Chapter 6 He Recognized Her
1119 Words
The room was dimly lit, with only the soft glow of a floor lamp casting shadows. Elijah pushed open the door and immediately noticed a slender silhouette seated on the sofa.
"Why are you in my room?" he asked, frowning.
Amelia quickly stood up, visibly flustered. "Elijah... I needed to talk to you, so I asked the staff to let me in."
She looked at him, her eyes brimming with guilt. "Are you upset?"
Elijah stood in the doorway, his voice a low rumble. "What did you want to talk about?"
"I..." she began, but the words of her cousin Mandy Davis echoed in her mind.
"Are you really content just being friends with Elijah?"
How could she be?
She had been by his side for three years without any progression.
Sometimes, Elijah treated her worse than a stranger.
Amelia couldn't figure out what had gone wrong between them. Was Elijah still upset about her leaving him?
"Elijah."
She stepped closer. The tears sparkling in her eyes made her look particularly vulnerable.
"Can you tell me what I can do to make up for the hurt I caused you?"
Elijah had heard that question too many times, and now it only irritated him.
"Amelia, there's no longer any affection between us. Your constant pestering will just make me think less of you," Elijah said, taking a step back and gripping the doorknob. "Don't exhaust my patience, and don't push my limits. Leave, please."
"No, I'm not going anywhere!"
Amelia lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him, pressing her body against his.
Her voice broke with a cry. "I didn't want to leave you back then, but if I hadn't seized that opportunity, I'd still just be a girl not good enough for you..."
The scent of rose perfume wafted from her, filling the air.
The softness of her body pressed against him momentarily warmed his chest through his clothes.
A sudden heat overtook him.
He recalled the champagne Amelia had brought him.
Elijah's throat tightened, He abruptly pulled away from her.
His breath was hot, but his tone was ice-cold.
"Amelia, did you drug me?"
Tears pooled in Amelia's eyes. Hurt and desperation were written all over her face.
She had left Elijah to pursue a career abroad.
"Elijah, can we please try again?"
The effects of the drug in the champagne intensified, making Elijah feel increasingly parched and agitated.
He didn't want to listen to Amelia's excuses anymore and turned to leave.
"Elijah..."
Amelia followed him, crying out in a plea, "Elijah, do you know how happy I was to see you in Italy three years ago? I thought we could start over..."
Amelia's heartfelt confession blurred into a distant murmur for Elijah.
He removed his suit jacket and began unbuttoning his shirt in a fluster, ripping off two buttons in his haste.
He was burning!
And he had to do something!
"Get out!"
Elijah suddenly halted, his voice gruff as he exuded a nearly ferocious aura, intimidating Amelia.
She paused and quickly reached out to him, but he forcefully shook her off, causing her to fall sprawling on the ground.
"For the one last time, stop following me."
With that, Elijah walked into the elevator.
Leaning against the wall for support and using the last shred of his clear-headedness, Elijah managed to dial Daniel's number.
"Elijah? What's going on?"
"I need a doctor..."
His voice tightened, acquiring an unintentional huskiness.
Daniel was about to c***k a joke when he heard a woman's voice and then the sound of something dropping. The call abruptly ended.
"What are you doing here?"
Elijah's sudden appearance startled Charlotte so much that she accidentally used her real voice. She tried to regain her composure and clear her throat to speak again when her wrist was suddenly grasped. She was whirled around, her back slamming against the wall.
Elijah's eyes darkened. His voice turned husky from the effects of the drug. He swallowed hard. The figure before him seemed unreal, leaving him momentarily unsure of what to say.
But it was Charlotte's voice!
But that couldn't be right. She wasn't supposed to be there.
Why would he think of her at a time like that?
"Char..."
Realizing she was nearly recognized and unwilling to meet his gaze, Charlotte quickly turned her face away. She even forgot to use her disguised voice. "Elijah... Mr. Garcia, you're drunk!"
Elijah shuddered. He sensed her scent and heard her voice. It was unmistakably Charlotte!
A raw, wooden fragrance mixed with warmth enveloped her.
Before she could react, he dipped his head and captured her lips in a deep, fervent kiss that nearly deprived Charlotte of all oxygen. Her consciousness began to dim.
His hot, dry hand slid up her leg, prompting Charlotte into action. She struck hard with her bent knee.
Caught off guard by the sudden pain, he grunted and stumbled back.
Without hesitation, Charlotte slipped off her high heel and threw it at him.
Jerk! p*****t! Creep!
What kind of asshole was he? His girlfriend Amelia was there, and yet he dared such reckless behavior? How dare he take advantage of her?!
However, Charlotte's act of defiance was short-lived.
Elijah effortlessly caught her wrist and disarmed her of her shoe.
Instinctively, she kicked out, but he caught her ankle as well.
With a slight tug, he brought her right in front of him, holding her in a dangerously intimate position.
In the dim light, his rapid breathing was distinctly audible.
"Be good," he rasped out a warning.
Only then did Charlotte realize something was terribly wrong. Damn it! Who would dare pull such a low trick on her yacht?!
"You've been drugged! Come to your senses!"
Elijah was beyond hearing her. Eyes flooded with desire, he was eager to devour her.
His voice hoarse, he softly called, "Charlotte."
He gripped her shoulders as though fearing she might slip away at any moment.
"I finally found you..." Elijah's gaze was intense as he gently caressed her cheek and attempted to remove her mask.
Charlotte instinctively moved back an inch. Elijah paused and stopped his invasive actions.
"Charlotte... I'm sorry..."
Her heart skipped.
Charlotte managed to keep her appearance calm, but inside, a tempest raged. She had waited three years for his apology, but her hope had been long gone.
Now, as she had resolved to move on, his words seemed pointless.
Perhaps influenced by the drug, Elijah found his rationality slipping away like sand through his fingers. He gripped Charlotte's wrist tightly, desperate just to hear her response.
Nevertheless, that excessive behavior was misinterpreted by Charlotte.
In her panic, she reached for a weapon, but her hand accidentally touched something round.
Then came a muffled thud.
- Writer
