LOVING THE REJECTED BILLIONAIRE

After putting Angel to bed at around 10:30 p. m., I strolled to the kitchen to prepare my usual lemon and honey coffee. I have been feeling hot the whole day, but I am still craving my coffee. Besides, I know Andy will be craving it too when he comes in.

Andy hasn’t shown up from work, but anyway, I am glad he is taking long because, one, that morning kiss has wrecked my peace of mind the entire day. I don’t know how I will face him, and I have been cursing myself the entire day for allowing someone to kiss me for no reason. That is so unlike me, and I am terrified that if the same incident happens again, as long as it is Andy, I will go weak again and give in. I will be chewing his lips the instant he shows interest. It’s strange, but I feel like a certain fire was ignited by that morning kiss. However wrong it seems, I crave it.

Two, I am also worried because I don’t know how he will react when I tell him that I talked to Angel’s teacher this morning. I hope he will be fine with that. Besides, there was no harm caused. I defended his daughter, and the teacher assured me that nothing of the sort would happen ever again.

“Good evening!” I leap from the seat, almost spilling my coffee, when Andy speaks as he saunters inside the kitchen. I must have been so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn’t notice him coming in. “Easy! You seem lost. What are you thinking about?” He asks, taking slow but suggestive steps towards me, his eyes glued to mine.

I look away, shyly, as the memories of the morning come flooding in again. It was not like they had left my mind even for a single minute the entire day, and him being this suggestive is not doing me any justice. I start walking back and forward, and I keep going until I hit the wall. That was such a bad idea. I was not looking where I was going.

He smirks at me, a smirk that says, “Poor calculation!”! I should have looked to where I was heading; that way, I wouldn’t be trapped between Andy and the kitchen wall right now, with my heart running a marathon.

I flinch, hunching my head down, before he captures my lips again, and I go all submissive.

Contrary to my dirty thoughts, he doesn’t do a thing. He just pulls a stool and pats on it, and then pulls another one.

“Sit.” He says it’s more like ordering, taking my hand, and pulling me to the stool as he sits on the next one.

Ooh, thank you, Lord! I thought he was going to kiss me again!

I sit down and release the breath. I didn’t know I was holding for, I don’t know how long. He releases my hand and passes me my coffee as he pours himself a full mug of the still-steaming coffee. Today, he didn’t ask me to serve him. Maybe he sensed how freaking tense I am.

We drink in total silence, and when I notice he is about to finish his last mug of coffee, I thought it wise to tell him about Angel and save myself from this tension that’s engulfing me.

“Um… aah… I….” I open my mouth and close it again. All of a sudden, I feel scared. I don’t know how to tell him about our secret with Angel. Where do I start? What if he gets mad? Will he fire me too?

“Do you have something you want to say?” He asks, maybe after noticing my discomfort. I turn to him, and he looks just flat, with no emotion on his face. He takes a sip of his coffee and adjusts himself on the stool, turning to me. “I am listening.” He adds, with a raised eyebrow.

“Aah, you see… I…” I breathe in and out, trying to remain as cool as a cucumber, but all in vain. The more I try to say a word, the more fearful I become. Andy might have sensed it and decided to speak on my behalf. Saying something that I wasn’t expecting.

“I know you talked to Angel’s teacher.” His voice has never been that deep in the two weeks I have known him. It’s almost paralyzing me in my seat.

But wait…

I shoot my eyes at him as he gulps down the last sip of his coffee. He knows already? Then I should maybe relax. I swallowed the lump that had begun forming in my throat and nodded my head in agreement. But what follows next is a nail directly to my heart.

“Who gave you that right?” He asks between gritted teeth. His irritated voice, though soft, is filled with so much anger that even a child can detect it.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Looking at him, I bow my head down immediately, because the look in his eyes is one of disgust. He now looks aggravated and disgruntled. If looks could kill, I would be six feet under.

“My daughter is confined to you instead of me. Mistake number one. Two, you encouraged my daughter to lie to me, which is a very stupid thing to do. Three, and the most terrible mistake, was that you decided for my daughter without asking me. Why, Tania?” With my downcast head, I can still see his hands resting on his thighs, clenching into gusts, the veins showing. “Talk to me, Tania!” He roars, slamming the sink with one hand, which made me jump from my stool in fear.

As I stand and walk a distance from him in an endeavor to secure my safety, I feel the tears threatening to leave my eyes and make their way out, and I can’t block them.

“I… I am… o. ry.” I say, looking up at him, as the first tear drops. I am not a crying baby. It’s just that I am standing in front of a lion, which is threatening to tear me into pieces at any given second. “It’s just that Angel asked me not to…”

“Not to tell me? Is that it?!” He howls, standing up, and I bow my head down again as more tears flow. “Angel is a kid. You had the chance to do the right thing as a mature person. Do you know how it felt to be called by the school principal to apologize about something that I, the father of the offended kid, knew nothing about, just because my maid decided to play games with me and hide such a sensitive thing from me?” He continues roaring, fuming with outrage.

I damn messed this up! Big times! He turns to leave, but in between sobs, my stupid self thinks of opening my mouth again, thinking it will calm the disgruntled Adrian Ashton down. But if only I knew better, I would have just let him cool off his anger the best way he knows how, instead of adding salt to the injury.

“I am sorry, okay? I just did what I thought was best for Angel.

“Your best was the most foolish thing you could have ever thought of!!!” He cut me off and turned to me, taking a few steps toward me, and we stared at each other. And he speaks with authority, making sure every single word sinks deep into my empty brain. “Angel is my responsibility. Her problems are just mine alone! She should confine herself to me like before, not to a total stranger. Not in you! Everything about her must pass through me. I am her father, and you are not her mother to share responsibility.” Shit! “Know your place and play your role well without crossing the boundary, Miss Tania Lawson!” After making his points crystal clear, he lividly stomps out of the kitchen, while I am left to deal with my crying, messy self. That’s what I get for trying to be nice.

I slam down on the floor and face-palm my soaked face, unable to curb the tears, guilt, and regrets.

Men, did I just screw this much?!