The Dark Alpha

Chapter 11

I played with my fingers, looking over the intricate designs of my nails as I had the phone on speaker, listening attentively to the familiar husky toned voice that caused shivers to run down my spine, "so how was being HOD?" He asked me and I felt the smile on my face get even bigger.

"Oh it's been a blast, really. The work is a whole lot more, of course, but I just feel like I've achieved something so great," I went on, feeling proud of myself.

"I'm happy to hear that, Diamond. Have you told your parents yet?" He asked me and I sighed as the smile slowly got smaller and smaller before shaking my head.

Then I realised he couldn't see me and I cleared my throat, "no I didn't tell them."

"Why not?"

I went from being happy and content, silly and flustered while talking to Arthur to being deflated and heartbroken, "because in their eyes it won't be much of an achievement."

"Don't say that. You wouldn't know until you’ve told them. I'm sure they'd be very proud of you," he tried to pacify me but I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe you're right," I let out a breath, "but according to my siblings, this is literally like picking up a pebble and tossing it a metre away and calling it a milestone. I mean, my brother opened his law firm when he was only 27 years old, and in three months he'd made over a million pounds. My sister's very first contract was well over millions of pounds, and you expect me to feel like my achievements compare to theirs? They really don't."

"I don't like it when you talk about yourself like that, Diamond. Your achievements are achievements regardless of what they may be. No matter how small, no matter how minute it may seem to others, you are one step ahead than you were yesterday and that's the most important thing. We take it one day at a time."

"You've really got a way with words, Mr Charlesworth."

"For what it's worth, I'm proud of you and I always will be. I'll always be proud of whatever you do...and none of your achievements will ever be small to me. Ever."

The smile grew back onto my face and my heart skipped a beat as I closed my eyes, "thank you, that means a lot."

He paused, "do you want to go to bed? Are you tired? Because I do want to carry on talking but if you're tired then we can stop."

I looked down at my phone and lit up the screen to see the time, it was well past ten o'clock and my bed time. Yes, even at my age I had a bed time. I was strict on getting my eight hours of sleep, especially since I was working and constantly under stress. So sleep was the only thing that I looked forward to.

When I slept well, I worked well and functioned well. But for this man, I didn't care about those vital hours of sleep that I so clearly needed.

"Nope, I don't need to go to sleep. Who even sleeps right?"

He chuckled, "yes, how strange are those who close their eyes and rest."

"So what are we going to talk about?" I asked him as I turned around and fluffed up my pillow, wanting to get more comfortable in my bed before I took the phone and placed it near me and looked at it like I was laying besides him.

"What are your thoughts on marriage and getting married?" I furrowed my eyebrows at the question.

"Marriage?" I repeated, wanting to make sure I'd heard correctly.

"Yes."

"Hm, my thoughts on marriage and getting married? Well, I grew up in a vocal and achieved family where the girls were taught to be more successful than men and challenge men within their professions and workplaces. So it spilled into talks of love and marriage eventually. I...ok, I guess I've always looked at my parents marriage as an example of what I should expect. I have to be honest, it's not something that I believe must happen. It's kind of like an extra blessing to me. Personally, I feel like there's more to life than just going to school, settling down, having babies and becoming a housewife. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I do."

"There's more to life than just committing to a certain image that's been imbeded into our brains. I'm open minded and I just want to venture out of my comfort zone. I want to reach the ends of the earth and just live life, but then again, there is a part of me that does want to some day have that special someone that can...just complete me," I finished off, "why are you asking me this? You want to go down on one knee and pop the question?" I teased, not taking anything really serious about his question.

"...what if I did? Would you say no?"

I laughed, "you're too funny, Arthur. Besides, I'm too boring for anyone to ever want me to be their wife. I'm just...me, and you may think I'm extraordinary, but I don't think anyone will ever fall in love with me."

"Why are you so insecure?"

"I'm not insecure."

"You're always thinking so low of yourself."

"I don't, I think very highly of myself, Arthur."

"You do carry yourself very highly, Diamond, I cannot dispute that, but what I can't stand is the random words in between your sentences where what you really think of yourself comes through and shows. I think you're not very happy with yourself, Diamond, and that's fine, because a lot of us aren't happy with ourselves. But you can't keep going on like you're not good enough. There's never a need to doubt yourself and who you are. I think that you're an extraordinary woman and I'd be more than lucky to have you in my life. I'd give you the world and everything in it, I'd celebrate every achievement of yours, I'd worship the ground you walked on and I'd never make a tear of sadness flow from your eyes. I just hope that you see that even though we've only been together for a little over a month. And I also hope, that this attitude of yours changes because you are so much more, Diamond. You're a whole lot more and the day that you realise that and stop bringing yourself down every few minutes, you'll become unstoppable and capable of taking over the world."

"..." I struggled to find words to say as he finished his speech. I looked at the phone, feeling like he was actually here with me at this moment and goosebumps appeared on my skin. "I... I don't know what to say."

"I think I should let you go to bed, it's gotten late and I know you have to be up early. Goodnight, Diamond."

"Goodnight, Arthur," I paused, "oh and, thank you. Thank you for telling me that I'm special..."