Loving The Temperamental Adonis
Chapter 214: Not in the house

Chapter 214: Not in the house

Neil left the office when the sun began to set, and on his way home, he stopped at a jewelry store and bought a set of diamond necklaces and earrings for Mia. He’d heard that women liked jewelries, thus he swiped his card a few times to buy anything he thought would suit her and complement her beauty. It was very unusual for men to visit the jewelry store, so when Neil was seen walking around the glass boxes and pointing to the ones he liked for the assistant, who looked too happy to assist him, he became the center of attention at the store.

They all knew who he was but who he was buying all those jewelries for was a mystery to them. Due to the media not being allowed to enter the Wallace birthday party, no body but the elites who’d been present had heard of the scene Neil had created to stand up for Mia. Many of the people still believed he’d broken up with Mia after her scandal. They couldn’t help but look on in envy as he kept picking the most expensive set of necklaces now.

And when he unhesitatingly swiped his black card to complete his purchase, the women felt like they’d pass out from the envy that surged through their hearts. The moment he walked out with the bags of his purchases, the women squealed dreamily.

"Gosh! He’s so handsome, and whoever that woman is, she’s so damned lucky to have a hunk like Wayner!"

"I wish my boyfriend would buy me jewelries."

"Hmph, dream on girl. Yah boyfriend’s too greedy and stingy. That man’s not gonna spend a thing on you. You better change a man if you want someone like Wayner." Advised one of the store assistants to the other who glared at her.

****

Neil sat in the back seat of his Rolls Royce, watching the setting sun with a relaxed expression on his face. His thoughts drifted to Mia, wondering if she missed him as much as he missed her. He’d been looking at his watch, hoping desperately for the time to pass so he’d go home to her. And he smiled at the notion of them making love tonight in their bed after putting it off for two days at the hospital. Tonight, he knew without a doubt would be wonderful for both of them. He smiled up at the setting sun, wearing his love on his sleeves.

The sun seemed more beautiful today, its warm hues casting a serene glow over the landscape of Mirage Mesa. Even the ride back home felt different, not the boring journey it used to be to him in the past. He remembered the times he had driven down the roads of Mirage Mesa with a stabbing pain in his heart. Rage and hate had surged through him, making it impossible to breathe or look out the window. He had always closed his eyes, refusing to see the streets he had walked barefoot as a twelve-year-old, desperately searching for a place to call home.

Those memories had haunted him, but now, as he looked out at the familiar roads, he felt nothing. The wounds of the past had started to heal slowly, replaced by the warmth of his present with Mia, and he knew for as long as they stayed together, his wounds would heal completely.

As the car cruised down the road, Neil’s anticipation to see his woman after a stressful day at work grew. He couldn’t wait to reach home. When they arrived, he stepped out with the bags containing the jewelry he had bought for Mia. Entering the house, he loosened his tie and climbed the stairs to their room, expecting to find her there. But as he pushed the door open, he was met with an empty room and an undisturbed bed, just as he had left it.

Frowning, Neil dropped the bags on the bed and walked to the bathroom and found it empty as well. A sense of unease crept over him as his long legs pulled him to the walk-in closet. His heart slammed against his ribs when he saw that all of Mia’s belongings that had been arranged in the closet were...gone! Panic began to settle within him, a cold dread squeezed his chest and knotted his stomach.

His mind raced with fear that she have left him. No, she would never do that. She’d looked happy when he brought her home from the hospital and she liked their house so much she’d walked him to his car when he was leaving for the office. He’d watched her through the car mirror until the car drove out of the gate. But now, it didn’t seem like she’d even stayed in the room for a second after he’d left for the office.

"Don’t do this to me Mia," he muttered to himself as he turned on his heels. His steps quickened as he ran down the stairs, nearly tripping in his haste. He shouted for the housekeeper, his voice echoing through the vast hallways.

"Y-yes, sir?" The housekeeper stammered, rushing out of the kitchen at his thundering calls. She trembled at the murderous look in his hardened eyes.

Neil didn’t care about her fear. "Where is she?" he demanded, his tone harsh and desperate.

The housekeeper understood immediately who he was referring to, and replied with a slight bow, "Miss Mia is in the East Wing of the house, she moved her things to the guests room just awhile ago with the help of the maids. She..."

Neil didn’t wait for her to finish. He stormed off towards the East Wing, anger and confusion propelling him forward. His body raced with several emotions; first he was relieved that she was within the house and hadn’t left him, second he was angry that she made him almost lose his mind from fear, but one thing was clear: he needed to find her and know why she had moved out of their room.

He angrily walked into one of the guest rooms in the East Wing without bothering to knock. He had expected to find Mia sulking or even sleeping, but nothing prepared him for the view before him. He stopped in his tracks, momentarily forgetting his anger as he took in the scene he was met with In the room.

