His Toxic Addiction
Chapter 31: Hypocrisy

Chapter 31: Hypocrisy

Laura’s breath hitched hearing her husband’s suggestion for the now pending problem, "No Alfred," she disagreed with his idea.

She hurriedly kept the bags on the floor before moving over to Alfred, "We are her parents. We can’t do that,"

Knowing her husband’s type of heart, Laura’s heart was pounding with dread despite her calm outward appearance.

"We?" Lincoln asked as he closed the distance between them.

And that was all it took for Laura’s calm appearance to drop as her fear came up to her eyes and she took two steps backward.

"Alfred I_"

"Did you say we?" he interrupted her, trying to access that part the most.

Laura’s bold appearance ran away from her personality list and Alfred became bold a whole different person from the man who just faced Arissa.

"Don’t move," he warned when Laura was about to take another step away from him, "You don’t want to have the money flowing more than before?" he played with her fickle mind as he held her gaze.

All he needs is little words from his lips into that rusted brain of hers and everything would go in his way.

"But... but, we have been at the top for four good years," and with that, she took fast two steps away from Alfead with all her hair standing due to fear.

Alfred scoffed, "Why did you not say this when we used Adele? Or perhaps, was it as a payback gift to her mother?" amusement in his voice following the question.

Laura paused, "Not really,"

"Huh?" his eyebrow dropped, "Then why was that," he asked curiously.

Laura’s mouth opened to say something but like a fish out of water, she closed it again saying nothing and unnoticed tears poured down her face.

"Ahh," Alfred breathe and closed the distance between them, "Shuu. Don’t cry now," he taunt with a smile as he wiped the tears with his fingers slowly.

"We have come this far. So, now is not the time to show your hypocrisy," he convinced, and with a wide smile, he kissed her forehead, "The same way you want to protect Arissa, that was the same way you would have protected Adele,"

Shaking his head, he disapproved the next tears that were about to escape her eyes, "We just stick to the plan with no potholes, and for that to happen, Arissa would have to give way,"

"You have been using me, Alfred," she voiced out the realization of the whole process. Everything - from her inheritance to her family’s last name and her body, he used all benefits she could offer and claimed to the top, and now, he went to make use of her only child.

"Took you so long to notice?" he asked with disappointment at how her brain works. All these years, she dared to realize it now?

At first, he thought she was just giving him go ahead in whatever he longed for, and never in his dreams did he guess that she had been this dumb.

His both hands went to both sides of her head holding both sides, he kissed her forehead again, "And you used me also, remember?"

.....

Arissa’s eyes turned to her door hearing the knock on it. She turned back to her laptop as she do not want any disturbance right now.

Her stare went back to the door when the knocking came again. She arranged all of the photocopied files and after arranging them all, she hid them in the lampstand drawer.

"Were you busy?" Mrs. Wyatt asked after Arissa opened the door after a fist of knocking.

Arissa replied no with her head before moving away from the door so Mrs. Wyatt can walk in. She tucked her hair locks behind her ear as she watched Mrs. Wyatt walk into her room with a tray of drinks and a maid followed from behind.

"Afternoon Mrs. Wyatt,"

"You did not eat last night and also, you left before breakfast," Mrs. Wyatt said with a warm smile as she looked around the room and at the cat who was taking a nap on the bed.

Arissa gave a tight smile at Mrs. Wyatt’s speech. She did forget to eat last night and also skipped this morning, "I was about to come downstairs," she lied moving her hair over her face tiredly.

"Drop the tray there Lyra," she instructed pointing to the little dining of two chairs and a mini table just before the sightseeing French window.

Lyra drooped the tray and with a small bow, she left the room.

"I was hoping to share a table with you, hope you don’t mind?" she said as she moved forward and placed her tray on the same table.

"I ate out Mrs. Wyatt,"

Mrs. Wyatt turned to her with a soul-searching gaze, "I made this, especially for you,"

And with steady steps, she walked over to Arissa taking her palm in her little wrinkled ones, she covered it with her other palm.

"I want to share a table with you. Hope it isn’t too much,"

"I am not hungry Mrs. Wyatt," and with a pull, Arissa took her hand off Mrs. Wyatt enclosed ones. To be honest, she does not enjoy this lady’s warmth because a little attachment to her might not let Arissa exhibit all her planning schemes.

Mrs. Wyatt looked up at Arissa, "How about we talk over a few drinks?" she asked again.

A few drinks would not hurt, right?

Arissa looked over to the drinks and food, "Am busy Mrs. Wyatt. Maybe, next time,"

Mrs. Wyatt gave her a tight smile as Arissa turned her offer to dine together down again just as last time, "I would leave now, but make sure to eat up before sending the plates down,"

"Ahh," Arissa breathed as tiredness washed over her. She does pay a lot of attention to people’s attitudes around her and if she should say, this woman’s niceness is genuine, and turning her down somehow strains her.

"Mrs. Wyatt," Arissa called out before Mrs. Wyatt would get to the door. "Let’s share a table," she accepted turning over to the door and facing Mrs. Wyatt. To get someone’s trust, Mrs. Wyatt might be her starting point.

"Thank you dear," Mrs. Wyatt beamed before walking over to Arissa.