Recalling the past, Anya asked him expectantly, "Why did you give up on your startup?"
Alvin's lips curled hearing her. His Goofball was a smart one. He questioned curiously to know what was going on in her little brain instead of worrying about her work, "Do you think I gave up?" His deep voice was low and calming.
Anya nodded vigorously as she turned to face him. She couldn't see him in the dark. She voiced her opinion and analysis, "When Chairman Matthews withdrew his investments and forced Watson to do the same, you could have easily found the investors with your talent and Ean Watson's business strategies.
I understand Chairman Matthews would have stopped the other investors. Anyway, you could have gone straight to his business rival. But you didn't.
So why did you let Chairman Matthews have his way? It was your dream to have your own company and work on technology."
Krystle refused to help her, she was even grumpy when she got to know Alvin took Anya and Zane to the Coastal city. So Anya hoped she could get to know something from Alvin.
Alvin pulled her cheeks causing her to whine. Why couldn't this woman just complete her work and focus on him?
Alvin had two choices when his father pulled all the investment out of the start-up. One, find an investor(s) and stand against his father who would have picked on Anya Owen. Two, keep Anya safe and give up on his dream.
He had another option, marry Flora Dalton and keep his company and Anya safe.
This option was out of choice. So out of two choices, he chose Anya's livelihood over his dream.
Now thinking through everything, Alvin had indeed felt difficult to give up on his dream but it felt insignificant when Anya's chubby face, innocent smiles were appearing on his mind.
Alvin realized this Goofball was very important to him. Unfortunately, his stepmother and father knew it before him.
He didn't tell her the truth, "I guess I wasn't as talented as you think." He made it sound like he was rejected by investors.
Rubbing her cheeks, Anya frowned. She didn't believe he wasn't talented. She knew his plans and projects. She unawarely snuggled to his embrace as she mumbled to herself, "You were the key to the treasure. Businessmen are opportunists, how could they reject you?"
She was lost in the thoughts about it when Alvin watched her body reaction craving warmth due to the cold.
Instead of taking her inside the mansion, "When are <strong>YOU</strong> going to tell me?" He questioned. He could make a guess she was trying to dig into the disaster of his life without telling him hers.
Anya knew he was asking about what happened in the past. She again shifted to look at him but it was very dark to make out his expression. There wasn't even moonlight. Alvin tugged her back to his embrace resting her head on his chest.
Anya straightened her back in silence and he pulled her back like a stubborn child.
'I need time,' Those words were at the tip of her tongue but she requested, "Promise me you won't do anything rash until I am free with this case." She believed he won't break her promise hence she chose it that way.
Alvin didn't want to promise her. He was thinking of dealing with his family by the time she gets free. He didn't want her to worry about them. "Why?" He questioned while thinking to trick her out of the promise thing.
Anya sighed and sulked in a low voice. "I don't want them to hurt you. I can be with you and help you out after Harper's case." She had planned to deal with the Matthews family to avoid Alvin going against his family. But which man will accept a female's protection and Alvin wasn't any helpless man anyway.
Her voice still reached his ears amidst the roaring beach waves. Alvin was stunned for a moment. He hadn't expected her to be worried about him instead of demanding to handle the Matthews family on her own, "Goofball."
Anya snorted, "Fine, I won't tell. I will go and sleep."
She tried to get up but he secured her in his arms. He just asked when she could tell him, he hadn't expected she would tell him so soon.
"Alright, I will wait for you." Seeing her ready to finally bag out the burden, he compromised a bit in his plan but he didn't tell her his attacks on them were already in motion.
Anya leaned against him as she recalled what happened after she was discharged from the hospital. Everything became fresh in her mind, brimming her eyes. A tear rolled on her left cheek but there wasn't a bit of noise.
Alvin who saw her legs fold, and curl up, knew it wasn't cold this time but the fear that she had hidden deep inside and the terrible experience she had to go through alone.
——— Five years ago ———
##### [It's 3rd POV. Anya won't tell Alvin about the night.] ###
In the karaoke private room, Anya could feel nothing but pain. She never felt even five percent of it ever in her life. Alvin had passed out. Flushed in pain, Anya was barely holding it in.
Even if she wanted, she wasn't in the state to help Alvin. Her dress was torn apart, leaving her with nothing but his blazer to cover herself.
If she has to leave, she needs to call for someone she trusts before she passes out. The only person she could think of was Krystle.
The latter quickly came with a dress. As soon as Anya saw her, everything turned dark and she passed out.
Then she woke up in the middle of the night when she was burning with a high fever. Worried and vexed Krystle was pacing in the hospital ward cursing Alvin endlessly, without catching a wink of sleep.
Anya managed to stop Krystle from calling the cops but Anya got to know nothing about Alvin. Krystle still believed drugged Alvin abused her friend. Well, it had the truth too.
Catalina and Dennis had rushed over to the city to look after Anya who had a very high fever. Only Krystle knew the reason behind the fever while the medical reports or her parents knew nothing.
Anya, who looked pale as a ghost, was discharged from the hospital after four days. At the doctor's advice, Anya was still on bed rest as she had lost a lot of weight, and her blood pressure had dropped significantly.
Anya was living with Krystle in a two-bedroom apartment in her last year of graduation. Hence her parents stayed with them to look after Anya whose chubbiness had reduced, making her look frail.
With Krystle and her parents, Anya had to take a rest for another few days without any gadgets. Once her parents made sure Anya was fine and Krystle assured them to be with her, Catalina and Dennis returned home.
Another week passed, Anya recovered physically but the lingering fear of the pain stayed behind. She would tremble just by recalling the pain she went through.
To forget it, she has to keep herself busy so she was planning to start going to college. One day, Krystle returned the mobile and laptop to Anya when she had to go to her family mansion for dinner.
After nagging her, Krystle left around six in the evening. Anya cooked dinner for herself and had it alone. After some cleaning up and bathing, she cozied up on the couch. She hadn't checked her mobile for nearly two weeks so she wanted to check what she had missed out on.
A part of her had a little fear thinking what if Alvin recalls everything after waking up and being disgusted by her.
She hoped he wouldn't remember it. She didn't dream of being with him, at the same time, she didn't want to lose what they had. As simple as learning from him was enough for her to be happy.
She hadn't gone to the library for so many days. Would he have tried to find her mobile number and reached out to her?
Yeah, they hadn't exchanged their contact numbers. They always spoke about the schedules prior day. If they were missing a day, they were seeing each other the next day.
Alvin could have asked Krystle and Anya was sure Krystle won't let her linger around Alvin anymore. It had taken a long time for Anya to coax Krystle. So even if Alvin had reached out to Krystle, the latter definitely wouldn't tell anything.
With these thoughts, she powered on her mobile. Her mobile kept beeping for some time so she waited patiently.
However, before she could check the mobile, her mobile rang as if somebody was waiting for her to switch it on. She frowned looking at a number on the screen for a video call.
A random thought appeared in her mind thinking Alvin must have set up a set of codes to notify him when her mobile turns on.
Anyway, she smacked herself. Why will he go to that length for her? She was probably just a nobody to him. Or just a trainee who will be employed in his startup. Anya turned down the call as it was an unknown number video call.
Her mobile rang again with the same string of numbers but a voice call. Anya hesitantly answered the call. "He…llo!?"
A raspy male voice reached her ears. "Why don't you take a last look?"
The sneer of the man increased her heartbeats. Her instincts were strongly telling her something wasn't right. Especially after hearing 'take the last look.'
"Wh-what do y-you mean?" Her voice trembled. "W-who are you?"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel