His Toxic Addiction
Chapter 67: I can’t.

Chapter 67: I can’t.

Nicklaus placed his eyes on Raquel. What was she doing here?

"That was my wife," he informed with admiration in his voice. That irked Raquel’s ears.

Raquel’s heart dropped with his word and tone. She turned her face to where Arissa just walked out from.

"I can handle her," Raquel boosted.

Nicklaus chuckled like Raquel just made the most stupid joke he had ever heard. He sat on his seat and faced the stage, "Why did we cross paths again?" Nicklaus asked and now, his voice was impatient.

Raquel sat on the seat Arissa once occupied and Nicklaus could not help but glare at her, volcano erupting from his eyes. Shrugging her shoulders, she managed to appear unaffected by his glare, "I thought I’d never see you again,"

Nicklaus frowned more but did not still turn to her. He just let it known to her that he did not appreciate her presence.

Without answering her, Nicklaus stood up to leave. Her presence annoyed him so, he better leave so he would not maybe, do or say something that would make her cry. She - Raquel was good at that. And he works with time, since she wasn’t important to him, he do not want to spend his seconds on her.

Seeing Nicklaus standing up from his seat, Raquel stood up also. She immediately gripped his arm when she saw he was about to move out of the seat.

"I’m no longer allowed near you or anything you own," Raquel complained still gripping his arm, and with a hiss, Nicklaus tore her hand off him.

Looking at her hand he roughly took off his arm, "I’m lucky seeing you here today Mr. Wyatt. I only want a conversation with you. We don’t have to pathways like enemies, don’t you think you’re too cold with the way you treat me?" her voice almost breaking as she was close to tears.

She had loved him all her life and with all the luxury he had offered her together with his time, she thought he loved her. She dreamt she would stay more than months with him but before she would know it, he ended the contract just because she addressed him with his birth name. That simple mistake.

The contract was supposed to go on for two months per the arrangement but just a little mistake dashed all of her hopes and now, he doesn’t even want to hear her apologies, and come to think of it, he has a new lady.

Turning politely to her, "Don’t try provoking me, Raquel," Nicklaus warned and turned away from her towards the place Arissa walked out from.

A single tear of rejection dropped from Raquel’s eyes, followed by another as she watched Nicklaus back as he disappeared.

"I will kill her, Nicklaus. It’s a promise," Raquel promised as she wiped her silent sobs with the back of her palm.

.....

Arissa froze when Collins took his lips off her lips. She gulped, searching Collins’s eyes for an explanation concerning what he just did.

At that, she was silenced when they noticed a strange aura. Tiling her head, she felt sick seeing Nicklaus standing there and then, she turned to Collins who was also watching Nicklaus, and feeling Arissa’s eyes on him, Collins turned to her.

"Nicklaus," Arissa murmured Nicklaus’s name when he just stood there staring at Collins.

Nicklaus took his eyes off Collins when he heard his name from her. He had a lot to ask her about what he just saw and a lot to do to that despicable bastard.

Taking his eyes off her and to Collins again, he parted his lips, but he did not respond. His expression was insanely passive and Arissa on her part did not know what he was thinking.

"Mr. Wyatt," Collins finally spoke up but kept shut again when Nicklaus stared sharp daggers at him. Collins turned his head towards Arissa and he could not believe the eye contact she held with Nicklaus.

He was there but she ignored him as if the kiss did not just happen. He looked towards the mini bag there that held the flowers that he was about to give to her before he lost control of himself and kissed her.

He searched for his inner self but he found no regrets about what he just did. Instead, he felt fulfilled, and the fight to come out clean overpowers him, and without much thought, he confessed. "I love her," he swallowed and Arissa’s sights turned to him with confusion and the place turned more chilly and deadly.

"I love her, Mr. Wyatt," Collins poured it out.

Arissa shook her head, "No, you can’t," her voice was vulnerable and more of a whisper but it was enough for the two men to hear her.

She whispered because right now because her whole strength was drained from her with Collins’s confession. What does he mean he loves her?

Collins almost yelled as frustration covered him. What does she mean by he can’t? He had been patient with her these while, giving her all the time in the world for her to realize his feeling but she never did. It was just as if she wasn’t seeing his efforts.

"I have loved you ever since I’ve known you, Arissa," he continued his confession, looking straight into Arissa’s eyes. "I couldn’t help it. And I spent all my time trying to show you but you never saw it. Which is fine and..."

"I’m married, Collins," Arissa pointed out.

"I know you are," Collins yelled, his voice breaking down. "But I must tell you now. I love you, give me an answer," he added desperately.

Nicklaus’s jaw tightened as he tried not to intervene. His eyes searched Arissa as he waited for a reply but she gave none and was just staring at Collins like he just grew three heads.

Collins raised his hands sideways to the air and drooped them dejectedly and hopefully, "I...I cannot go on like this any longer. I gave up everything you didn’t like, it’s fine. I mean I’m happy they are sacrifices I could make for you," he trailed off his voice choking and Nicklaus could not help but raise his brow at such an entertainment.

Arissa’s eyes turned red as tears threatened to come out of it. She had no idea that she had been hurting Collins this way all this while.

Collins gritted his teeth, his eyes also turning red as he met Arissa’s eyes. The feelings were so heavy and he can’t hold them in anymore, "And I waited and waited for I.." his voice turned low. "I waited and never complained because I..." his voice trailed off with a sob and the tears left his eyes, "I figures you would love me. I hopefully figured you would love me,"

Arissa blinked, too stunned to speak as her head almost blew up with thoughts. Her heart tore with the confirmation Collins was giving to her tonight. Everything he did for her in the past, they were great but never would she have thought he had feelings for her.

Collins turned to Nicklaus, "And now, I realize I’m not half as good enough, and I’m not this great cool guy_"

"Yes, you are. You are far good enough, too good for me," Arissa cut him off seeing the inferiority complex he felt around Nicklaus.

"And I’m so grateful to you and I can’t thank the heavens enough for adding you into my life and I just..." she shook her head, "I can’t give you the kind of love you expect or want."

"You can’t?" Collins asked and another tear dropped from his eyes in disbelief. He stepped back.

"I can’t," Arissa confirmed, using the back of her palm to clean her tears, but sadly, a lot more poured, "I’m sorry," she apologized with sadness.