His Toxic Addiction
Chapter 135: She was a ghost of herself.

Chapter 135: She was a ghost of herself.

"That joke got old long ago," Arissa said as she laughed her heart out.

Jocelyn laughed along, "But it was able to make you laugh," she teased and Arissa’s laughter increased as her shoulders trembled as an effect of her hearted laugh.

"I laughed because I want to," she defended herself.

Jocelyn smiled, "What nice logic you got there," she praised her with playful sarcasm.

Gradually, the laugh died down as the two friends had to catch up their breath and not chock up.

"I missed you so much," Jocelyn announced looking into Arissa’s eyes.

Arissa rolled her eyes, "You have said that for the hundredth time since I came in here,"

"It’s not like it’s my fault," Jocelyn taunt, "You did not visit yesterday,"

Arissa smiled, "I was exhausted that I had to sleep my whole day out," she explained.

These past few days had been hard for her to the point that whenever sleep came, her mind would wander around.

Exhausted, stressed, troubled, and unable to come up with a solution, nights that were naturally meant for sleeping reversed into a period meant of thinking I’m her case.

Touching different aspects of her life, she would have no breathing space and when that continues, she would end up thinking her whole night out without sleeping.

Looking at herself before her wall-like vanity mirror in her bathroom yesterday, she gulped in fright at the ghost she saw staring back at her.

Layers of dark circles were underneath her eyes - it’s not like they haven’t been there. They had been there but with her skilled fingers, she covered them with makeup but standing before her mirror right now, she was shocked at what she saw.

Even her collarbones were all out and she saw herself slimmed beyond recognition. She was the slim type but she had curves all at the right places, however, as she looked at herself, she could confess that she was beginning to lose her curves from stress and a troubled mind.

She doesn’t know how Richard might now feel about her or what he was thinking but he would just have to bear with her on this.

Already so alone and drowned, Arissa doesn’t want to drag Richard or another person into her dark world. All she just want to do was to be free from her marriage before imprisoning her father and getting justice for Adele and her late child.

And talking about the guilt that pressed down on her chest concerning Nicklaus, how she pushed him away, it was all too much for her to bear.

"You don’t seem alright," Jocelyn said, dragging Arissa off her train of thought.

Arissa turned to her friend, "I’m okay. Was just down with a little migraine yesterday but I’m alright now," she lied through gritted teeth.

"I’ve known you since we were ten," Jocelyn simply said staring into Arissa’s eyes and Arissa had to nod with struggles as she turned uncomfortable.

Jocelyn did not nod back, "So, tell me what’s bothering you,"

Arissa gave her a questioning brow, "What do you mean?" she asked, acting all clueless.

Jocelyn stood up, "You can tell me everything, Arissa," she propped, "You call me a friend but you only keep on shutting me out,"

Arissa’s eyes widened at Jocelyn’s speech. It reminded her of Richard and somehow about Nicklaus. They both complained about similar things.

Does she really shut people out as they said?

Rubbing her forehead, she met Jocelyn’s eyes, "I’m not shutting you out, Jocelyn. Technically, I do tell you everything_"

"You don’t," Jocelyn cut her off, "You have always kept your problems to yourself until I ask and most times when I do, you just wrap it all in," she explained, "Like you are doing now," she gave an instant.

Arissa doesn’t know why people take this so personally. Do they expect her to run down to them in everything she does or every problem she has? Can’t they just let her deal with her affairs?

Jocelyn sat back on the couch, placing a hand on Arissa’s shoulder, she repeated, "You don’t look okay. So, tell me what’s wrong, you are a ghost of yourself and why don’t you come around with Nicklaus guards anymore?"

Arissa took in a deep sigh. This was what made her lose Richard. She can’t afford to lose Jocelyn with no stable reason because already, her friend knows the shit she’s deep into but Richard doesn’t and she doesn’t want him to be added.

"Please," Jocelyn pleaded with Arissa to tell her everything.

Arissa turned to Jocelyn, "I would tell you everything," rubbing her palm on the back of Jocelyn’s palm, Arissa carefully explained all that had happened to her these past few days not adding Nicklaus cheating and without exempting her encounter with Richard.

"Richard would come around," Jocelyn assured her, "But I could bet you that his anger would increase if you don’t talk to him soonest,"

Arissa’s face fell, "I know that but I can’t explain things to him, which means I can’t talk to him,"

"How about Nicklaus?" Arissa asked in expectation as she looked into Jocelyn’s eyes.

Jocelyn tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, "To be truthful, I can’t say anything about him. I barely know him and you know him better," Jocelyn said insinuating she expected them to have some progress already and not some constant quarrels.

Arissa turned away from Jocelyn as she created space between them, "I don’t know anything about him. He has layers and layers of crusts surrounding him,"

"Then break it,"

"Huh?" Arissa asked surprised by Jocelyn’s encouragement.

"To know him better which would end these constant quarrels, break his crusts, listen to him_"

"Enough Jocelyn," Arissa cut her off, "You talk like we got married on our wish. This is no proper marriage, we don’t have to make it work. The moment I imprison my father, I would make sure to end our marriage," she disclosed her perspective on the marriage.

"How about Nicklaus? What if he doesn’t want you guys to divorce until the two years are complete?" Jocelyn hinted.

Arissa scoffed, "That’s impossible. I bet if he has his benefits, he would decide we get divorced this instant. He’s a businessman, they don’t joke with their profits and that’s just what he’s doing," she avowed.

Read only on NovelFire.com