Belle’s POV
I looked into the eyes of Christian as I turned to his voice. He didn’t change much. His expression I couldn’t read but still, he remained handsome. It had been so long since I saw him lying there as the life support machines he was connected to had tried doing their job of bringing him back to life.
Now he was awake and healthy. And the look he had in his eyes was too difficult to comprehend.“Christian” I called, moving a little bit away from the counter so that the lady could attend to other people waiting in line. “What are you doing here?” I asked but he didn’t reply. He just stared at me, probably surprised that I was alive and breathing well.“You are causing a scene.” he muttered later in a stern voice when he must have realized that his staring was beginning to make me uncomfortable.“Oh” I exclaimed. “Sorry about that.” I apologized not knowing the reason for the apology. “But what are you doing here?” I demanded. I didn’t run away back to my childhood city to have him catch up with me after so many years.“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” He said. “I only wanted to let the lady screaming know that she was causing a scene and i realized that it was you.”I nodded. I deserved whatever manner he was speaking to me with, I deserved all of it. He had every reason to be angry with me. “Since I have passed across my message, I better leave” he said and turned to walk out. I caught his sleeve. It was an impulse that I wished I had better control of. Christian turned to the hand on his shirt before slowly letting his gaze travel to my face with a look of disgust.“How have you been?” I asked knowing it was a very silly question considering the way I had left him.I wasn’t surprised when he shrugged harshly away from me and dusted his suit.“You don’t have any right to ask about my wellbeing. You lost that right the day you chose to walk out on me” he said cooly and walked away, out of the building.I nodded my head because I expected that from him. I wasn’t surprised. I was only sad about the look on his face while he spoke to me. Never in my life would I have imagined that Christian could look at me that way. And it hurt. My heart was about to rip into pieces.
But I had a more important thing to do. I was about to lose the only thing my parents had left me, I at least needed to put up a fight before letting it go. So, I pulled myself back together and turned to the lady at the counter.I got back to the flower shop, one I worked in as a sales representative, a little past five in the evening after my pleading and screaming didn’t get me an extension on the house. I had to figure out a way to make thirty thousand dollars in the space of 2 months if I wanted to save the house."That was quick" Bernard said sarcastically to me immediately as I sat down to catch my breath, considering how much time I had spent. "How did it go?" He asked.I shook my head signalling to him that it had gone bad. Bernard was my childhood friend. We did so many things together growing up and he has been the only family I had since the death of my parents."Turns out my parents took a loan and used the house as a collateral." I said."Ohh shoot. How much loan are we talking about?""Thirty thousand dollars" I replied.Bernard's eyes opened wide in shock."That exactly was my expression when I found out. I wonder what they did with thirty thousand. They should have sold me instead. Even i won't get them thirty thousand dollars." I said."I'm sorry Bee." Bernard said using his pet name for me. "I wish there is something I can do to help."I couldn't help but smile genuinely at him. I knew if he had the means, he was going to help me."I just need some time to digest this. Can I take the rest of the day off? Please?" I askedBernard nodded his head almost immediately."Sure. You can go home. I'll just finish the little I'm doing and close up." He said and I was grateful.I gave him a peck on the cheeks and left the little shop he had managed to build from scratch.I didn't know what to do about any of the situations I had experienced earlier. I didn't know if seeing Christian again was worse than being on the verge of losing my parent's house.As I approached the gate of the house in question, I noticed two black sedans sitting pretty at the entrance. I didn't know whom it was or what he or she wanted. Walking closer, a man in black suit and dark shades nodded at me before going ahead to open the back door for someone to get off.Someone I couldn't recognize alighted and handed me a note and a card. Without saying a word, he goes back into the car and they drive off.My surprise at both their rudeness and impoliteness was beyond recognition but I took the note inside. I turned the business card and noticed the logo of Martin's Construction on it. Christian had sent me this.With my heart pounding in my chest, I quickly opened the note and read through the content quickly.'I happened to find out about your situation today and have a proposition for you that can save your house. Meet me at the Perflex restaurant tomorrow evening.'It was a very simple note but my heart continued to pound in my chest. I had to place a hand on it to control it."Christian wanted to see me."I