Loving The Heartless Man

Chapter 17

Elara Pov

When I got home, I wasn't surprised to see Alexander waiting for me. He was sitting in the living room and immediately stood up when he saw me enter the house.

"Why are you only coming home now, Elara? I've been waiting for you for a while. Do you know what time it is?" Alexander's voice had a hint of annoyance as he scolded me.

"Did I tell you to wait for me? And maybe you're forgetting that in our contract agreement, I can come home whenever I want and we shouldn't interfere with each other's business," I reminded him irritably. Alexander didn't say anything and just stared at me. "Tell me, why are you waiting for me?" I asked, even though I could already guess why he patiently waited for me until this hour.

I intentionally went home late at night so that when I arrived, everyone would be asleep. I stayed at Liam's house and had dinner there before he drove me home.

"I just want to know if you're okay. I saw earlier at the mall that your reaction seemed different—"

"You don't have to worry because I'm fine," I quickly interrupted whatever he was going to say. "Anyone would have the same reaction when asked those kinds of questions. I'm not a celebrity used to facing and being questioned in a crowded place," I added in a cold voice.

I secretly smirked at him. He pretends to be concerned about me, that's why he asked, but the truth is he just wants to know if I will immediately file for divorce from him after what happened. He won't admit that he was the one who sent those reporters. What a hypocrite! No one else knew about what happened back then except him, Liam, and me. It's impossible that my friend called those two reporters just to ask me about things I'm avoiding. Clearly, no one else planned it but Alexander.

"About those two reporters, don't worry because they won't publish anything about you. It's a coincidence that I was at the mall earlier, so I saw what happened and managed to stop them," said Alexander when he spoke again.

"So should I thank you because it was a coincidence that you were at the mall and near me? Was it really just a coincidence that you were there, Alexander?" I asked him incredulously.

Alexander's face suddenly darkened when he heard what I said. "Do you think I sent those two reporters? That I planned what happened earlier?"

"Isn't it, Alexander?" I asked him with raised eyebrows.

"We have a contract agreement and I won't break it, Elara. I don't know who sent those two reporters and how they seem to know about what happened before," Alexander insisted, but I didn't believe him.

"Whatever." I know he won't admit it, so why should I argue with him about what happened? I just left him in the living room and went up the stairs.

"No matter how much I hate you, I wouldn't do that thing, Elara," Alexander said as I was going up the stairs. I pretended not to hear anything and didn't bother to look back at him.

After my conversation with Alexander, we didn't talk or see each other again inside his house. I became busy with treatment from Dr. De Dios because I really wanted to get better. I didn't hide from him the reason for my social phobia and about my situation with Alexander so that he would know the history of my illness. Almost every day we are together, so we have become close to each other.

"Tomorrow night I will attend my friend Elara's masquerade birthday party. You can come with me as my date," Sam said while we were having coffee inside a coffee shop in a mall. Like the past days when he didn't have a client scheduled, we were together again, and he took me to crowded places to get me used to the presence of other people. However, my illness is not triggered because people's attention is not focused on me.

"I don't think I can do it yet, Sam. I'm afraid that if my illness gets triggered, you might just be embarrassed because of me," I replied to him worriedly. If I agree to go with him to the party, it will be the first time I attend a party since I developed Social Anxiety Disorder. So I'm afraid to take the risk.

"Don't be afraid because I'm with you, Elara. And besides, we're wearing masks so they won't see your face. This is a good start for you to socialize, Elara," he convinced me. But I'm still having second thoughts about whether to go with him or not.

"What if—I stopped speaking when he held my hand resting on the table and gently squeezed it. "Like I said, I'm with you. I am your doctor, remember?"

"What a nice place to have a date with your lover."

I couldn't respond to what Sam said because suddenly a voice spoke behind us. I know it's Alexander. Why is the world so small for the two of us and we always meet unexpectedly? Uhm, well, he did plan what happened at the mall before. But maybe it wasn't intentional that we met again now in this coffee shop."

Alexander was with his best friend Edzel when they approached our table. Since high school, the two have been best friends, so for sure Edzel knows the situation between Alexander and me.

"Just mind your own business," I answered him sharply. I wish he hadn't come over when he saw me.

"Does your date know that you have a wife—"

"Stop it, Alexander! Can you just leave?" I said, trying to hold back my annoyance.

"Why? Am I interrupting your date?" Alexander raised an eyebrow and then glanced at Sam's hand, which was still holding mine. I discreetly withdrew my hand and just held onto my glass of iced coffee. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your companion, Elara?"

"No need to introduce. He already knew you," I replied coldly. "Let's go, Sam." I stood up and grabbed my bag that was on the table before walking out of the coffee shop. I was near the door when I heard Sam speak and talk to Alexander, so I suddenly stopped walking.

"I am Dr. Sam De Dios. As Elara said, there's no need for me to introduce myself to you because who doesn't know you, Mr. Reed? But I need to introduce myself to you since you don't know me," Sam said to Alexander. I didn't know what their expressions were. I had my back turned to them, so I couldn't see their expressions.

"Sam, let's go," I called Sam. I didn't want us to stay longer in the same place with Alexander, especially with Sam. I felt uneasy.

Sam quickly said goodbye to Alexander and Edzel before following me out of the coffee shop.

"Your husband seemed jealous of me, Elara," Sam said as we walked to the parking area where his car was parked.

"It was just your imagination, Sam," I replied with a smirk. "That man will never get jealous even if he sees me kissing another man. He hates me as much as I hate him."

"You didn't see his reaction earlier, that's why you don't want to believe what I'm saying. But believe me, Elara. Alexander was jealous of me," he insisted.

"If you don't stop talking, I won't go with you tomorrow night to the party," I threatened Sam, who seemed determined to insist that Alexander was jealous.

"Really? You're coming with me tomorrow night?" Sam asked happily.

"Yes. Maybe you're right. Tonight is a good start for me to socialize." I need to do this to overcome my fear of facing many people. I know it will help me more if I confront my fear of the past. But I don't know when I will be ready to face that.