added, trying to hold back the sea of tears that eagerly wanted to flow."You need to stop this pessimistic attitude, you need to stop bothering about what could go wrong and focus on what could go right! On what is already going right, if only you had the guts to just be optimistic for once!". Derrick let out, his tone seemed like an angel whose cover had just been blown.I had to take it at that, he was that sweet. "Noted, I'll stay happy, I'll believe for the best." I said, as if trying to avoid anymore words from him. It wasn't just his reaction that intrigued me, it was just too expected and consistent. For someone as broken as me, all he projected to be, it all really felt out of place. The surprising part was how he immediately reverted to what seemed like a comic act of his, mostly when he had noticed the weakness on my face. "We'll be alright. Let's just hope for the best, life happens but we have to keep our hopes high, just like bad things could happen at anytime, good things can happen at anytime. "You seem not to completely understand me, but it's okay. I get it." I added as I got up, headed for my room. "Wait, Anika. I'm sorry if you feel I don't understand you." He lets out. "It's not in anyway my intention. I just feel we could channel the emotions in the right direction, you know." He said. "I don't care if you understand me or not properly, but whether you do or not, that's not the issue here. The issue is I'm tired and I need to take a hot bath and rest in. " I remarked, my knees shaking beneath me. I thought I had managed to escape him when I felt his arms wrapped around me. "Do you seriously want to do this?" I asked, as tiredness danced in my eyes. "If you would let me" he added, trying to steal a kiss from my lips. "I wish I could, but I can't currently. I'm exhausted to say the least." I added, shoving him out of the way. I continued on, headed for my room as I turned my back to meet him behind me. I stopped in my tracks, turning to face him. "I know you and your family weren't in good terms, but the air is not clear enough for this. This should be for the meantime. I hope you can understand me. "I said"I understand you perfectly well, but you seem to be forgetting something. I helped you for a reason. I was drawn to you in a way I don't think I've ever been drawn to anyone. I wanted you so much from the first day I set my eyes on you. " He went on. "Derrick, you already know I also want you. I don't know who wants each other the more between you and I, but we also have to understand the peculiarity of what we have going on. I wouldn't want a situation where in we'll plunge ourselves into more than we can take. "I lied. "I'm confused here," he said, his voice low but intense. "One minute you want us to be together so much that you even suggested we we date in a low and the next minute, you're acting like you detest me. I'm l really a bad person? Am I?” His eyes glared, not with anger but with something deeper. Something I couldn’t quite piece together. Was it pain? Regret? Or guilt? I opened my mouth, then closed it. My thoughts tangled like wires. "You're taking this too far and misunderstanding everything," I said, trying to hold my voice steady, even as a strange unease prickled my spine. "I want you to understand clearly and know, deep down, that I love you. But I want us to be cautious, that's all. "He stepped closer, eyes searching mine. "Cautious about what exactly? Is there anyone against our friendship? l assure you there's no stumbling block to what we share, I am really sure of that." He added, grasping my arm tightly with all seriousness in his eyes. "It's all good," I said changing the topic, letting out a small sigh. "We're tired, it's been a long day. Let's go to bed, aren't you tired already? I am and I really need my beauty sleep. We'll talk about this tomorrow, alright?" I added, turning to make my way to my room. I knew he'd be standing there, watching me go. I also knew this was the only way to keep things in check keep us grounded in friendship, at least for now. I wanted him, truly. But I also knew acting clingy wouldn’t do the magic I so badly needed. I was learning, painfully but surely. Making him believe I was in control of myself that I wasn’t swaying with every emotion was where I chose to start. But just before I touched the doorknob, his voice followed me, low and hesitant. "You're really good at pretending you're fine, you know that?"I paused. My heart skipped, but I didn’t turn. "And you're really good at assuming I'm pretending, " I replied, then walked in and gently shut the door. Behind the door, my knees almost gave way. I wasn’t sure which of us was pretending more.