-32-Back to the same position he started.
"Her tears were his undoing." [Christian Evercast]
When she returned home. the lights were on and there was a voice of cooker from the kitchen. It seemed Mindy was cooking in the kitchen. Though It smelled warm and cozy. But she wasn't really in the mood to appreciate it.
So She made her way towards the bedroom and instead of feeling delighted to be back, she felt dread. Inhaling deeply she walked through the bathroom to change her clothes.
Christian noticed she was back, yet she didn't even greet him. It was odd though but he let it slide. 'it must be because of tiredness.'
Twenty minutes later, she emerged out of the room and was greeted by Christian.
"Good evening Honey. Come. Food is ready. Let's have dinner."
She didn't even have the mood to reply to him. So she just nodded and sat down on a chair.
Only The scrapping of the chair on the ground could be heard other than that she made no noise. After that, They ate in utter silence, it wasn't like that. They had come quite close in those three months. She was always chirpy around him. Telling him about how Rudolph scolded her or how her colleague Maya supported her. But today it was a kind of silence he dreaded but seeing her face He understood there was something wrong.
She was avoiding to meet his stare. Her hands were shaking so badly that she could barely fill the spoon with rice. He heard her soft sighs again and again. It irritated him but he kept mum.
After a few minutes, she stood up, whispering in a small voice.
"I am done."
'Done.' She barely touched anything. It was the second time he had cooked for her. But she had left it untouched.
Glancing at her, he finally wasn't able to control himself.
"Riley. What happened to you? You barely ate anything."
She didn't even answer him. Her throat was a little sore may be due to all the crying and she was feeling a bit feverish.
"I am not that hungry."
"Okay. But please accompany me. I hate eating alone."
"Okay." Muttering a single word she sat down again.
Earlier Christian didn't notice her red eyes. But when he did he instantly asked her placing his cold hand on her forehead.
"Why do I feel you are burning Honey?"
"No response."
But Riley didn't notice him, Stuart's face and their memories kept playing in her mind making her lose her sanity. 'What if he was alive? But if he was there was no reason for him to not inform her. Even a little message could have sufficed her. But then again she was told time and time again of his death. Was it a drama? To keep her in the dark.
He frowned at her trying to understand that what had happened exactly to make her this emotional"Riley, what's wrong?"
"Where are you lost, honey?"
Her tears finally broke free while He was stunned by her tears. It felt like his heart was about to break. She buried her head without saying a word letting her tears soaking the shirt wet.
He was stunned by her tears, his eyes darkened in deep concern and confusion. He felt a sudden discomfort in his heart. He stares down at her pressing his lips together feeling helpless.
He somehow managed to help her to the room. Naturally taking her in his arms. While she maintained the same posture. Walking to the room. She didn't speak a word just letting him handle her.
Holding her small body Christian let her sob saying a few sweet nothings in her ear while she clutched him tightly. Deciding it would be better to investigate what happened to make her cry like this.
After half an hour her sobbing turned into little whimpers to hiccuping. He then gave her a glass of water to drink. After drinking, she lied down on the bed quietly watching him.
Christian kinda guessed she must have had cold due to all the crying. so he let her sleep giving a few antibiotics to her.
Just when he stood up, she held his hand asking for him to stay. Her big black eyes filled with despair.
"Please stay Mindy."
Smiling, he kissed her on the forehead. Sitting beside her. When she started to speak.
"I saw someone today. Someone very special to me. Someone I. Never thought I will ever be able to see him again."
He listened to her without interruption. If she was opening up to him. It only meant she had started considering him something in his life.
"I don't know if it was real or just a piece of my imagination. But I owe him my life, Mindy. My life. He was my best friend, my first love, or maybe still is.
The more sincerely she was explaining to him the more fog of insincerity came into his mind. There was something about the way she was explaining that stirred up the dark side in him.
"He was My everything. But unfortunately, two years ago, He died to save me in an accident. We never saw his dead body though. What if he is alive Mindy? Should I investigate his death?"
Crying she placed her head on his lap while he massaged her scalp gently. Trying to soothe her. 'Was she talking about the same accident in which she had saved him? Is that why she hated him in the first place. Then again there was nothing wrong that had occurred between the two of them except that casualty. It would make sense to the rejections otherwise why would she reject him 111 times. In the last three months that they had spent together, he came to know she did judge people but only with kindness. It was never about someone's face. But what if he alive? Will she leave him?' the mere thought of it disrupted his mind badly.
The blissful solitude of his mind turned into extreme loneliness. If her best friend was alive. His importance would be back to the past he had in her life. 'No, he will make sure to never let it happen.'