Taming The Wild CEO novel Chapter 99

C H A P T E R 2 8 : T H E B A D T I M E T O H I D E T H E T R U T H

E L L A S T A N F O R D

“I never think that you are,” he replied cautiously.

Yet she did not seem to hear him as she continued, “Nor do I care to be sheltered or covered in bubble wraps like some fragile things.” Now her head tilted upwards and she looked at him. Her eyes had turned hard.

“I am not sure I am following you,” he said, frowning with confusion.

“I am talking about the fact that you just lied to me and how you casually answering all of my questions with generic answers!” she nearly yelled, her face flushing to a tomato red. “Is this what our relationship has been based on? Lies and avoidance and hiding skeletons behind each other’s back?!”

“No,” he answered, keeping his voice as calm as he could, “we loved each other so much, but—”

“Stop! Just stop.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she reopened her eyes, he almost dropped to his knees as he watched tears brimming in her eyes mixed with hurt. “I know I have been acting like a crazy person with all the screaming and crying.” One tear slipped out of her eye and streamed down her cheek. She brushed it off the back of her hand and gave her wet hand a pointed look. “See, I am crying. Stupid emotions.” She shook her head then brought her eyes back to him once more. “I know that I am not being nice to you. That I have been the worst fiancé ever. Not only have I lost my memory of you, of us, but I have also treated you like a stranger. I have been treating you unfairly and trust me, I—” Ella took a small pause to close her eyes, even though for just a brief moment. “I tried not to hurt you. I know you did not do anything wrong and to be honest, when we were having dinner, I felt closer to you, compared to what I have felt a few days ago during my time in the hospital. But then, you pulled this stupid stunt!”

Her eyes were accusing and it was as if he had been struck by a spear right in his heart. He wanted to say something, anything that might calm her down, but he knew that she had not finished thus he kept his mouth tightly shut and continued to listen.

“When I was in your arm a few minutes ago,” she pointed at the couch with her left hand, “I felt oddly safe and I started to wonder how we can compromise on living together because, for some unknown reason, I feel that I need you here. Initially this morning I thought Damon and Tanner have just saved me from you but this evening, I thought differently. Yet all you seem to be doing is lying to me and giving me reasons not to trust you.”

She inhaled deeply, filling her lungs to capacity. Her eyes still burned, but her complexion began to fade to a normal, pinkish color. “Listen, I get it! You are upset and confused and probably angry about all this, but so am I. I woke up in the hospital bed and the next thing I know was that I am engaged. Not just to a regular guy but to my boss, someone who paid for my salary! You may not know this but I live by my own principles. I do not mix work with personal so I do not know how the hell I could be engaged to you and I do not know what to do about it! Perhaps it was right that we are truly engaged. Perhaps we really had this wonderful, loving relationship—”

“We do,” he injected, but she shrieked at him through clenched teeth.

“But I do not know that! Look at me, Javier, really look at me, because this is me. This woman standing right here is not your fiancé! I never was! You remember one life together; I remember no life together! Until a few days ago, I was a single woman and I liked it! My only relationship was with Leroy Taylor and it did not end well. The guy was too clingy and I did not like it so I preferred being on my own.” Her eyes softened as she said her next word, “As much as I hate to admit it, for the last few days being with you, I can see why I like you. So please do not make it even harder for me. I have no recollection of us but I remember everything else and I could simply carry my life without you in it.”

“Please don’t,” he begged. His blue eyes looked sad and he sounded lost. “Please do not leave me.”

“I will not but only if you promise me that you will answer all of my questions honestly.” Ella dared herself and lifted her hand to cup one side of his face. “Show me that I can trust you.”

“I will,” he vowed. His eyes were deadly serious.

Ella took a deep, calming breath. “So let me ask you again. Do thunderstorms bother me?”