Chapter - 28
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Surprises of life.
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Ryan
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"You cannot do this to me after bringing me here, Ryan. whatever I am but I don't deserve this." Angie breaks before me and I couldn't console her. I have to do it. For her own safety.
Arthur was right. Arthur is always right. He knew sooner or later I will do this. After many years away from my past, I started to believe I can move on. When I first saw Angel, it was just a connection with the dullness of her beautiful face. Archer had newly appointed her just after she got off the college. I was intrigued by how she got into this firm just like that. Later I found her father was Archers' best friend. Still, she was good at what she does. No doubt, she was hardworking and deserved her position. But it wasn't that but the sadness in her face called me. Sadly, she was still bound to the shark, Ethan Ellsworth even after the publicized breakup. And showcasing her introvert attitude, she signaled everyone 'I am not available for any kind of commitment ' whoever approached her.
Though with time I moved on and dated other women and them Miranda before I, finally found Angie so available for me. We connected. It is deep. I can tell it is. Because I am ready to leave her for her own safety. Because Arthur was right.
Man with my past can only dream of flower and butterflies, living in it for real is far.
"Look at me. I ask you to look at me." She yells. I look at her wounded face. Her teary eyes and a broken heart.
"I am sorry, Angel," I say clearly but slowly. I really mean it.
"Sorry? Ryan, sorry?" She scoffs at me.
"How about I take this knife, stan you, twist it inside you, and then say sorry?" She held the knife in her hand and points it at me with her shaking hand. I am thrilled at the clarity of her words even at this moment. Angelina is a strong woman yet not so strong to bear the consequences of being mine. Crypt will never let us breathe and I can't force Angie into all this.
" I am sorry," I repeat.
She closes her eyes and exhales a breath. The knife clutter on the linoleum floor. She is so hurt to do anything. When she peers me, it almost works like a knife twisted my guts. Just the way my sorry is going to her.
"Why?" She asks again.
"It's too dangerous for you. You don't deserve a man like me, Angie. You deserve happiness. " I say.
She scoffs again.
"At least Ethan holds to what he says. He had the courage to tell me the truth. Unlike you, Ryan. You are no different than others. Good luck, your Highness."
She turns and leaves with as much respect and strength that she entered this room with. I would never forget the concern she held for me when she shared her bitter day, tied up and interrogated, at crypt international.
" You did right, Ryan."
I look at Arthur's apprehensive smile. He didn't like Angie as a girlfriend for me. I can tell he is too happy about it. But I know I did right. I can't make her suffer.
"It feels like saving her from one lion mouth and then throwing into another," I say. I know Angie will go straight to him. And why not? In her vulnerable state, he was be standing with her. While k was out doing my business when she got kidnapped. And I had no idea about it until a few hours ago when I returned.
"Why didn't you tell me while she kidnapped Arthur?" I grit my teeth at him.
" I didn't want to worry you when I knew I can handle this." He said.
"Worry me? What if something had happened to her? How would I have taken up the guilt of it?" I tell him.
"Don't be dramatic, Ryan. You know I am the one good at this stuff. you would have asked for my assistance anyway. " He answers calmly and this irritates me.
I just groan. I know I would have just worried. It would him tackling with people to get Angie. But yet?
"Don't ever do that again Arthur. I warn you." I threaten him and he just sniffs at me.
"Alright, I won't. But you should meet someone." I narrow my eyes at him.
"I am so occupied I.." I trial just as I see the golden hair over a familiar petite shoulder.
"You can manage for her." Arthur almost whispers just as I take in the reality. She is dressed just like her 15-year-old self, so elegant except now she looks so much more beautiful in a princess dress. The v neckline frames her long neck fining special attention to the protruding of the chin. Her eyes are still shiny but there is sadness and I know from where it came.
"Sabrine." I manage to say. She doesn't smile or anything. She simply comes to me and hugs me.
"At least you haven't forgotten my name after how you betrayed me. " she says, backs off, look straight into my eyes, " I never believed that you put that on me when Nana told me until you never showed up to save me that I accepted your love was shallow. Was it, Ryan?"
I know my mouth has fallen open and I am out if words and breath. The woman I loved and betrayed ruthlessly is right in front of me.
"Sabrine I.." She-cats me off.
"you should have at least sent me flowers in gratitude if not come to rescue me the day I got released from jail." She throws valid accusations one after the other making me realize the jerk I had been. Her golden hair now moving on the sides. Just the way I liked them. I cannot tell her how I missed it because k have lost every right in the world.
"Arthur rescued me and had been helping me with the h house, education, and, well, life." I look at Arthur in shock. This is news.
"You didn't tell me you were in contact with her." I look at Sabrine reach out and kiss Arthur on his cheek.
"You were so busy with another thing Ryan. I decided to tell you when you ask. " I just shake my head and glare him.
I just exhale a marred breath. Two blue eyes are penetrating mine.
"Sabrine," I say staring at her lips quivering now.
"Yes." I walk up to her.
"We need to talk."
She nods and leads upstairs. I give a look to Arthur who comes so close to my ear.
"Don't blow it this time. She is still in love with you. " Arthur whisper in my ear.