said out loudly."Christian wanted to see me" was all I could manage to think even as I sat down at the restaurant the next day, still asking myself why the hell I had foolishly agreed to the stupid invitation.The restaurant was empty but I wasn't bothered because I knew Christian loved his privacy. The reason why he was keeping me waiting was what I was bothered about. I didn't know why he had sent me the letter and what his plans were but I was determined to save my parent's house. "That was the reason you are here." I assured myself. "You are here to save the house, not because you desperately want to see him again."I hadn't finished gathering my thoughts when Christian walked into the restaurant, dressed casually in white shirt and a jean trouser, his bodyguards waiting at the door, giving us more privacy. He took the chair beside me and placed a manilla envelope before me."Hello" he said after sitting down."Hello." I replied not wanting to do anything that would tick him off. I kept my hands on my lap to avoid touching him whether intentionally or not."Let us cut to the chase." He said, clearing his throat. He leaned in with his elbows on the table rubbing his palm together. "I was able to find out about your situation yesterday." He muttered."Really?" I feigned surprise which didn't move him the slightest. "How? Does the registry give out other people's information now? I should sue them." I said trying to start a conversation."Go ahead." He simply said, refusing to engage himself in my worries."I have a proposition that could save your house if you are interested." He added.I nodded. "That's the reason I am here isn't it?" I asked.He nodded. "Good. This proposition of mine will give you your house and give me something huge in return. So you need to consider it carefully" he said."Okay." I replied, wondering why he was keeping the proposition in suspense. "What is this proposition about?" I asked.Christian stared at me. His beautiful eye lashes lowering to let me know that he was in a serious mood. I must have waited for ages before he finally opened his mouth to say the least and most ridiculous thing I was expecting to hear from him from the moment I read the letter, till I took a cab down to the city."Marry me."
Christian's POV.I watched the color disappear from Belle's face when I muttered those two words. She didn't reply immediately. She only stared, as if processing what I had just said.Served her right, I thought. She was sitting opposite me, looking beautiful as always. I wanted to touch her, I was dying to touch her, but everytime, the thought of the pain of waking up from my coma five years ago and not seeing her there was enough to keep my hands away.I looked for her. Searched for her like a crazy person, yet I couldn't find her. No one had hurt me like she did. And now she was sitting before me, listening to a proposition of me asking for her hand in marriage. I wanted to punish her for leaving me. I wanted to tie her down so that she wouldn't be able to love anybody else and still wouldn't get love from me. She deserved to pay for what she did to me. And if I will inherit the company in the process, then two birds will be killed with one stone.Her response was taking a while s
Belle's POVMy heart was beating heavily in my chest but I tried my best to show composure. I was about to make a very big decision, one that would change my life for the next six or eight months, so I needed all the composure I could gather.Christian didn't say a word to acknowledge what I had said. He only leaned forward, enough to allow me take in his wonderful scent, and used the key card to open the door.I didn't realize I had closed my eyes when he leaned in and immediately opened them to inspect the opened room. I walked slowly into the large suite, taking in the view of the beautiful room. Christian walked over to release the curtains and turn on the remaining lights, as if he needed a certain kind of caution around me.When he was done with what I figured out to be his hotel ritual, he offered me a seat which I took. Then he sat opposite me, a serious look on his face."Yes Belle." he said.I raised the folder up and went into business immediately, since he didn't want to
Belle's POVThe look on their faces was priceless. I saw different expressions in them. His father was annoyed, his mother disgusted. As for Gabrielle, hers was expressionless but I knew she wouldn't have flowers to give to me."Belle?" Lucy called. "Belle?" Your ex-girlfriend who abandoned you on your sick bed? She's your wife?" She asked, eyes wide in shock. I wasn't surprised at her attitude, but the way she spoke about me abandoning Christian, as if they had nothing to do with it was disgusting.Christian didn't reply. He only nodded his head. He was a man of very few words who wasn't swayed easily by baseless talks.I didn't speak either. He had commanded me not to. They didn't need to know that being his wife also sounded ridiculous to me, because unlike him, weddings were sacred to me."You got married in St Louis?" His father asked sternly, cutting me stern looks while addressing his only son."You got married without any of your family members present? How could you do that?"
