CHAPTER FOUR

Bella’s POV

“What’s going on?” I ask, stopping in the living room as a maid moves a large cake into the kitchen.

“Dinner party tonight,” she says rushing past me. I follow her into the kitchen, surprised that my parents are hosting a party that I don’t even know about.

I find my mother in there, ordering people around.

“What’s going on?” I ask again.

“Oh. You’re home,” she says, failing to hide the displeasure in her tone. “Did you need someone to put those away for you?” she offers, gesturing towards the shopping bags in my hands. There are at least eight and they are quite heavy, but all I say is, “I can manage.”

I turn around and leave, going upstairs to my bedroom to put away the new items.

Things have certainly changed since I left.

In a few hours, there is a knock on my door. I ignore it, continuing to get rid of all the old outfits in my closet.

Father walks in anyway, looking from the pile of heavy dresses and jeans on the floor to me.

“You should go out tonight. Take any of the cars. Have some fun.”

“I’d rather not,” I reply, not bothering to look at him.

“Well, as you may have noticed, my guests are starting to arrive. And I don’t want you downstairs mingling with my friends. They’re going to start asking questions.”

I guess I can understand that. I did run away to be with a lower-class man. They must have noticed my absence.

I finally turn my attention to him.

“What did you tell them? After I left?” I ask. It hadn’t occurred to me until now. They must have lied about where I was all this time because heaven forbid anyone finds out the true story.

“I don’t think you have the right to know. Just like you didn’t think we had the right to know you were leaving,” he replies quite harshly.

I shake my head, returning to the pile of clothes on my bed. “Fine. Don’t tell me then. I don't really care.”

He takes a deep breath, and I can tell he’s holding back from saying what he really wants to.

“You have ten minutes to get out. If not, my staff will ensure that you stay in your bedroom until the party is over. Goodnight, Bella.”

He leaves, shutting the door behind him. Silence fills the room, but the impact of his threat echoes for the next few minutes while I finish up my task.

After ten minutes, I change into a warmer dress and leave.

The garage door opens after I scan my fingerprint on the keypad.

I can’t remember how many cars were here before, but I’m sure there are a few more now. No one knows luxury better than my parents afterall.

I take the most subtle one I can find and drive out, deciding I’m in the mood for a fancy dinner.

It’s a place I’m familiar with. I used to enjoy coming here because it was the one place my parents didn’t like to dine. I would surely be away from them for a while whenever I came here. And because no one expected me to be here, I ate peacefully. Without anyone recognising me.

Even now, it is as peaceful as ever.

I’m sitting contentedly at the table after my meal watching the city go by when my phone rings. It’s a call from an unknown number.

“Hello?”

I know I probably shouldn’t be answering strangers at a time like this.

“Bella Ward?”

“Yes?”

The voice is unmistakably Oliver’s. I’d recognise it anywhere. The way he says my name.

“It’s Oliver. We need to talk.”

I’m not sure what to say because I’m still surprised that he called me. How did he even get this number!?

“Where are you?” he asks, with so much urgency in his voice that I have to say, “I’ll text you my current location.”

He waits on the phone, and once he receives my text he breathes out a sigh of relief. “You’re not too far away.”

I don’t know what this is about but surely I wouldn’t mind this man’s company.

“Is something wrong?” I ask. Because even though I’d like to see him, his tone is making me a little anxious.

“Stay there. I’ll be with you in twenty minutes,” he says before hanging up.

I stare at my phone screen in disbelief for a few seconds. And I am both very confused and very excited as I wait.

I catch myself checking my hair through the faint reflection of myself on the window glass moments before he walks in.

He stands by the entrance, scanning the room, and allowing a slow smile when his eyes land on me. I smile back, giving him a little wave, and then he walks over.

He pulls the chair and sits facing me. I manage to stay cool but a huge part of me wants to grin from ear to ear. Especially with the way he’s looking at me.

“Beautiful evening, isn’t it?” he says, finally breaking the silence.

