Chapter 158: BEYOND THE BEAUTIFUL
The sun rose in the sky with an intensity that was neither hot nor cold. Tiny rays bypassed the window blinds, and settled as random spots on Alexander’s face.
Fay, seated with her back against a chair and her knees joined together, watched him.
Her brain subconsciously drew comparisons between him and Ace.
There was a lot to dissect on that front.
Where he was pretty in a sophisticated kind of way, Ace was more dangerously sexy.
"That’s just you giving your husband props," one voice appeared.
She held her breath because she knew it wouldn’t be too long before the other one showed up.
"And? Is that such a bad thing?"
There it was. Her knight in shining armour. She wondered if there’ll ever be a day where the two would get along.
"Yes. Considering what he has done. I don’t even understand you. One second you’re for him, and the next you’re against him."
"That could also be said about you. At least, the one constant thing with
is that I always prioritise Fay."
Fay listened, because she just couldn’t care enough not to.
They were beginning to take on so much more personality than she could rember them ever having.
Whether that was a good or bad thing was left for ti to tell.
The sun grew scotching, and its rays multiplied. Yet, it didn’t stop the two from diving into an argunt she was certain wouldn’t stop anyti soon.
This was usually the part they lost her. She allowed their argunts to continue in the back of her mind, but her consciousness returned to Alexander’s face.
His lashes fluttered, signalling he was about to wake up.
She watched him with curious eyes as he opened his. The first thing he did was to shield his face with his hand. Then he groaned.
She studied every detail, curious to discover the routines.
As he straightened up, his face turned towards her. He jerked when he found her just openly staring at him.
"I fell asleep," he admitted as if it was a cri. "Did you get any sleep?"
She studied the movent of his mouth. The laziness of his eyes because he had just woken up.
The stubbles underneath his chin, and the vertical crease on his forehead.
Everything aligned perfectly, even down to the slurring of his words.
She wondered how long it would take for the effects of sleep to wear off.
Ten minutes? Five? Maybe it would be in the range of seconds.
"Is there sothing on my face?" He touched his face when she didn’t respond, but just kept on looking.
His words made her blink out of her head. Yeah, that was rude of her. But she had been so caught up in the mont, it didn’t register what she was doing could co off as weird.
"I couldn’t. I was up all night protecting you."
He knew it was a joke, but that wasn’t the reason for his smile. For a mont there, it had computed in his brain the fact she was with him.
He had woken up to see Fay watching him sleep.
These were the kind of dreams one had, and couldn’t help but play out for the rest of the day.
Only that this ti, it was reality. She was really here. She was staring at him. She had even spent the night. On the floor, side by side.
Okay maybe he was exaggerating, but he couldn’t help himself. The excitent was too great to contain. And even if he tried, it was only going to spillover.
"You’re the one staring weirdly now," she offered him a smile. It wasn’t forced, but it still wasn’t her best. "Care to explain?"
"You’re gorgeous," he blurted out.
That pulled a chuckle out of her. It wasn’t the shallow kind. More, ’I wasn’t expecting that, but okay.’
"Thank you, Alexander. Thank you for giving
a listening ear, and shelter for the night."
The smile on his face faded away. Her gratitude speech sounded a little too much like a farewell one.
He wasn’t ready to see her leave. It was selfish, mostly because she still had to talk to her husband. They needed to figure things out, real or not. But he also wanted her by his side, just like this.
"I didn’t think you could look better as a person in my eyes, but you’ve surprised ."
"Does this an you’re leaving? Where would you go? At least wait for Leighton to bring your purse and phone," he said in a panicking voice.
It made her heart squeeze painfully. Unrequited love was worse than death. For her, she was only saying goodbye to a good friend that had helped her. She knew it wasn’t the sa for him.
If he could, he would want her to stay with him. A wish she couldn’t grant.
Although she hadn’t got a wink of sleep, she had found so sort of clarity.
The matriarch had probably understood she would, and that was why she easily let her go.
There were things she couldn’t give up on. Her commitnt to the matriarch was one of those things.
Therefore, it didn’t matter that her relationship with Ace might be done. She needed to speak with the matriarch.
"I’m still here, for at least a few more hours. Could you call Leighton to bring my things? I’d like to make a call."
"To Ace?" His heart thumped like it always did everything he ntioned Ace’s na.
"No. His grandmother."
"Hmmm. Perhaps why she easily let you go. She knew you’d call her."
"Perceptive. Good for you." She let out a small laughter.
"See, you’re laughing again. You should never stop. Don’t deny the world of that gorgeousness."
"And what would the world give
in return?" She lifted a brow, as her fingers tapping in circles on the floor ca to a halt.
"Who cares about the world? I’ll give it to you if that’s what you want."
Her face fell, and he quickly apologised. "I’m sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself again."
"It sounds cliche, but I’ll say it nonetheless. It’s not you, it’s definitely . My aunt may not have gotten the correct diagnosis, but she did have a point about my character. I probably need a psychologist."
"Don’t say that. You’re not crazy. Maybe a therapist for all the childhood trauma you accumulated. Nothing more, nothing less," he said, worried lines stretching his forehead.
"You’re the doctor, so I guess that makes you right."
"I’m not saying this as a doctor, Fay," he observed her face for a few seconds. She had lifted her head, but was facing every corner that wasn’t the spot he occupied. He didn’t mind. Her side profile was just as beautiful as her entire face. "But as a friend."
She released the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. He wasn’t going to push things beyond the boundaries of friendship.
That was good. Extrely good. She didn’t have to worry about losing a friend because of his feelings.
"Also selfish," a voice in her head said, but she quietly dismissed it.
"Thank you," she replied.
"Could you hold that gratitude until I whip sothing for you to eat? Please tell
you have an appetite," he said, dragging his body into a standing position.
"I don’t know if I trust the English breakfast," she confessed.
"What?" He threw his head back and laughed.
It was a fair assessnt though. The English had a notorious stereotype of making bland food. But in his defence, his Irish side being more dominant could be put into consideration.
"I’ve stayed in the States long enough to adapt. Trust ?"
"Do I have a choice?" She giggled.
"Yeah. I could place an order, but that would just hurt my feelings. Even Leighton knows I throw it down in the kitchen."
"Very well then. Except you’re worse than I am in the kitchen, it shouldn’t be that bad."
He pumped a fist in the air, grateful to be given that opportunity to prove his culinary skills. Despite the fact it was only breakfast, which should considerably be a light, and easy al, he couldn’t wait to vindicate an entire country.
"If you need to take a shower, use the restroom or anything, it’s the third door by your left. There’s also a guest room. I’ll be back shortly."
He gave her a salute as he hurried away. Watching his haste cracked her up. He definitely had his charms, even outside of his looks.
Where he t her softness halfway, Ace gave her reasons to always want to scream. He riled her up in the sa way he made her want to let loose.
She sighed and stretched her legs out. "Is it ever going to stop?" She questioned in an inaudible voice.
Her response was a mocking silence. It told her it would be difficult to stop bringing him up.
As she stood up to empty her bladder she had battled with all night simply because she refused to get up, a knock sounded on the door.
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