The intensity of his love for her and its transformative impact on his being defied any logical measure of time. It pained him to acknowledge that if he dared to confront reality, the enchantment and euphoria of his affection would crumble into despair and shattered illusions.
As the sun's rays caressed his exposed flesh, Carlton jolted awake, his eyes gleaming with vitality. His hands instinctively reached for his face, gently massaging away the remnants of slumber. A sudden emptiness in the bed startled him, prompting him to sit upright, desperately scanning the room for her silhouette.
"El?" Carlton called out, his voice laced with a mix of relief and concern.
"For a moment, I thought..." His smile faltered as he spotted her figure across the room. She sat on the sofa, her nakedness concealed only by a robe. It was evident that she had been patiently waiting for him to awaken.
"You're finally awake!" she exclaimed, her voice carrying a sense of urgency.
"We need to talk," she continued, her gaze steady and unwavering. Carlton furrowed his brow, sensing an underlying danger in her demeanor. Fatigue weighed heavily on him, his weariness etched onto his face. He slowly rose from the bed and made his way to the edge, taking a seat as he met her gaze with tired eyes.
"What's the matter?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. She stared at him, her expression serious and distant. Elena sighed, brushing her hand through her hair before turning away from him.
"Carlton, remember when we first got together? We both agreed it was just a fling, nothing serious," she said, her voice tinged with frustration.
"We were constantly at odds, always arguing and hating each other. It was absurd for two grown adults to behave that way," she continued, her voice growing softer.
"That hatred you confessed to me, I felt it too," she admitted, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the fabric of her robe. Carlton watched her intently, a sudden worry creeping into his eyes as she avoided his gaze.
"Yes, I know we both felt it," he replied, his voice filled with understanding.
"But after almost a year together, don't you think things have changed? Don't you think our feelings have evolved?" he asked, slowly rising to his feet. Elena bit her lip, her mind swirling with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions she struggled to articulate. Carlton stood there, patiently waiting for her response. She was lost in her own thoughts, unable to find the right words. Carlton couldn't bear the weight of her silence, feeling the ache in his heart grow with each passing moment.
"Look at me and answer me!" he pleaded, gripping her wrist and turning her forcefully. His eyes spoke volumes, a million unspoken words that she feared to hear.
"I can't trust you," she declared, forcefully pulling away from him and taking a step back. Carlton scoffed, unable to comprehend her words.
"What do you mean?" he questioned, his disbelief evident.
"So you still see me as your competition because you don't trust me?" Carlton's heart shattered as he realized she had never been honest about her feelings.
"After what you did to me, how can I trust you?" she retorted, her voice filled with hurt.
"How can I trust you when just hours ago you presented me with a condition? If I agreed to be your wife, you promised not to be a threat to my company," she continued, her frustration mounting.
"It's absurd how you manipulate me into believing you only want what's best for me, when you're actually demanding things out of the blue," she accused, her anger palpable.
"What did you expect?" She continued to shot back, her voice tinged with disappointment.
"That I would say yes and be overjoyed by your declaration of love, when just weeks ago we were casually involved with no obligations?" she retorted, her tone laced with sarcasm.
"How should I react when you want more than I'm willing to give?" She questioned.
"I never planned for this," she admitted, her voice softening.
"I never wanted to be anything more than your intimate partner,"
"I only wanted us to have fun and enjoy the moments we shared," she explained, her frustration still evident.
"Give me a break. Next, you'll be asking me to start a family without even considering my opinion," she stated firmly, her gaze unwavering. Carlton's hand moved to his face as he closed his eyes, realizing that their relationship was not aligned.
It was clear to him that they were not on the same page.
"I get it!"
"My confession took you by surprise....I should have known better!" His hopes and dreams for a future with her had vanished in an instant. Regret washed over him, evident in his sigh of frustration. Elena struggled to steady her breath, her gaze filled with apprehension. While she didn't desire the same things as him, she couldn't bear the thought of losing him either. She couldn't deny the undeniable pleasure he had brought her in their intimate moments throughout the past months.
"Carl?!" Elena muttered under her breath as she approached him. Carlton turned around, his face lighting up with a gentle smile.
"Will you just leave me again, like you always do?" he asked, his wounded eyes searching for answers. Elena pressed her lips together, her gaze locked with his.
"What can I do to earn your trust?"
"What do I have to do to make you say yes?" he pleaded, his hands instinctively reaching for her waist, pulling her closer. Elena let out a sigh, her palms pressed firmly against his chest.
"There's only one way you can truly prove your trust and loyalty to me," she stated firmly, her eyes unwavering.
"Anything, I would do anything for you," he said, inhaling her scent as he desperately sought a way to regain her trust.
"I want you to make me the sole owner of your company," Elena declared. Carlton's eyes widened in shock, his hands slowly retracting as he processed her request.
"Too much isn't it?" Elena questioned.
"That's exactly how I felt when you proposed to me a few hours ago" she continued, taking a step back. She observed as the color drained from his face, realizing he was trying to comprehend the weight of her request.
Let's get these nine chapters to 10 votes for the next updates❣️🔥