“That is until you called me out of the blue. How did you get my number?”

He chuckles softly as if he knows damn well that I don’t care. That I’m happy to see him.

“Got it from the station. I had to pull some strings but it’s important,” he finishes with a shrug.

“What’s so important then?”

He leans in, resting his elbows on the table and entwining his fingers together under his chin.

“I need you to remember that night at the restaurant. The night Mark was poisoned. We met,” he begins.

He needs me to remember the one thing that has been on my mind since it happened. Not the big break-up, but seeing him for the first time.

“You were busy waiting tables and I was about to leave when I noticed that something had fallen out of your pocket…” he trails off, watching me closely for a reaction.

“And you helped me pick it up,” I finish for him.

“That was it, wasn’t it? The substance?”

I nod. I hadn’t forgotten about this but I was hoping he did. It might have gotten him out of this mess but I didn’t think they would believe it.

“They won't buy it, you know,” I say. He sighs. “I know. Especially since there’s a chance they’re going to find out we were together that night?”

“Together?” I almost blush.

“I brought you to my house,” he adds. He rubs his palms over his face and bows his head. “This whole thing is ridiculous,” he mutters under his breath. And after a brief pause, he looks up at me again. “Unless…”

My eyebrow twitches. “Unless what?”

“Well unless you really are responsible for your exes near death. In which case you’re going to need a lawyer. Quickly.”

I can’t help but laugh. “You wouldn’t be sitting here if you really thought that,” I say.

He cocks his head to the side. “You sure?”

I shake my head. “He had me messed up. And as much as I wish I was behind his suffering, I was just as surprised as everyone else when I heard that he was poisoned.”

His expression changes, all the amusement now drained from his face. “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he says.

There is no judgement or pity in his expression. And I can’t tell what it is but there is a new kind of intensity behind his dark eyes.

I wave him off. “Well, some might say I brought this upon myself. My parents certainly think so,” I reply with a nervous giggle.

Shut up, Bella. You’re over-sharing.

He doesn’t say anything for a while and we sit in awkward silence for one long minute.

“I should probably head home,” he says finally.

He stands up and I stand with him, grabbing my coat off the back of the chair.

He watches me struggle to put it on for a few seconds before moving behind me to help me. I don’t know why the hell I’m suddenly so clumsy but his soft chuckle makes me relax. “Thank you.”

That’s when it dawns on me that he’s changed.

Or maybe he’s always been like this, but the Oliver I’m with tonight is different from the slightly colder, more closed-off one I met the other night.

We were strangers, he was trying to give me my space, I get it now.

Either he’s a gentleman, or I am completely delusional.

“You’ve paid the bill right?” He jokes as he walks me through the parking lot. I laugh. “Yes. Just before you arrived.”

I find my car and unlock it before turning to face him, leaning my back against the driver’s door.

“Thank you again for meeting with me.”

His eyes are deep sparkling pools of curiosity staring into my soul, and the corners of his mouth are curled into a tease of a smile. He doesn’t seem conscious of the way he’s looking at me right now. And that’s what makes it so dangerous.

My heart beats fast and I feel my body press harder against my car. Because if not that I’m probably looking at him the same way, I might be running.

“I liked it,” I confess. His smile widens very, very slightly.

“You did?” It’s more of a statement than a question but I nod.

“Good.”

He’s not necessarily standing too close but the burning intensity between us is starting to overwhelm me. And that’s when he takes a step back. As if he’s read my mind.

I don’t want him to leave. I want to spend more time with him.

“Do you want to get ice cream with me?” I ask. It’s nearly nighttime now but I’m sure we could spend more time together if he wanted to.

“Tempting,” he says almost sarcastically, shaking his head with a small smile.

“But I should go.”

“Right.”

I turn around to open the door before he can read my disappointment.

“I guess this is goodbye,” I say.

“Goodbye, Bella,” he says with so much finality that it stings.

And then he stands back and watches me drive away.