Chapter 37

CARLA
Jayden and I went back to the suite after spending time together at the rooftop. I successfully told him about my feelings, though I'm still worried. I'm not worried about myself but for him. He will get criticized, he's going to embarrassed a lot. This is part of why I never wanted s relationship, because my partner would pay for my mistakes.
I don't regret ever doing what I did, because that's what really defines me. I do not care what people say about me, it's irrelevant. I have learnt to manage myself for years. But Jayden, he's going to be in a lot of trouble because of me. This could even bring a drastic change in his life. I want to avoid that, still I can't ignore what my heart wants.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked me.
We laid together in bed wearing our pyjamas. We cuddled each other watching the TV.
"How I'm going to miss you when I leave." I replied.
"Then don't leave."
"Okay."
He stopped to look at me, "That was a joke. You don't want to be here, I can't force you to be here. So you have to leave."
"And I said I wanted to stay." I frowned.
"I thought we already talked about this. You should leave Carla."
I faced him with a glare, "You're sending me away now so you can get the chance to flirt with other women especially your ex girlfriend."
"What? That's not what I mean at all. You're changing the whole thing. Besides Davina is no longer here, she and my sister left a few hours ago." He explained innocently.
What? They left? I thought they also came on a business trip. Why would they leave all of a sudden? Jayden must have done something to make them leave.
"What did you do to them? How did you make them leave so easily?" I asked curious.
He shrugged, "This and that."
I stared daggers at him. What's this and that?
"Fine I'll tell you. I gave them suspension for a month and had someone replace them." He blurted out.
I gasped, "What? That's so cruel. How can you suspend them for a whole month?"
He raised a brow in surprise, "Tell me you're not defending my sister and Davina now. Are you taking sides with them for drugging me?"
"What a jealous jerk. Of course I'm taking their sides. They should have given you a much effective drug. The one that would shut you up for a month." I snapped.
"Shut me up? You're the cruelest one now Carla." He frowned.
"Whatever." I rolled my eyes, "That was too harsh. I feel bad and guilty already. Your sister's going to be staring daggers at my picture now if she has one. You just put me in more trouble."
He pulled me back, "You have nothing to worry about darling. I'm here for you, they'll never be able to do anything with me by your side."
That made me feel a bit secure.
"What if you are not with me? What if we get separated at one point? They'll come for me and have their revenge. I have no one to fight for me."
"That's never going to happen. Maybe you should close your eyes and fall asleep. You're acting strange." He kissed my hair.
"I won't leave yet. I'll stay with you for the time you want to spend and leave with you. That's my final decision and I won't argue with you about it. Good night." I closed my eyes not giving him a chance to protest.
"Good night Carla." He replied.
•••••
I got a text from Jerry the next day that he wanted to see me. Jayden happened to see me open the text, he snatched the phone from my hands. He had this usual deadly expression on his face.
"Give it back!" I protested.
"First rule of being my girlfriend, you won't see or talk to my enemies." He said coldly.
"Well he's your enemy not mine."
"My enemy is your enemy. Understand that I don't want to see you around him. Why won't you just stay away from him?"
I sighed, "I'm only going to see him so I can explain things to him. Jerry's just a friend even though he confessed to me way before you did. I told him we could only be friends and he said he's going to try changing me."
He laughed, "And you believed that guy."
"Yes. Just like I believe you. I know he's sincere. I feel bad for not accepting him, I don't want him to keep trying. I don't want to give him false hopes, we're fine being just friends." I said seriously.
"So you're going to see him?"
"Yes. To explain things to him." I replied him with a frown. Jayden is seriously a very jealous man. He's always been jealous and over possessive since the moment I met him. Why didn't my heart chose Jerry instead? I can't understand myself.
"Can I come with? It would make the explanation much better." He suggested.
"No. And don't you dare follow me."
He shrugged without saying anything. Maybe he's heard or not, I know he won't be comfortable if I stay long with Jerry. I only feel like explaining things to him even though I'm not supposed to owe him an explanation.
•••••
I sat in front of Jerry at the coffee shop stating at him. I don't know where to start from, I think the same goes for him. We are both silent, looking at each other and the coffee.
"You have something to say to me don't you?" I finally broke the silence.
"I think that question is for you. You have been strangely silent since you came, it seems you don't know where to start." He replied.
Jerry is very smart, he pays attention to every detail. He must have been waiting for me to say something, I feel stupid.
"You're right Jerry. I do have something to tell you."
He took a sip of his coffee, "It's about Jayden right?"