How can she love me?
How can I ask her to love me?
This is incredulous.
I knock on the door. There were days when entered without warming.
"Come in." She says.
I walk inside. She is sitting in the chair before the mirror.
"Remember the days when you didn't have to knock before entering?" She chants as if nothing had happened.
Is she this hurt yo blanket it for me?
Or has she forgiven me already?
Oh, it's probably the former.
"Sabrine," I call as I approach her and stand next to her. She looks me in the mirror.
"I am sorry," I say putting my hand on her shoulder. She shivers but doesn't shoo it away.
"What do you think I should say?" She intercepts softly. All the strength that she presented in front of Arthur has now gone. She seems like a woman betrayed by her love.
"I would say that you punish me the way want. I know it won't suffice as I have destroyed your life. But still." I say lowering my eyes.
"It won't. Because wherever I go I am called a murderer of my beloved's friend's mother," she says.
"I will do anything for you," I say. It doesn't make sense. What can I possibly do to change what's already done?
"Can you remove that stigma off my head?" she stands up and ask.
I just stare her in shock. Of course, I deserve it. I betrayed Sabrine. I betrayed Angelina. I don't deserve a good life.
"Yes. I will handover myself to the police .yhay way you will release of this crime." I say.
We narrow her eyes and come to me.
"I don't want that Ryan. It's too late for that. I want something else from you." she says.
Something else?
" Just ask me Sabrine.i will do anything for you," I say holding her arm.
She licks her lip.
"I want you to marry me."
Earth slip away under my feet and I stare her questionably. It doesn't make sense. How can she ask this of me? I loved her but now it's different. How can I marry her?
But how can I say no to her too?
"Sabrine are you.."
"Yes, I have thought it through. I want to marry me," she says and looks at her arms and I realize how I let it go in shock.
"So you didn't mean it when you said you will do anything for me?"
Consider it the payback for everything that she suffered out of my hand. She is not asking anything that's too difficult to give.
It's a chance of redemption.
"Yes. I will marry you Sabrine." I say.
She smiles at me and laughing hug me. I remember this warmth. The last one today wasn't so cozy but this one is. I wrap my hand around her.
"I am sorry," I say.
"Everything will get better, babe." She flashes me the same old smile.
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"You knew it all along right?" I ask Arthur.
"Yes. You were distracted and this is how I knew to get you back on track." Artur says and sits in his chair.
"By playing with Sabrine? For God's sake don't tell me you threw Angie in that mess. Did you contact Crypt?"
"No. " He looks down.
You did. You played me.
"I don't believe you would deal with those devil for this," I mumble just as I look at the file on the table with name tag Ethan Ellsworth on it.
"I didn't. I had a deal with Ethan to keep you away from Angel after she was kidnapped. And you would already leave Angel. I knew it from the beginning. She isn't the kind to live our tarred life. Additionally, We are at again from keeping Ethan's mouth shut about our secrets for nothing, Ryan. Just like we made a file of his secrets he did about us too. Everything. Trust me."
" Yeah, well played. I won't forgive you if I find that you sent Crypt after Angel. " I scoff look at the file and remember the data just I read. I wouldn't have known how Arthur was preparing Sabrine into marrying me just after he found me dating Angie. Bringing her to Paris was just a way to get me out of America. He made a file on Ethan to use it as leverage if he came head on over us.
Well, he is right. Angie doesn't deserve to get into my mess. And Sabine is happy to marry me. I can give her a better life
" Angie needs to know the truth about Ethan. " I say taking up the file on him. Arthur hold my hand.
" Getting it out will be like playing with fire. We can't burn him. This knowledge will only kill her. It doesn't have anything to do with her future. Ethan Ellsworth loves her. She is going to have a beautiful life with him. just as you will with Sabrine." Arthur convince me except one thing.
"He doesn't love her. And above that, he is hiding this from her." I say pointing to the file.
"He is head over heels for her. I can tell the one like that by just seeing. So that truth is nothing now. Just like I can tell you don't love Sabrine anymore. Aren't I right?"
The last part thunder my world .my ego. It's the same as Ethan. We are both betraying ourselves and our ladies.
"He might love her but he is dangerous for her. Angie will be fine if she has an idea of what she is dealing with." I break in my voice.
"You are no less dangerous to her. " I turn away and leave the file on the table. Arthur is right. We should have leverage over Ethan. And I should not make it any more difficult with Angie.
"Alright. We keep it. But is marrying Sabrine the right decision?"
"Yes, the best of all. Angelina will get to move on sooner after this. At least you are marrying a woman who knows your ways. If Sabrine can agree to marry even after all that she has suffered in our hand then she is the kind of woman king of England needs. Angelina would have. And that would have brought another ray of conflicts you could have never gotten away from. Sabrine knows what it means to be connected to you. She will make the fine wife and the First Lady. "
I look at Arthur, the creator of everything around me. He plays these mind games. He reads people and puts that to use. However right he sounds with all of it but I know he is lethal and that's what you need when you are royal.
And here the game begins all over again for good to keep me away from the heartache of Angelina Hawthorne getting out of my life totally to hold me.
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Next update on Saturday.
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