Rise of the Billionaire actress

The words were out before he could stop them, ” I’m sorry to be a bother, I’ll be on my way if that’s what you need.”

Esther couldn’t speak, with one sentence, Daniel rendered her speechless. Taking note of what her silence implied, He picked up the glass and in one shot gulped down its contents.

He felt his throat constrict in pain but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt in his chest. He never believed a time would come when he’d be considered a nuisance to the one he cherished for the major parts of his life.

No matter how stubborn and determined he was to get things back the way they used to be, there was only so much he could do at a time.

With that, he stood up, so quick that he wobbled a bit, ” Thank you.” He said, after seconds of contemplating his parting words.

” You can stay the night!” Esther piqued, her tone desperate. ” I mean, it’s already night, and you aren’t quite sober.” She excused, and felt the room suddenly grow hotter.

” You don’t need to do that, I’ll be fine.” He said curtly, rejecting to be pitied.

” No. You lost that right when you were dropped here in a taxi, drunk out of your mind.” Her tone mirrored his own.

” Listen, I was in a pretty bad state at the time, but trust me, I’m able to handle myself.” He pointed out, ” I’ve been doing it for the past two decades.”

” Don’t care. It’s late.” She argued, daring him to defy her.

Daniel palmed his face, and heaved a breath of resignation. ” I can’t with you.” He muttered under his breath, still deciding if he meant that in a positive or negative way.

Esther took a seat, opposite him, her eyes communicated her wordless command. He returned to his seat. The seconds following were filled with silence. After securing her undivided attention, it seemed like the right words eluded him.

What could he possibly say that would be enough to cover all the things he hoped to tell her? Where and when could he start from?

” How have you been?” He asked and afterwards realized how stupid he sounded. Before he could come up with something redeeming, her unchanging voice seeped into his ears.

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Esther didn’t know what came over her but that was the only answer she felt befitting for that question. In the weirdest possible way, when she looked over at him, she found him nodding, like he understood her, he always did.

Daniel held an awry smile, ” You must think I’m a joke. Coming back here like some stupid child, refusing to let go.”

” Don’t. Don’t even go there.” She warned, her countenance serious.

He held his hand up in mock surrender, ” Tell me though, how have you been these past years?”

” I could ask you the same.”

Daniel smirked, he recognized the patterns. ” You’re deflecting. Why?”

” Maybe because I don’t see any reason to share.”

” I’ll give you a reason,” He proposed, taking his lower lip into his mouth. ” Because we are in your home, late in the night, alone, and with nothing else to do.”

Esther ground her teeth, ” Glad to know you are in your right mind. Did the water sober you up?”

” You know perfectly well what sobered me up,” His eyes rolled over her. ” You’re yet to spill your guts.”

” While I may not be in the mood to share anything about my past, I’m itching to understand something.” Her eyes were discerning, calculative.

” What?” He asked after what felt like an hour of silence.

” I thought you’d never ask.” Esther relaxed into her couch, since they were already talking, she may as well pick his brains out. ” What in the world is Daniel Greenwood doing in my city?”

Daniel had a faraway look, and then a confused one, ” Last I checked, I was in Chicago, Didn’t realize you owned the place.” He pushed back, unsettled by her words.

” Despite how huge the city is, you still-somehow-managed to land on my couch.” She stated pointedly.

Daniel felt ruffled, he leaned into the couch, ” Because a certain someone wouldn’t let me go.”

” Maybe that someone wanted to get through to the root of the problem and make a mess of it once and for all!” She fired back, not missing a beat. A second later, she stood up, her fists tightening beside her, ” Excuse me.” She hissed and left the room.

Esther returned to the kitchen, in dire need of a glass of water, and some space. She raised her voice earlier, an act she didn’t set out to do but the mind does what it wants.

There was only so much she could filter when around him. It didn’t help that he made it too easy to be unfiltered around him. Few minutes with him and her old self rose from its ashes, making a grand appearance after so long.

She returned, hydrated and noticeably calm. ” I’m sorry.”

” For what?”

If he was offended, she couldn’t tell, damn the good and seasoned actor he was!

” How about… going off on you for absolutely no reason?” She rattled, now uncomfortable.

Daniel bit back a smile, ” I can live with that.”

” It’s late.”

” I know.” He replied with hooded eyes,

They both locked eyes for a second, having nothing else to say, they silently called it a night, knowing they were at their wits end.

******

” Shit..” Daniel woke up with a drum rolls in his head. He twisted his neck, and sighed at the pain that followed his snapping bones. His eyes fluttered open, it took slow seconds before his hazy brains cleared out and he noticed his surroundings.

His memories from the night before returned and suddenly, everything was twice as alluring and interesting. He stood up-too quickly-and pain shot up his forehead. ” Shit!”

One would think he banged his head a million times over a wall with the amount of pain that he felt after one night of drinking.

For the hundredth time, he made a pact against touching anything that contained alcohol, not even with a five feet pole. A pact he knew would be broken the moment an opportunity presented itself, but who cared?

On the other hand, Esther couldn’t sleep. All through the night, she twisted and turned, at every point, wondering what the hell she was doing by having him sleep over at her place.

It wasn’t news she was treading on dangerous grounds, but at this point, each time she thought of what to do the next time they met, all her mind produced was a big-fat-nothing.

As a result, she woke up pretty much earlier than usual, checked on his sleeping form enough times she could be branded a stalker, before heading into the kitchen to work.

For someone who found baking therapeutic, it was startling when she couldn’t find ease as she dug into the job. It didn’t help that she tried to be reasonably quiet while she went at it-courtesy-the man asleep on her couch.

It wasn’t surprising how soundly he slept through the night despite a couple unsuccessful attempts at maintaining the quiet.

He slept like a log whenever he had that much to drink. The fact that he hadn’t changed after so long made her wonder just how many things about him remained unchanged- a thought that ended up leaving a bittersweet taste in her tongue.

Esther vehemently shook her head, maybe if she shook her head just the right amount of time-these horrible thoughts would be expelled from her.

” How are you even standing?” Daniel asked, leaning his head on the door for support.

He still did that; Her brains, in its all knowing glory, supplied another unsolicited information.

She groaned, ” I wasn’t out all night drinking my ass off.”

Her body moved of its own will, drew open one of the drawers, got a pack of ibuprofen, then a glass of water: A string of actions that felt too familiar, almost rehearsed. His next words caught her like a deer in headlights,

” You still keep them in the kitchen drawers? Always my saviour.” Daniel took the drug, taking his precious time savoring it.

Damn that Adam’s apple!

Esther swallowed, playing it cool. ” It’s only normal. Can’t have you dying in my house.” She inwardly prayed to the one above that he didn’t remember her motive behind it, or at least pretended she didn’t start that ritual on someone’s account.

” Top left drawer.” He got up, ” You didn’t change. I love that.” Daniel pointed out, drifting closer to her.

The air grew thick and her voice lowered, ” Changed it,” She muttered, ” just had it out for emergencies.” she quipped, trying and failing to provide a believable lie. ” Can’t have you dying in my house.”

” Dying is a big word, Esther.” He stepped even closer, she felt his body heat seep into her. He took note of the cake’s aroma, ” Strawberry. Was that an emergency too? Because… I’m dying to have a taste of my favourite cake.”