THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY
Chapter 18: CONFUSED

Chapter 18: CONFUSED

Fay felt flustered and frustrated. So much so, she had a visceral reaction to the disappointment. A scowl, visible on her face.

He always did this, and like a fool, she let him do it. What was it about this stranger that made her easily go weak in the knee? It was a question she couldn’t answer for the life of her.

She watched him as he stood up from the bed, and picked up the table Alice had set. Dragging it back to the foot of the bed, he set it there, and turned to her.

The vision he saw stole his breath away. Fay, hair falling all over, heaving chest, and a tight frown. He almost lost his composure at that moment. He was this close to switching the flip on his tactics, and falling into the hole he had dug as a trap.

But he knew he couldn’t. Moreso, shouldn’t. Instead, he beckoned on her with a finger. "Let’s eat."

As she drew closer, despite her frustration, she wished she could refuse him. However, it wouldn’t be the man himself she was refusing. She doubted he gave a damn about her thoughts towards him. Rather, it would be refusing the food she had wanted to taste so desperately, for the longest time. Since her boss relayed his displeasure on how they lured in elite customers, selling basically, finger food.

He scooted to the side, and she sat beside him. Their legs touched briefly, sending a rush all over her body. When she looked at him through the corner of her eyes, he remained unaffected.

"See that Fay? Once again, you’re daydreaming your heart into the hands of another man. Don’t get disappointed, when he disappoints you," the sanest voice in her head warned. Unlike before with Gabriel, she intended to listen to it now.

Mustering every bit of control she could, she waited for him to open the covered tray.

He did, and her eyes popped open. "Did you expect me to eat all of this by myself?" She blurted out in shock.

His eyes trailed towards her, a small amused smile dancing in them. "Why? Can’t you?" He asked playfully, as if he couldn’t see how small her body frame was.

"It’s so much!" She continued to gasp. In her mind, she wondered when he had the time to order all of this, and got to his car, before she came down the stairs.

"I know right?"

She nodded, and was stretching her hand towards a piece of lamb chops, when she paused. A memory of the night she came to his house for the first time, made itself visible in her thought.

She remembered talking about this same restaurant when they drove past its building. He had acted like he didn’t hear her. Now, she pondered if he actually did, and this meal tonight was the result.

"Thank you," she said, a strange relaxing smile on her face.

He cringed in confusion, waiting for her to explain why she was being thankful. When she didn’t respond, but picked up a piece of meat, he held back the question just at the tip of his tongue, and settled for watching her eat.

Eat she did, and heartily too. With every piece of food she shoved into her mouth, she made a commentary.

"This is the best fries to ever exist on earth and beyond!" She declared.

’Strong statement,’ he thought, as she hungrily devoured.

She briefly paused to drink some water. She dropped the bottle, and was going to resume eating, when a thought crossed her mind.

She raised her head up, and caught Ace watching her. "Oh my God! You’ve not eaten anything!" She jumped to her feet, dramatically.

"It’s okay. I’m not complaining," he said, but she wasn’t having it.

"I’m so sorry for eating continuously without considering you. It was very selfish of me, but I promise, it won’t happen again." She bowed, and before he could further tell her not to worry, she turned around, and fled from his room.

She didn’t stop running until she was in the comfort of her room. Dropping to her bed, she sobbed.

’How could you be so greedy, Fay. Eating like a hungry lion!’She chided herself, as she cried.

’He already doesn’t like you. You’ve somehow given him a reason to justify his dislike. Well-done Fay, well-done,’ a voice whispered.

’Who cares if he doesn’t like her? He’s already so mean to her. Didn’t he buy the food for her? She was nice enough to even share with him. That should show how much of a good person she is,’ another voice countered.

’Not today, please,’ she muttered sorrowfully.

They were back after a long hiatus. The two voices in her head that always bickered. As a child, they had entertained her thoroughly.

When her aunt would do, or say mean things to her, they were there to help her through it with their constant opposing views.

When her aunt would leave her all by herself, and take her children to the park to play, they would whoosh in like spirits, and entertain her.

Growing up, she had needed them less. Nonetheless, they found a way to appear whenever she was in deep distress.

’If it were up to you, she’d be a mean witch,’ the first voice argued.

’God knows she’d be the most justified one. How much more can people step on her, whilst she remains graceful? How much more?’ the second hissed.

"That’s enough for both of you!" She raised her voice, as she dragged herself out of the bed.

"I didn’t send for either of you, because I’m so not in the mood to entertain your drama." Closing her eyes tightly, she took in a deep breath, and relaxed her mind.

By the third breath, they were gone. "That’s better!" Her eyes flickered open, as she moved to the bathroom.

Pulling her hand into the hand sink, she turned on the tap, and began to wash off the particles of food on them. "You didn’t even wash your hands before you started eating." She cringed.

"But was there any fork on the tray?" She tried to remember.

All she could see was Ace’s intense eyes, boring into her soul. "Hmmm," she sighed. "He’s so handsome, and so mean. At least Gabriel pretended to be nice when we were together." She pouted at the thought of the man who had betrayed her.

For her, he once represented the pinnacle of men. She should have known something was wrong when he took her innocence from her, only to leave her in the cruel hands of her Aunt.

He never called, except she did. When she did, he always had an excuse to give. "You’re really naive, and gullible Fay." she chuckled bitterly, pointing at her reflection on the mirror above the sink.

"Everyone takes you for a fool, and you let them do it. But can you help yourself? You never even know you’re being fooled." She sniffled, holding back the tears trying to spill.

"That’s enough tears for today, don’t you think?" She forced a laughter, through the sorrows etched on her face.

Splashing some water on her face, she picked up a face towel from the railing behind her, and wiped off the dampness.

"There we go!" She nodded, and turned around.

Going into the room again, she moved to her bed. But as she walked towards it, her eyes fell on her purse, on the dresser.

She did a one-eighty, and went to the stand. Digging into the purse, she retrieved her new phone from it. Marilyn had helped her set it in the morning, but she wasn’t sure she knew how to operate it.

With shaky hands, and legs, she went back to the bed, and plopped on it. She pressed the side buttons, and bright lights popped on the screen.

Her smile widened, as she began to scroll through the phone. There were so many things on the phone that had her fascinated. This one was unlike her previous phone. More expensive, and very much functional.

She checked, and it was already connected to Wifi. "What do we do first?"

She was about to open an app, when a call came in. Her face scrunched. "That’s weird. No one knows I have a new phone yet." She thought.

Fingers trembling, she swiped the answer icon. "He—hello," she stuttered as she picked up the call.

"You’ve set up your phone, good. Tomorrow, have Marilyn take you out shopping. Use the black card, and shop as much as you can. Also, save my number right now."

The call went off before she could respond. She could recognize that domineering voice of his, even in her sleep. But it made her giggle this time. Her very first caller on her new phone was her husband.

She rolled on the bed, cheesing hard, grabbing a fistful of the bedsheets, pulling, and throwing her legs into the air. "We’re going shopping baby! And finally, I’ll get some underwear!" She chuckled shyly, burying her head into her pillow to hide her blushing face.