THE BILLIONAIRE'S CRYBABY
Chapter 52: TWO DIFFERENT MEN

Chapter 52: TWO DIFFERENT MEN

Fay took a step back, before she was totally lost in the moment.

His head rose to meet hers, a curious glimmer in his eyes.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," she shook her head. "I just have a headache." She lied. She held her breath, hoping he’d believe and not push it.

"Do you want me to call the doctor?" He grimaced with worry.

"No," she said a little too quickly, before sobering up. "I’m fine. I’ll be fine. Let’s just go." She couldn’t say home. It didn’t feel like it was going to be home, yet.

"Alright," he relented, but the curiosity didn’t leave his eyes. "Are all of your bags already in the car?"

"Yeah, Cam took them all."

"Okay. Are you ready to leave now?" He lifted a brow.

"I am." She nodded, but her heart lurched at the lie.

It seemed like an interesting prospect until the time to actually leave came. So many thoughts ran through her mind. At the top of the list was what life was going to be without the comfort of the four walls of the hospital.

The entire time wasn’t blissful, but she felt a little more comfortable than back in his grand house. Thoughts like that made her feel ungrateful, but as much as she tried to shut them out, she just couldn’t.

With her hands tied to her back, she walked behind him.

"You should go forward. Or I can take your hands if you like."

"No!"

Again with the hasty negativity. He heard it clearly the first time, but shoved it aside. Now he was pretty confident something was off. However, he didn’t push. If she wanted to keep to herself, then so be it.

"Alright." He shrugged.

He opened the door wide so she could go through. Carefully, she maneuvered her way through the space so that she wouldn’t touch him.

Her heart began to thump loudly against her chest as her feet touched the hallways. She could hear his footsteps behind her, but that wasn’t enough to comfort her racing heart.

She didn’t want to put to words why she was so skeptical about returning home with him. The reason was too petty, but genuinely drilled a hole filled with hurt in her chest.

"Here," she felt his hands on her elbow, as he pushed her to the right turn, instead of the left. "We’re following the back exit," he explained, when she gave him a curious glance.

His hand pulled away, but his touch still burned. As she nodded, and followed his instruction, she couldn’t wipe the feel of his hand on her elbow.

Strong, firm, yet soothing. Confusing, yet so fascinating. She was in over her head. Completely flummoxed. But a reality persisted in her heart. A reality that made her hesitate when the exit door glided apart for her to step through.

He didn’t think she’d stop just before the door. So he kept walking, and ended up bumping into her from behind.

She whipped her head around, and faced him.

"There’s no one around?" She distracted her heavy thoughts by casually throwing in that observation.

"That’s why the chief suggested we go out through this path."

"Why? Is something wrong?"

His eyes went to the door. It stood divided, as they stood by its sensor. Fascinating how it wasn’t going to close until they walked through, or stepped back. Two actions that weren’t going to happen, judging by Fay’s sudden search for answers.

"It’s the press. They’re hounding."

"Oh," her face contorted. "Do they know about me?"

He blinked a couple of times. It only just occurred to him that she knew absolutely nothing about everything that had been going on in the last four days. Marilyn and Alice didn’t tell her either.

But why now? Why was she so curious, all of a sudden?

"Your existence, yes. Physically, no."

"How?"

His muscles tensed, signaling how out of patience he was running. This wasn’t a question and answer session. He wasn’t here to feed all her curiosity. Sure he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible when they got home, but she was just bugging now.

"Let’s go, Fay," he said with a note of finality.

She knew not to argue further. That was his rule, right? ’My way, or the highway.’

She swallowed her opinions along with the saliva that formed in her mouth, and pushed past the door. With a heavy sigh of relief, he followed after her.

The jingling sound when the door closed sounded ironic in his ears. Finally, it was freed from the weird couple who stopped it from doing its job.

As soon as she left the comforting shade of the hospital door, she raised a hand to cover her eyes from the scorching sun..

Unfortunately, there was nothing to cover her skin which was burning up. She lifted her other arm, and was ready to hug her body with it, when she suddenly felt covered.

She looked down, and saw the shadows of an umbrella. Slowly, her head lifted, and found the twinkling gaze of Alexander. She gave him a quick once-over, stunned by how incredibly different he looked without his scrub. Just like the very first time she met him, and also back at the fashion store.

"I wanted to take a last look before you leave. To ensure you’re really okay," he quickly explained.

She was about to let loose, and smile, when she turned around. Her heart skipped a beat on seeing Ace, standing directly behind them, his hands shoved into his pant pockets.

There wasn’t the faintest hint of fondness in his demeanor. Not that she was surprised by that, but in comparison to his normal self, he looked colder. Utterly destructive. Like he could end the world and all within with a snap of his finger.

Alexander followed her gaze, and true to his prediction, he saw Ace.

"Your husband doesn’t look too happy that I brought you an umbrella," he said.

"You shouldn’t have."

"Sorry?"

"Bothered I mean," she shook her head, and dragged her gaze away from Ace. "You shouldn’t have bothered. I know you have patients that need your attention."

"None like you, Fay," he said, projecting much more vulnerability in his voice than he intended."

She let out a short nervous laughter. "Are you sure about that? I’m sure I was a lot of trouble. I mean, who almost drowns in a tub, right?"

"I’m serious Fay," he said with a straight face, showing her he wasn’t joking around.

Little by little, the smile on her face faltered.

"What are you saying?"

"I’m saying you’re the best patient I’ve ever had. I’m going to miss you terribly. Not just as a patient, but as a person. A woman. The most beautiful woman in the world."

"You– You can’t say that to me, right?" Her voice broke.

"I’m not saying anything other than the truth. You’re beautiful, Fay. Whatever you do, don’t you ever forget that. You should also never forget that you deserve to be treated with nothing but decency, because you’re deserving. You’re special Fay. Keep that in mind always."

Her eyes glistened with tears. "I– I ne-ed to–go," she stuttered.

"I know," he nodded. "But here," he raised her hand, and wrapped it around the umbrella, then he let go. "Keep that with you. Perhaps you’d remember me even if we never get to see each other again?" It hurt him so much to even conceive that thought, but who was he kidding? The world was full of endless possibilities. Both negative, and positive. He wasn’t more deserving of the positive. Not more than any other human. If fate wanted them to meet again, they would. But he absolutely couldn’t let her go, without telling her the truth she needed to hear.

"Than–"

The loud honk of a car behind her, cut through her words like a knife across freshly baked bread.

She turned around, and saw Ace. The fury he had in his eyes prior, was nowhere to be found. He was back to that cool, indifferent Ace. She may be very naive, but she was no fool.

"Bye, Alexander." She sniffled, and swallowed hard, as she turned around.

Moving to the door, her trembling hands lowered the umbrella, and closed it.

"Bye Fay." He waved until she went into the car, and shut it behind her.

Ace didn’t waste a second. Soon as her door closed, he switched to the tinted windows, and drove off.

His heart raced sporadically, as his hold around the steering hardened by the motion.

There were not too many times he was wrong about most things. He knew from the very first time he saw Alexander that he was interested in Fay. What he just witnessed was a confirmation.

He would be forced to confront the woman he planned on going soft on with the biggest rule of his life.

Ace Atticus did not share his women. It didn’t matter if she was merely a means to an end. He simply didn’t share his women. And now, he had to make her understand that simple fact.

With a determined glare, and wrinkled lines etched on his forehead, he stepped on the pedal, and sped out of the hospital gate. Leaving the journalists who were on the lookout for his car so they could wiggle out a headline, waiting in vain. Oblivious of the deceit that had happened right in front of their eyes.