"What am I doing?" Eric sounded in the air confused about his actions while he seriously stared at his mobile phone in his hand.
His mind was occupied with the girl wearing a white mask embellished with tiny diamonds on the linings. It seemed her beauty would not be completed without the mask. Eric could not help thinking about her. He seemed to go crazy if he would not see her tonight.
"Uncle! Rosy is here." Ivan's voice snapped him back to his senses. With his continuous therapy, Ivan got very good progress in his behavior. He could speak generously to others and he began to like Rosy as well.
"Hi, Eric!" Rosy came from Ivan's behind with an overwhelming smile. She seemed to overcome her mourning for her late mother.
"Oh! Sorry, I forgot that you are going to arrive today. Did someone pick you up at the airport?" Eric felt very guilty as Rosy texted him the night ago about her arrival. Usually, he personally picked her up at the airport but today he was out of his mind. He was longing to see the girl with the mask. She was the one in his mind the whole day that he forgot Rosy's arrival.
"Humppp! I'd tried calling you but you were too busy talking to someone. I'm really getting jealous, Eric!" Rosy answered jokingly. She even acted like she was annoyed with him talking to another person on the phone.
Eric let go of a smirk. He realized Rosy was telling the truth. He was talking with the masked girl earlier. He felt guilty.
"Oh, that's purely business." He excused himself from embarrassment. Eric nodded as he smirked charmingly.
"Okay... I believe you but why do I get this feeling that you have someone who inspires you? Hmmm...your smile is telling me so." Rosy commented seeing Eric smiling with connivance with his eyes. It was unusual for her to see him smiling with sparks in his eyes.
Eric stood frozen. He didn't like someone who caught him with that kind of delight.
"Oops! Just joking! I forgot that you are happily married now." Rosy quickly refuted just to tease him. She wanted to avenge herself for waiting for too long at the airport and she had to call someone from the office to arrange another ride for her.
"Ha..ha..ha.. No one else." Eric faked a soft laugh. The sparks in his eyes immediately faded away remembering Arabella, It was replaced with immense guilt. He hated two-timer men but why did he feel he was becoming one? He had to stop his nonsense thoughts about the masked girl. He loved Arabella and he only wanted to stay by her side forever. His heart belongs to Arabella and that would not change.
"Oh! Speaking of... Where is she?" Rosy's eyes wandered around the mansion. Obviously, she was excited to see her friend, Arabella. The mansion felt empty when she left.
Eric's expression had become gloomier and Rosy didn't miss it.
"Oh, sorry. Cheer up, man! Don't worry. Since I am here, I will help you get her back. Okay? Leave it to me, my friend!" Rosy realized she went too far. Before she went back abroad, she helped Arabella to settle in her apartment. She separated herself from Eric. His gloomy expression tells her that he didn't successfully win her back.
Eric just smirked. He wasn't able to feel anything about Rosy's offer and it made him guiltier.
"How is everything going? How are you?" Eric averted the topic. It's been a while since he had to stay beside Rosy to comfort her. He just went back for a big project negotiation held in Capital Z and also for Ivan.
"Well, still coping." This time, Rosy's expression turned gloomy.
"And uncle?" Eric was curious and worried.
"Never mind him. He deserves every pain and guilt for his actions. I just hoped that he and his mistress were the people buried in the ground not my mom." Rosy responded beneath her breath as she annoyingly rolled her eyes. She still couldn't believe that her beloved mother was gone and her hatred towards her dad was still very fresh that she could not move on from it.
Eric could feel Rosy's pain. They had the same feelings about the situation. He hated his uncle and his mistress. That woman with many names. He hated her for stealing money from his company. And what he hated the most is until now, he still didn't capture her. It pissed every vein he had inside his body. He had to find and catch her again. Eric swore to make her suffer in his hand to avenge his aunt Rita.
"How about we invite Arabella tonight for dinner? Should we call her?" At this time, Rosy was the one to avert the topic.
Eric froze.
The three men nodded their heads repeatedly like they were in a race who could respond to her first would win. With the tested temper, no one dared to move. They even seemed to hold their breaths and avoid blinking not to irritate her again.
When she reached her father's cell, she stopped. Her father was holding the steel bars with eyes full of worries about what was happening outside. When she suddenly appeared in his sight, his expression was troubled. On the other hand, she didn't like his father's expression. For her, her father just worried about his life. His expression just disgusted her but she had no choice but to follow her conscience. She was all enough of him.
"Damn! Baby... What did they do to you? What happened there? Why are you still here? Didn't I tell you to go away from here and do not come back?" Her father said in a panicked manner.
Her eyes were still full of disdain and instead of answering him, she shot the cell's lock thrice. The lock wrecked out then she kicked it open. The door swung strongly. Now, her father was free, she looked at him again with sharp eyes. She had an eye full of resentment. Without any words for him, she turned around. She was done with him. As she turned around, she just wished she would not see him again. She just wanted to leave the place. Her father followed her closely.
"Baby..." Her father suddenly called her. She stopped but she didn't turn around. "I know you hated me so much and I am very sorry. I... I am not a good father. When Senator found out about our relationship, he tried to kill me. That night, I got shot. I didn't fake that. When I woke up from the coma, Alice came to me and told me everything about Trishia. I was shocked and my mind was a big mess. I had to protect you all from the Senator. Then Trishia came to me and asked for my help. It was my only chance to be a father for her to put up with all my absences in her life. Baby... I am very sorry. That time on that hill, I was awake the whole time. I framed you. I didn't fall into the cliff. You collapsed that time and someone dropped something in the water to make you believe that I was dead. My stretcher rolled down but it was caught by my men down the slope. heard your cries for me. I heard your mom's cries. I felt like a very horrible man at that time but I can't make Trishia disappointed. I have to make it for her as she accused me of abandoning her. It was not true but Trishia had closed ears. She only believed what she wanted. Trishia all wanted was to have Bill. She wanted you to hate Bill Sky for killing me. Trishia wanted you to separate from Bill Sky."
Arabella continued walking not wanting to hear his nonsense confession anymore. One thing that made her relieved was Bill Sky was not the evil in that situation. She immediately felt guilty for blaming him for the fake death of her father. Somehow it made her angrier toward him.
Baby... If Baby... I never wanted to hurt you but I just wished you understand me in the future.' Seeing her taking a few steps again he continued his confession.
Arabella slightly halted but she continued to walk again in her direction.
"Baby... If it was not too heavy to ask... Could you leave Bill Sky to your sister, Trishia, please?" Her dad said showing hopeful responses in his tone.
At this time, Arabella completely stopped.
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