Mia moved around the room, arranging her things, but that wasn’t what stopped him in his tracks, it was the way she was dressed. He’d never seen her dress like that before. She wore a pair of shorts that stopped slightly below her buttocks, giving him the full view of her rounded ass that gave him the strong urge to squeeze them. She wasn’t wearing a shirt but a bikini bra that only covered small part of her breasts, with earpods plugged into her ears.

The sight of her milky white legs and the bare expanse of her midriff left Neil mesmerized and aroused. He had come here to demand of her why she’d left their room, and to scold the living daylights out of her, but now he found himself unable to move nor make his presence known to her as she moved around with the earpods plugged in her ears. And when she bent over to pick up something, Neil felt his erection hardened with desire.

Leaning against the door frame, he crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. Her brown hair was tied into a messy bun, exposing the elegant curve of her long neck. As she turned to the side, the small bump of their baby made its presence known, a tender and beautiful sight to him.

Mia, oblivious to his presence, swayed slightly to the music she was listening to, trying to dance along. Her movements were graceful and unselfconscious, adding to her allure. Neil’s eyes roved over her, taking in every detail, from the curve of her hips to the soft, almost ethereal glow of her skin that made him want to run his hands over them. Just the thought of him touching her made his trouser tightened, and he muttered a curse.

Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, Neil knocked loudly on the opened door. Mia jumped, startled, and quickly pulled out her earpods. She turned to face him, her eyes widening in surprise and then narrowing slightly in curiosity.

"Neil! You scared me!" she exclaimed, a hand flying to her chest.

He pushed off from the door frame, his anger resurfacing but tempered by the sight of her. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice low and controlled. "Why did you move your things out of our room?"

Mia looked around the room, then back at him, her expression a mix of defiance and apology. "I just needed some space to myself," she said softly. "I thought it would be best we stayed in sperate rooms."

When Neil wasn’t at home, she’d done some thinking of ways to subtly hint to him that there were things that needed to be done about their relationship before they’d move to the stage of marriage, which she knew he intended for them to have after the banquet. She’d been going through her old journals from highschool and university, she realized her past aspirations - to experience traditional courtship, receive flowers, and more.

Having faced challenges in life without many cherished memories to hold onto, she desired to create more joyful moments before committing to marriage with Neil. She longed for the excitement of dating and the stage of having a boyfriend before becoming a wife. It might sound stupid, but she felt like they’d be moving too quickly by getting married immediately when in truth they’d only known each other for months.

Months, because she’d only known him for a few months in Ivy Grove before he was sentenced to prison, then for the past five years they’d been apart with no communication whatsoever, and after they met again, they’d known each other for another few months without actually giving a name to their relationship apart from being lovers.

She wanted more than that, perhaps it was because she was a hopeless romantic person who wanted more in a relationship than marriage and babies. And since she couldn’t tell him straight to the face what she wanted, she decided to hint it to him. However, she never planned for what was about to happen next.

Neil’s grey eyes darkened, and he took a step closer. "Why did you think it was alright for you to leave our room?" His voice was harsher now, edged with the panic and fear that had gripped him earlier. "I thought you’d left me. Do you have any idea how that felt?"

Mia’s defiance melted away, replaced by a look of remorse. "I’m sorry, I scared you." She said, almost glad that he didn’t seem to mind that she’d moved out of the room, until he stepped inside the room completely and began to carry her suitcase, "I’ll take your things back to our room, there is no use in being in separate rooms when we’d be married in a few weeks."

"Wait, you can’t do that!" She hurriedly stopped him by grabbing the suitcase from his hand.

Neil frowned at her actions, "Why?" He asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Nothing. I just want to stay here." She said defensively.

"Why would want to stay in a guest room when we have our room?" He said, sounding and looking displeased at her plan of having a separate room from his. He’d looked forward to coming home to relax and bask in the warmth of her presence not to argue on where she’d be staying when it had already been decided.

"It’s not proper for us to stay in the same room when we are not married. My late mom had at least taught me that before her passing and I intend to use every single one of her teachings."

"Then let’s get married tomorrow. I will arrange the marriage certificate and_"

"No, I don’t want to get married tomorrow or next or even a week from now!" She cut him off, angry that he couldn’t understand her.

"Then what the hell do you want?!" He fired back, flinging the suitcase against the wall in anger. "I am trying my damnedest to understand you, Mia. Don’t try my patience. Do you want us to get married or not?" He demanded coolly.

"No!" She retorted with the same icy voice, "I don’t want to get married without getting want I wanted!"

"Then what the fuck do you want?!"

"Nothing!" She yelled, wishing she could just tell him, but then what was the point of it if she told him? Every little moment would lose it’s magic when it didn’t come naturally from him.

"Fine," he said, his voice sounding detached and blank, his eyes as hard as ice, "Suit yourself." Then he left, slamming the door behind him with so much force it made her jump.