Chapter 9:REALITY
I opened my eyes.
The first thing that greeted my vision was the sight of Ace's red-rimmed eyes. He turned away from me when he realized I was quietly watching him.
"You nearly two days ago." He said without even looking at me making me wonder if he was mad. "You're heart nearly stopped beating." The last sentence cracked his voice and I wondered if it was the product of my illusion which I believe it is.
How I wished I wasn't revived at all. I thought painfully and shifted to the other direction so I wouldn't see him. Knowing he was there standing close to me hurts like hell when I knew he wasn't mine anymore.?And the thought he will never be mine was another level of torture.
"Go away, Ace," I whispered and I heard him turn.?I could feel his lingering gaze behind my back.
"Phoenix—" There goes his pleading voice again but I wasn't naive anymore to pity a cheater.
"I said go away.?I don't want to see you."
He must have read the finality in my tone that he dared not argue knowing I have a weak heart that could put my life in danger.
When I heard the door creaked close,?I finally lost my control and the tears drifted down the smoothness of my cheeks. I suddenly wished my heart will stop beating.?Why continue to live in suffering when I could just die and escaped the pain easily?
I have so many regrets in my life. I wished I hadn't seduced Ace that night. I wished I hadn't forced him to marry me at gunpoint. I wished I did not fall in love with him so I could avoid the first and second mistakes.
If only I could change my destiny. I will never again fall for the charm of a man like Ace Carter Greyson....the first-ever man who did not just break my heart,?he also smashed it into pieces.
I was discharged from the hospital the following day.?The expansive heavy grey clouds conquering the morning sky greeted my line of vision as I look up. The nostalgic scent of the damp earth permeating my nostrils persuaded me to close my eyes and I did succumb to the urge.
Ace took his jacket to protect me from the cold but it meant nothing at all. It doesn't change the fact that he was the same man who forcefully offered divorce on the night of our fifth wedding anniversary. I did not look at him and kept my gaze straight to my path.
The moment my feet made their move, the drizzle turned into a full-blown storm.?The rain poured heavily against the cemented pavement as Ace held the umbrella to my head to prevent my condition from getting worse.
We traversed the wet and slippery pavement with his arms protectively wrapped on my waist which I did not object to as the rain continued to pour its rage on the flooding ground until we reached his car parked within the nearby parking lot.
He opened the door of the front seat and I clamber quickly to escape the cold whistling wind. I almost stumbled into a small piece of scarlet cloth on the floor as I got in.
Ace climbed into the driver's seat and roared the engine to life. My gaze landed on him by accident and to my horror,?he was soaking wet from the rain.?His grey shirt clung to the hard muscles of his body while his hair trickled with water.
My lips parted in surprise which eventually turned into pity as I swallowed the huge lump in my throat.?However,?the unwelcome pang of sympathy faded upon realization hit me,?the scarlet cloth lying on the floor of his car was a used lace underwear. I did not say a word, instead, I turned my gaze away from the underwear, fuming with disgust.
I did not argue,?I don't have the strength to.?The near-death experience when my weak heart stopped beating drained the remains of my strength and until now I have not recovered them yet. I'm not sure if I will ever recover since Mom's death took half of my heart away and the remaining half was already torn into pieces by the only man I love leaving me no purpose to continue living.
"I'm not coming home,"?I spoke the word with an icy demeanor.
Ace looked at me,?his face dark and unfathomable as he clenched his jaw.?He opened his mouth to argue but changed his mind and close them again after seeing the threatening glare I cast him. It was the first time he saw that kind of expression in me which means he will follow as I say or there will be a bloodbath.
He drove into the nearest hotel which is a five-star super deluxe I would never afford with my salary as a Hotel Receptionist in a small-time business hotel. The regal place stood proud and majestic into the heart of the city. It was one of the family business Ace inherited as the eldest son of Mr. Greyson,?a rich and hard-working businessman that built his empire from scratch.
The black Mercedes-Benz pulled into a stop in the parking lot.?I did not wait for Ace to open the door.?The gentlemanly pretense was making me uncomfortably mad.