CHAPTER 77
Bryan’s POV
Losing track of how many times I have sighed, I pull the bathroom door open to come out with a towel wrapped around my waist, with water glistening down my body.
I should have told my mother about Jason but I didn’t because I wanted it to remain a secret for a while.
I don’t want to put the poor boy in danger. I just wish everything will continue being the way they are without any changes.
I do not know why she insisted on seeing Celine in private and I hope she doesn’t speak badly of me to her. She already thinks bad of me and I won’t be surprised if she speaks ill of me to Celine.
I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that Celine defended me out there. Why does she always have to do that? Does she think it will get to me?
Now that mother knows, dad will be informed too. I should be expecting a call from him anytime soon.
I walk to the closet to search for pajamas when I hear a knock on the door.
Mother might not let me know before she leaves because of her anger towards me, so I guess the person at the door must be Camilla or Celine.
“Come in”, I say calmly, pulling silk sleepwear out. The door opens and I turn to see Celine come in. Her hair is packed in a bun and she is in a different nightwear tonight. I haven’t seen her in fancy sleepwear like this before. She is always wearing plain dresses.
Her eyes shift to my broad chest and I see her gulp loudly before diverting her gaze to her fingers.
“How can I help you?” I ask nonchalantly, pretending not to see how uncomfortable she is seeing me half naked. This is what I want after, torturing her.
Is she here expecting some sort of thanks for standing up for me?
“I came to apologize and to inform you about Jason’s birthday”, she smiles, looking up, and my brows crease.
When was the last time she smiled this way? We aren’t even done settling our differences and with mother’s presence today, I don’t expect her to be smiling at me this way like we are civil with each other.
“Apologize for what?” I am in no mood to shout at her to leave. I am more concerned about what my mother would do. I really hope she won’t let this get to the public. I didn’t get to see her before she left, I would have warned her to keep it a secret for Jason’s safety.
“For everything I have done to offend you. For running away with your baby and for bringing Paxton in here to take Jason away from me because I think he is a good man, and…”
“Oh, now I see you know the truth”, I cut her short and she nods.
Silence falls and I fold my arms, expecting her to finish up what she is here for before leaving.
“What about Jason’s birthday?” I ask her when she isn’t saying anything.
A smile teases her lips again. “I haven’t told you the date he was born. His birthday is two days from now and I would like to get new dresses for myself for the little birthday party Camilla and I had prepared for him.”
“Dresses for yourself?” I ask in surprise. Celine is never one to demand new dresses and I wonder what happened. The dresses she shopped for when she was here stayed in her closet for months. She barely wore more than a dozen and I am sure she must have sold them all out when she ran off.
“Yes, I want to look good on my son’s birthday.” She beams in happiness and I wonder if it is the upcoming birthday making her this happy or something else.
“So you want me to give you some money for shopping?” I question again, my forehead furrowed as I try to figure out what is happening. Celine left this house without taking the money I promised her. She isn’t one to demand money either.
Is she planning to elope again?
“Yes, don’t worry, I will get you a few dresses too.”
Now I am more than convinced that she wants to elope and I will put her to test.
Slowly, I begin to walk towards her, dropping the sleepwear, my chest uncovered and the towel tightly wrapped around my waist.
The more I step closer to her, the more agitated she becomes and the smile on her face disappears immediately.
I continue walking towards her till she begins to back away like she did yesterday when we both shouted at each other and she revealed to me the real reason why she left.
Remembering this now is making me guilty all over again and I wonder when all of this will stop. I am becoming exhausted with all of these feelings.
I am tired of feeling guilty but as much as I want to stop doing this to Celine, I derive pleasure from it.
I am tired of being remorseful about everything that has to do with my past; Helena and our baby.
I cage Celine with my hands on the wall and Celine’s petite figure in the middle. She stares up at me and I try to read through her to know what she is thinking and why she is doing this.NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.
I lean closer, my mouth a few inches away from her ears. “If you try to elope with my child again, I will never forgive you again, ok?”
“I won’t, I promise”, she shivers beneath my gaze. “I don’t intend to run away or leave the house anymore. I have accepted my fate and I won’t do anything drastic anymore as long as I have your forgiveness…
“Even if I continue to mistreat you?” I demand out of curiosity and she remains silent, avoiding my gaze.
I drop my hands. “You can go. I will give you my credit cards tomorrow before leaving for work.”
“Thank you”, she says, not sounding as excited as I expect. Maybe she is scared that I will continue with my cruelty towards her.
“You have nothing to be afraid of. Just don’t do anything to piss me off and we will be good. And do your job, follow instructions.”
“Ok.”
Silence creeps in again as I watch her. She looks really small and vulnerable as she looks down like someone who is about to cry. I am about to look away because I am beginning to feel sympathetic towards her when she hoists her head up with a smile appearing from nowhere.
“Can I call you Bryan now?”
What?! I say inwardly. She wants to go back to being informal with me.
“Does it mean I have been forgiven for all my wrongs?”
I don’t say a word, nor shake. I just continue watching her.
She looks pleased with herself even when I didn’t say anything to her question.
“Thank you and I promise you have been forgiven too for all you have done to…”
“What have I done?” I ask sharply even though I know I am not a saint and not a good man. I have always done the wrong things from the start. I have done nothing good to her or Helena or anyone else. Instead of going further, I shut my mouth and turn back.
“You can leave!” I dismiss her.
“Thank you”, I hear her squeal in excitement and it tugs something new in me. “Good night.”
“Celine, wait”, I call with my back still to her. I want to ask her the one question I kept asking myself after she ran away without informing me of her pregnancy. “Why did you leave without getting the last part of your money?”
She was supposed to get the last part of her contract money a month before the contract would elapse and she left a week before it was time for her to get the money.
She does not say anything so I twirl back to face her squarely.
She darts her eyes away, her hands trembling and I wonder if there is more to all of this. If there is more to her, running away without the reward of her suffering for eleven months.
“This is the question that has been on my mind for years. I wondered why and it angered me more that I could not find an answer to it.”
I am desperate to know now that I have voiced it out. I wish she can just tell me but she is silent.
When she looks back at me squarely without fear, I know Celine has something else to say to me.
“Now that you brought it up, I think I should also ask you what has been on my mind for years too.”
Not giving the statement much thought, I nod, urging her to go on. I don’t care what it is, I just want to know her reason.
“Do you also know that the night we had sex and you pumped your seed into me, you were the one who deflowered me?” She blurts out, looking angry as tears spring to her eyes.
It takes a while for her words which sound like a question to process in my head and when it does, I let out an exclamation. “What?!”