Belle's POV.I used my right palm to massage myself after the realization of the slap had hit me. I stared at her, wondering why she had done that."You came back?" Lucy asked, anger in her voice. "You had the effontery to come back after the warning we gave to you?" She asked again.I couldn't respond to her questions. I tasted blood in my mouth due to the slap and didn't want to suffer another one."With your parents dying, do you suddenly think you have nothing to lose? We warned you to stay away, didn't we?" She asked me."I did." I replied softly and calmly. "I left him and I stayed away""Then what the hell are you doing here? Claiming to be married to my son?" She asked and when there was no response, continued to talk."He never mentioned you. For the past four years, after he got tired of searching for you, he stopped mentioning you. He was fine and healed of you, so tell me why the hell you are back? When did this so called relationship begin that it even led to a secret mar
Belle's POVI continued to look at Gabrielle as she stood at the door, a basket of fruits in her hands. I didn't know if telling her to come in would sit well with her, after all, this was her cousin's house. She must have been here thousands of times."Gabrielle." I called again but she only rolled her eyes at me and entered into the house."I forgot Christian was married." She started but turned around suddenly to look at me. "Oh but it is quite easy to forget, isn't it?"I sighed. The last thing I wanted after receiving Christian's wrath this morning was another drama."Make yourself comfortable, Gabrielle." I said to her and was about to walk out when she called."You haven't even apologized. To me. For walking out and allowing me to deal with whatever it was Christian was going through alone. You walked out and now you're back as if nothing happened." She said shaking her head and going back to the business of arranging the fruits she got inside the fridge.I watched what she was
Christian's POVI was still holding her against the wall, my lips now inches away from hers. I wasn't going to kiss her. I only wanted to torment her more. I wanted her to want it so badly and then I'd step away."Answer me Belle." I said one more time. "Have you witnessed what an animal is capable of?" I asked.She didn't say anything. She just stared at my eyes, breathing heavily. Her heart was pounding. I knew it because I couid feel it on her wrist. Whatever her heart was pounding for, I didn't seem to understand.Was she scared? Nervous? Or just wanted me to kiss her."Let go of me." She shrugged off my hold after a while and I released her. She took four steady breathe-ins and outs as I watched for her reaction."You have changed so much Christian." She said, her eyes huge with anger and nerves and I nodded my head in agreement. She could think whatever she wanted about me. I didn't care.Her hair was parked roughly on her head and she looked like someone who had been thoroughly
Christian's POVConfusion clouded my mind as I stared into the face of Bernard; Belle's childhood friend and bestfriend, wondering what the hell he was doing in my house.He stood up from his seat immediately I entered and had a weird expression on his face. He always annoyed me with that look, as if he was better than everyone else.I was mad that I had wasted my beloved time to find out that the supposed man in my house was only Bernard."Hello Christian." He said to acknowledge me.He was used to saying just few words to me. Even at the court, when Belle and I had signed the marriage forms, 'Hello Christian' had been the only thing he had said to me throughout the entire time."Hello Bernard." I said in return and turned to talk to Belle."You didn't tell me we were expecting a visitor." I said trying my best not to sound angry at her. She didn't need to know I was pissed off."I didn't know he was coming either." She replied. "He only called when he was at the airport and I gave h
Belle's POVI stood at the doorway staring at him. His noise had brought me out of my room and seeing how he struggled on the bed when I came in, got me scared."How long have you been standing there for?" He asked again, still breathing heavily."Christian I...""Get out!" He said.I was dumbfounded, I sincerely hoped in my heart that what I had seen had not been one of his sleep disorders."Allow me....." I started walking into the room but halted on my heels when I caught the look on his face."Out!" He shouted. "Get out Belle!" I turned at the order and walked out of the room.I didn't know why I had walked into his room. He had explained and marked our territories. I wasn't supposed to go in there.I sat at the dinning, tapping my foot on the ground. He had been very rude and arrogant towards me from the beginning of the contract but I still found a way to worry about his well being in my heart.He stormed into the dining room moments later and walked straight to me. The expressi