THREE MONTHS TIME

LIAM


I have never seen a girl as cute as her. My girls were always sophisticated and comport themselves around me. I never did notice until now. It was almost as if they choose what to say in my presence, or as if someone wrote down the whole reply to our conversation for them. I have never dated a poor girl whose father owns a restaurant before, all my exes were rich girls whose fathers were multi-billionaires and top actresses, top models, and top singers. They never speak freely to me. Some of the other average girls I have dated were just there for the money. I can just remember one or two of them.

I sat on the seat looking at her as she hid under the duvet, whining. I didn't know why I guffawed when she covered herself and I didn't know a smile was still sprawled on my face as I stared at her mass on the bed. Looking at her, made me recall last night. When I saw that car almost hitting her, I had been really scared. I had been really scared for another human and for the first time in the entirety of my life I had blamed myself for what was going to happen.

I had blamed myself for chasing her when I knew she was drunk, I had blamed myself for making her burst out like that. I hadn't believed everything she said I was and I had wondered if I was like that. I had thought of just watching her get hit by that car and I had also thought of going to save her and risk getting hit too. But when the car had got so close, I hadn't known when I screamed her name and I had found myself rushing up to her, grabbing her hand and drawing her to me. I had held her, closing my eyes as we fell to the floor. The car had swerved away from us luckily, but I had hit my head on the asphalt and darkness had enveloped me.

When I woke up, I was in a car next to her. She was slumped over my body and Aiden had been at the wheel. I had groaned and raised her head, pushing her away from me.

"You are awake," Aiden had said looking at me from the rearview mirror.

"Mmh," I had breathed and stretched myself. My face had hurt like a thousand pins had been driven in them. "What happened?"

"You passed out," Aiden had replied. His eyes were no longer on me.

I had glanced over at Kim who had been sleeping from so much alcohol.

"Liam," Aiden had called slowly. I had looked at him without saying a word. "As much as I commend you for the humanitarian act you showed tonight, I will beg you never to do such an irrational thing again."

"What irrational thing?"

"You ran in front of that car."

"I couldn't watch her get hit by that car while she was running from me," I had snapped. "Did mother find out?"

"Of course. It happened in front of the company."

"Where is she? Did she find out what happened?"

"I have covered your ass for several years," Aiden had pointed out and had rounded the corner. "She asked me to take you home and call if anything happens, she had guests to attend to."

I had sighed and had looked out of the window without saying anything to Aiden. My mum had been like that, it was not a new thing. I guess, she knew it wasn't serious when she didn't see blood. My parents had left me to grow on my own. Kim's crying face had been on my mind and the things she had said to me still echoed in my head, especially when she had said she hated everything about me.

"If you really don't want that kind of situation to happen again, maybe you should treat her differently." Aiden's voice brought me back to the car. I looked at him from the rearview mirror.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think I have to spell everything out for you. You are an adult and you are smart enough," Aiden had said and had focused on the road.

I had looked at the back of his head for a while. "Am I really like that? Am I really arrogant? Insensitive?"

"Do you want an honest answer?" Aiden had asked looking at me from the rearview again.

"Yes."

"You are worst than a jerk."

"Aiden?"

"You wanted an honest answer," Aiden had said removing his eyes from the rearview mirror again. "But, I don't blame you for that, because I know who you are and I understand you."

What was he talking about? I had wondered.

"I know you might be wondering what I am talking about," Aiden had said and his face had lighted up with a smile.

"What? Are you a mind reader now?"

"Your face," he had said. "It all showed on your face. Other people might not understand you because they only see the surface, even Kim is finding it difficult to cope. But my father and I had been with you throughout those years and we know who you are. You are lonely."

"No, I'm not." I had scowled at him.

"Yes, you are."

"I said I'm not." I had said defiantly. "Come on, I have everything I need. I can buy whatever money can buy, I have girls at my beck and call, I have cars and can go on any trip anywhere in the world, what else do I need?"

The smile on Aiden's face had been that of pity and I had not liked it. I had glared at him.

"Don't look at me that way," I had cautioned and had taken my phone from my pocket.




The door to my room, barged open and my mum came in, all dressed with an older man trailing behind her. She brought me out of my thoughts and the smile on my face faded.

"Jeez! Do you ever knock?" I cursed.

She ignored me like I hadn't said anything and looked around. "Where is that woman?"

"She is my girlfriend," I snapped. I saw Kim remove the duvet from her face from the corners of my eyes.

"You two were so careless with your drinking last night that you had to bring me embarrassment. I am disappointed, but I am glad that you have the strength to question and correct me this morning."

"Mum, we had an accident."

"Because you pathetic fools were not sobber enough."

I glanced over at Kim and saw her eyes were wide and she had clutched her mouth to muffle any gasp that would want to escape.

"I guess it's typical of your wine heiress girlfriend to drink too much wine since she does a lot of wine tasting," my mum said eyeing Kim on the bed as she spoke.

"I don't usually drink," Kim said. I guess she was trying to blurt but it came out so weak and tentative.

I sighed and looked at my mum. "Was that why you couldn't even get worried that I passed out."

"Oh, come on," Her wave was dismissive. "Emotional blackmail?" She sat down on the chair beside me. "Listen, honey. You were pretty fine and I knew you would make it. You are a celebrity, a rare commodity. You shouldn't be seen misbehaving in public, it would be bad publicity, remember?"

"What do you want?"

"First, I came to make sure you are doing fine, I brought a doctor and I came to let you know that your engagement plans with sweet Jade are still holding."

"What?" I was aghast. My mother signaled the doctor to start touching my face. "I don't need a doctor right now."

She signaled the man to leave. "I will compensate you for your time," she said as the man left.

"Mum, I have a woman I am in love with and she is right here in this room."

"Right now, we don't need love, honey. Love won't pay the bills."

"Mum, what bills are we paying again? We have everything we need."

"Never say that, son. No one can have everything. Human want is insatiable."

"Okay, mum, K...Vittoria's father is rich too."

"I'm not sure. She doesn't act like one."

"Not all rich kids are bratty."

"You are bratty, she can't cope with you if she is not a bratty rich kid."

I stared helplessly at her, wondering what was going on in her mind. Has she done some investigations? Does she know who Kim was already?

"Okay, I will make you a deal," I said.

"Bring it on."

"Let me be with her for three months. Let me date the woman I love for three months."

"And...?"

I stared at her for a while. "Mum, you don't just expect me to move on from someone I love like that. We need time to process this, we have to see if this is going to work for us or not. We just need time."

"Alright, three months and after that Jade is coming over and she coming to stay in this mansion."

"Won't that affect her career? I thought she is a well sorted after actress?"

"I'm glad you know that. Even if she is a million miles away, she would still be valid and they would wait until she arrives before anything begins. That's the power your future wife commands."

"Mum, Vittoria is here."

"Oh." My mum turned towards the bed. "Pardon me. I forgot you were there. I'm sorry you had to hear all of that."

Kim huffed, stood up from the bed, wrapped the bedsheet around herself, and went inside the bathroom. My mum looked back at me with a smile.

"I will take my leave now." She stood up and started walking to the door, her six inches heels hitting the hard floor. She rarely wears any footwear other than heels.

I stood up and headed towards the bathroom. I knew it wasn't real but I suddenly considered how she would be feeling after everything my mum said about her character.