She was at once guilty and miserable that she snapped at James, but when he tried to hug her, she remembered the time when that gang raped her.
She did not mean it, but her emotions burst out right then. She could not face James, let alone stay with him and act like nothing ever happened.
She spoke from behind the door. “I need your help, Dad…”
“Tell me.” Mick spoke from outside.
“James is here. Tell him that I won’t ever marry him, and that he shouldn’t look for me after we break up.”
Mick did a double take.
So James was here… That was why she was so agitated.
“Alright, I get it. Just calm down, okay?”
Mick did not try to dissuade her since she could not calm down long enough to think, and anything he said would be pointless… or even make her feel worse!
Mick turned and headed downstairs, stepping out of the house, and he saw James standing by the road.
James appeared helpless, so Mick went over to him.
“James.”
James turned, and straightened his slump when he saw Mick.
He was a man and should not show weakness no matter how bad things were.
“I came to see Erin.”
Mick said, “Shall we get a coffee?”
James nodded.
After they took their seats, Mick spoke first. “Erin needs time.”
He had more to say, but he stopped as he looked at James.
James had an idea of what Mick wanted to say, and so, he spoke first. “I’m convinced that time mends, and that Erin would eventually forget the trauma in the days to come. I don’t believe that she’d be hurting forever, and I want to stay with her in the long run. You have nothing to worry about—you can entrust her to me, and I promise to make her happy for the rest of her life.”
Mick was going to ask James just that, and hence, he switched gears. “She still needs time to calm down. Give her some space.”
“I just wanted to see her,” James said, nodding. “I didn’t expect her to react that badly.”
“She’s calm around us, but she can’t do it around you,” Mick explained. “That means she cares about you—what you think and how you’d feel. That’s why she would lose control, so please understand her.”
“I know.” James certainly understood and therefore did not take offense.
Mick then asked, “Where are you staying? I have another house, you could—”
“At Swiz Hotel,” James replied. “I took leave but I’m still on the job and might leave anytime. You needn’t bother—a hotel is just fine.”
Mick nodded. “Just contact me if there’s anything you need.”
“I will,” James replied, and he then told Mick to leave sooner since he was worried about leaving Erin alone at home.
Mick could feel that James was serious about Erin, and was therefore glad, even treating him as family.
“Don’t worry,” Mick said. “I’ll take good care of her. Just call me if you want to find out how she’s doing.”
…
Mick found Erin sitting in the living room after he returned home, and he headed over with a smile. “Feeling better?”
Erin had calmed down and was not agitated like before.
She flashed a chagrined smile. “I just called the office to take the day off.”
Mick got her a glass of water and sat beside her, asking softly, “Do you feel better now/”
Erin nodded, hesitating for a moment before asking, “Is he alright?”
Mick did not actually realize to whom she was referring too. “Who?”
Erin thought that Mick was doing it on purpose and she bit her lip, pouting. “Why are you messing with me, Dad?”
“But I really don’t know what you’re talking about, darling.” Mick threw up his hands defensively.
Since Erin could not tell him that she bit James, she decided to drop it, leaving Mick speechless as she rose to her feet.
She was the one who did not explain herself, and she was upset at him?
Catching up to her, she asked, “What did you want to ask? About James? What happened to him?”
“It’s fine, Dad,” she said with a smile. “I was just asking.”
Mick nodded, but remained skeptical.
Still, Erin stopped on the stairs for a moment and turned to look at him. “Do you know where James is staying?”
“Swiz Hotel,” Mick quickly replied.
“Oh,” Erin murmured, and headed upstairs.
Mick thought she was going to see James just then. Why did she return to her room instead?
Was she going to meet him or not?
He was so confused…
Sighing, he just hoped that she could get over it soon and face James directly.
Even so, it was Erin herself who would decide when, and no one’s advice would mean a thing.
That was why Mick just had to protect her quietly.
After lunch, he was just emerging from his study when he saw Erin leaving the house.
He did not ask where she was going, but he had a hunch that she went looking for James.
…
In his room at Swiz Hotel, James was seated on the couch by the window.
His lunch was sitting on the table behind him, untouched.
He was spacing out and thinking, his hand resting nonchalantly on his lap.
Erin’s bite left a clear mark, and a dark-red clot had built up where her teeth sank deep since he did not treat it.
Ding dong…
The doorbell suddenly rang, and James frowned from the abrupt disturbance, seemingly annoyed.
Still, he got up and answered the door!
James’s frown eased when he saw that it was Erin, and he soon appeared delighted beyond words. “You came? Missed me, didn’t you? Can’t bear to let my trip be wasted?”
Erin lowered her gaze and immediately saw her bite marks on his hand.
Still, the look of heartache lasted briefly in her eyes before she quickly hid it.
Her fingers gradually clenching on her handbag strap, she tried to make herself sound as calm as possible. “I want to talk.”
James stood aside. “Come in first.”
She did so, and then noticed the food left untouched on the table.
“You didn’t have lunch?”
James smiled. “I’m not hungry. Would you like a drink? I’ll get it for you.”
Erin sat down. “I’m not thirsty. Just sit—we need to talk.”
James was about to reach for a glass but paused.
He took a deep breath, having sensed that Erin was here to break up with him.
Calming down just then, he walked over and sat opposite her.
“I’m not breaking up with you.”
Erin could not help frowning, having been stopped before she could say it.
James looked at her and smiled. “I’ll give you time.”
“Would you wait if I asked for ten years?” Erin deliberately asked for a long time so that he would give up.
James did not flinch, however, and he replied seriously, “I’ll wait for the rest of my life.”
“You’re crazy,” she blurted.
“Yeah, I’m crazy about you,” he said, relaxed as ever. “You did not cheat on me. I have no reason to separate from you.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply