Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Evelynne:
“You don’t need to say much, Khysand said, eyes will formed on the tab in his hands, as he shuffled Beteses the lagroy his phone with a tab, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this man ever had at least 5 to 2 hours rest in a day
We left the hotel and arrived at the restaurant dose to thirty minutes ago, and we were presently sejaga ke pee restaurant section and waiting for his quests.
“I know.” I responded in a low voice, peering outside the window as I leaned on it, intentionally choosing to ter ace between myself and the man presently sitting on the couch, engrossed in wote
“If you are asked a question and don’t know an answer to it, I’ll answer be added after a while, and all I could give him was a subtle nod, ignoring the fact that he couldn’t see me
The warm scent of a breezy summer wafted into my nostrils and my hands churched around the red parse ft red long with a red satin long dress earlier this morning before we left the hotel room
The dress hugged my waist with simple straps for hands that rested on my tolden
My phone vibrated in my purse, but I shook my head, determined to not pick it–because I knew who was calling, and I had a feeling that my mood would be severely shattered if I answered the call
It kept on vibrating and stopping, and vibrating all over again, but I still didn’t answer
Whatever Desmond intended to tell me could wait till I was done with what I was here for with Raysand
“Aren’t they supposed to be here by now?” With every ounce of control left in me, I asked, still going outside the window
The sounds of Boston’s bustling streets filtered in through the window and I watched as people scarred about, and ars hurried around the road, going about their daily routines.
Tap, tap, tap. I drummed my fingers down on the window, searching for anything at all that would keep me from picking my phone from my purse and allowing Desmond ruin my day before it begins, by checking what he was sending to me.
“It’s just ten minutes to two, we arrived early so we’ll have to wait for a while! Rhysand reasoned and I glanced over to where he remained seated, focused on his work but still sparing words with me.
“The Blackwood’s are usually punctual to a meeting, and since they are curious about who I brought with me, they might arrive even before time,” he explained, his brows pulled into a frown as he wrote something down on the note with him
The last ounce of control I had left finally snapped and I couldn’t help myself anymore as I picked my phone and swiped it scrolling to Desmond’s message and hesitating for barely up to five seconds before opening it
There were close to twenty–two messages he sent to me in the last three hours
Desmond: You left.
Desmond: You went all the way to Somerville, to the man you claimed you were in love with
My heart dropped at his next message;
Desmond: You left me, Evie.
1/4
Chapter 37
Every single message he sent were nothing but rants. About how I left him. About how I left all we had together. About how I wasn’t answering his calls and his texts, but none of them was an explanation about his actions and how he treated me days
back in his house.
Disgust engulfed my senses and I was just about to drop my phone into my porse when he sent a new message–a photo to be specific.
My brows tightened into a frown and I could feel a sudden surge of an indescribable feeling clawing at my ches
As I gazed at the photo on my phone, I felt a jolt of surprise at first, followed by a sense of unease
In the photo was a picture of two people, a man and a woman walking towards a hotel room
Rhysand.
I saw Rhysand, his hair slightly disheveled, with his hand draped casually over a woman’s shoulder as they walked into a hotel room together.
ne woman’s face was obscured, but Rhysand’s was clear as day, his expression relaxed and intimate.
A knock on the door sounded across the room but I was too engrossed in the picture to look away.
Rhysand and his assistant’s voice filled the background but I could barely hear them.
I should have felt relieved, even happy, seeing this. After all, it meant he was still living his life and still keeping his end of the bargain in our contract. In two years, I’d be free to return to my normal life, leaving this charade behind
But instead, a pang of discomfort settled in my chest. And I couldn’t explain why. Maybe it was the way Rhysand’s eyes seemed to gleam with a familiarity he had never spared on me. Or maybe it was the way his hand rested on the woman’s shoulder, a gesture that seemed almost… tender.
Whatever it was, I felt a shiver run down my spine, and I couldn’t look away from the photo.
Along with the photo was a caption that read;
Desmond: Is this the man you claimed is in love with you?
I shouldn’t have responded to his message, cause that would be me giving him a chance to know he got me with the photo, but all sense of reason skipped me for a moment and I took the bait by typing a message and sending.
Evelynne: When was this picture taken?
Seconds turned into minutes, and Desmond didn’t respond to my message, yet, I remained by the window, staring blankly at my phone.
My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden hold on my waist, and I felt a warm, strong body behind me.
My senses tightened in response as Rhysand’s scent enveloped me, a familiar mix of leather and spice that seemed to seep into my pores.