I'm surprised he knows I want to talk about Jayden. How did he figure that out so fast?
"Yes. And also about us."
"You've finally decided to give me a chance?" He asked, his eyes filled with hope.
I feel a lump in my throat knowing that I am going to disappoint him.
"That's not it Jerry. I am actually official with Jayden now." His smile faded away, I knew this would happen.
"I wasn't his girlfriend before. We were just..."
"On a contract, I know."
He knows? What more does he know about me that I didn't notice? Has he been stalking me or what? Besides the contract was made private between Jayden and I.
"How did you know that?" I asked curious.
"That's not important. You accepted him? Why?"
"I love him." I told him sincerely.
He took another sip of his coffee. He is disappointed yet he doesn't show it. He is taking things much calmer than I expected.
"It doesn't matter. I won't give up on you." He told me.
"Jerry, I'm sorry it has to be this way. I am only trying to make a change in my life, Jayden's the one I choose to do it with. Please understand."
"I do. That's not going to change the fact that I won't stop hoping to be with you. I'm sorry also Carla, but you can't change my mind. I'm not discouraged at all, there's still a chance things will change. It's not solid." He got up and left.
I watched him leave unable to say anything. I feel like I'm in one of those K-dramas right now. Jerry has refused to give up, I'm afraid I will have to listen to Jayden at this point.
Speak of the devil, he just arrived in front of me. I knew he would follow me.
"You look like you've been dumped by your boyfriend." He said tossing Jerry's coffee aside.
I scoffed, "Why did you follow me?"
"Because I don't feel at ease knowing you are having coffee with another man." He replied signalling for a waiter.
"Take this away and get me another cup please." He told the waiter who did just that.
"So tell me, what did you talk about?"
I sighed, "He's upset even though he doesn't want to show it. I feel guilty but then you're right. I have to stay away from him since he has refused to let me go."
He cleaned his fists, "He refused to let go? What does he think you are? You are not entitled to him in the first place."
"I already told you I won't be seeing him anymore. Stop being so overly sensitive." I scolded him.
"It doesn't matter if you think I'm acting stupid. I won't let what happened to me before repeat itself again. That's it."
I don't want to argue with him. I am already so tired of arguing with him over this issue every time. I decided to change the topic.
"Why don't we go on a romantic trip sometime? This business trip is boring and filled with different things. I'd like a trip where we can be alone." I suggested.
His brow arched, "Really? Where would you like to go?"
"Maldives."
"Maldives? I've been there quite a number of times."
"I've never been there and I've always wanted to go. No need to show off jerk." I pouted.
"I'm your boyfriend now. You should call me sweet names instead you know."
"Whatever."
"Do you want us to go there after we leave here?" He asked.
"Not yet. But maybe in the next few months, that will be fine."
"Fine. We'll have it your way darling." He winked at me, I smiled.
We left the coffee shop a while later and we decided to explore some other places. We both went to the movies, I managed to convince him. He hardly watched movies, this time I made him do it. We watched a horror movie. I was scared and clutched to him the whole time while he remained unmoved. He just stared at the screen and smiled whenever something scary happens. He's acting like a psycho.
"Are you human at all?" I asked once we got out of the theatre.
He folded his arms, "Am I an alien then?"
"You were smiling the whole time I was scared to death. Aren't you afraid that evil ghost would come haunting you later on?"
"You're being dramatic and superstitious. I don't believe in ghosts and there's nothing like haunting me. I did not kill them after all." He shrugged walking away.
I followed him closely still feeling goosebumps all over my body. It's as if that evil ghost is haunting me with a knife and she's right behind me.
"Hey you're walking too fast." I yelled holding on to him.
He laughed, "You are walking too slow also. Why don't you relax and stop shaking all over?"
"Hey I'm not scared! You jerk!" I protested.
"Obviously you're not." He mocked and continued walking, I rushed after him.
We got back to the suite. I fell on the bed tiredly. Jayden sat on the bed beside me with his laptop. He opened it probably checking his mail and other things. He's a busy man after all. I got up and walked into the bathroom, the lights were off and I wondered what happened. The light suddenly went on and off in a scary way that made me scream loud.
"What the fuck is going on here?" Jayden yelled from behind me, that startled me again.
I jumped on him, "I'm scared."
He smirked, "You're turning me on you know. Do you want me to stay with you?"
I nodded quickly, "Yes you jerk. Can't you see I'm being haunted?"
He laughed, "I can see that. Don't worry, I'm going to shake all that fear away."
Jerk.