I stiffened, my mind racing with the sudden proximity. We were too close, he was holding me too close and keeping a firm hand on my waist from behind.
“Wh–What are–” I struggled to form words as he had never done this before.
“What are you doing?” he asked in a low voice, breathing close to my nape and I could feel the nerves in my body ignite at
2/4
Chapter 37
the closeness.
11
Struggling to release myself from his grip, and turn around to have a closer look at him, I muttered, “That should be my
line,”
He didn’t say anything for close to ten seconds and it was at that moment I realized that the screen of my phone was still on, and I was still in the picture Desmond had sent.
My shoulders tensed and I shut the screen of the phone, gently placing it inside my purse and clearing my throat, hoping he didn’t see the picture.
If he had seen the picture, he didn’t comment on it, as he responded to my question, “Creating a romantic scene by closing the proximity between us,” his hands seemed to tighten around me more, as he leaned in and rested his chin above my
head.
Before I could ask him what he was talking about, he added, “The Blackwood’s are here. And that means holding you right
ow, is very necessary, so just play along”
elt a shiver run down my spine as his hand tightened around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I nodded, still trying to get my mind off the photo and the strange reaction that clawed in my chest.
We stayed like that for close to four minutes before he suddenly broke the silence in the air and asked, “Where did you get the picture from?”
The moment he asked, it felt like air was suddenly knocked out of my lungs because I had desperately wished he doesn’t talk about it.
Hesitation clawed at my chest, unsure how much to reveal. “Someone sent it to me,” I replied finally, trying to keep my tone neutral.
“Who?” he probed, shifting closer to me despite the fact that there was no space left between us anymore.
There was no way the sudden shift in air around us wasn’t palpable. I could sense it, but I completely ignored it.
“I’m not giving an answer to that,” I told him.
“So you are keeping tabs on me, then?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Why?” my brows pulled up, and I threw his question back to him, attempting to turn and see the expression on his face, but his grip remained unyielding.
“Yes, why?”
“I have no reason to.” The words slipped out of my lips before I could filter them.
He chuckled, low and amused.
Rhysand’s grip on my waist didn’t falter, but I sensed a subtle tension in his body. “And what did you think when you saw the picture?” he asked, his voice low and even as his gentle breathing became the only sound I could concentrate in.
I swallowed hard, trying to process my emotions and think of the best reply to his question, “I…I don’t know,” I admitted, feeling a mix of confusion and unease.
3/4
10:07 de, 11 Feb
Chapter 37
Rhysand’s chin lifted from my head, and I sensed him looking at me, though I didn’t turn around. “You didn’t think I was cheating, did you?” he asked, his tone almost amused.
I shook my head, feeling a bit silly. “Cheating?No, of course not. We have a contract, not a relationship. And your life outside the contract is none of my business as long as you keep to your end of the bargain.”
“Alright,” he said, his hand relaxing around my waist. “So, why the unease?”
I couldn’t answer that, not even to myself. All I knew was that seeing him with another woman had stirred up feelings I couldn’t explain.
Was it anger? or jealousy? or what? I had no idea.
“Unease?” a frown marred my expression and I attempted to turn around again, but he still didn’t let me.
And also the tense shoulders?” The further he asked questions, the more realization dawned on me and I soon realized he was subtly trying to ease the air, despite the closeness between us presently.
So I don’t end up immediately pulling away.
His grip on my waist eventually lessened and he brushed his thumb on the small of my back causing a shiver to rack through my body, before his hands fell to his sides, only for him to suddenly raise them back to my shoulders.
“The picture was from a year ago.” His words got to me deeply, because it seemed like he was trying to make me understand, and somehow, it felt wholesome despite the fact that I had convinced myself that it wasn’t my business or whatsoever.
“I honestly don’t care about the picture,” the words that slipped out of my lips were out because I wanted them to.
I could swear I heard a low sound that sounded like a wince escape from his lips, but he didn’t let me turn to see his expression.
His fingers that were presently pacing around my shoulders stopped moving for a while, but then he eventually continued.
Gently easing my shoulder blades, he said after a while, “Answer my question. Why the unease and tense shoulders?”
Pressing my lips into a thin line, I thought of the best response to his question cause I couldn’t understand the emotions brewing inside me, enough to express them.
At that same moment, the door was suddenly opened from outside and I turned towards the direction of the door to see the old couple that stepped inside.
They were dressed elegantly, holding high postures and soon as they entered, their gazes immediately fell on me first.
“I hope we aren’t late.”
4/4
