Chapter 5 Kiss from Stranger

Chloe's POV

"What are you doing here?" Stella asked and examined me from head to toe, frowning when she saw what I was wearing. I merely remained serious and didn't exhibit any signs of surprise on my face. I can tell you exactly what she's thinking right now. She couldn't help but think I was a traitor because I was able to take Axel away from her, but the truth was that I was the loser because Axel remained with her.

"Come in," I murmured nonchalantly as I turned my back.

"You haven't answered my question yet." I was mildly hurt when Stella restrained me by holding my wounded hand. What the hell is her problem?!

"Let me go," I replied firmly, and she let go of my hand but not her wrath as she gazed at me. Stella was still furious. What person doesn't? After I agreed to marry Axel, wouldn’t she be able to get mad at me? But we both loved Axel and wanted to ask to be with him for the rest of our lives, but Stella, I don't think she needs to beg Axel to choose her anymore because she was the one chosen from the start.

"Axel is what you're looking for, isn't it? Come in so you can see him." I give her a way to get in but she just stayed in her position. I knew Stella wouldn't forgive me because she considered me a true friend, but I was only able to hurt her. But what can I do? No matter how hard I try to avoid and ignore how I feel I still can’t stop myself from loving Axel.

Her eyes were filled with rage as she looked at me. "Don't divert my question to you. Look, isn't it enough that you're married to my boyfriend and you followed him here? What does that mean? Why are you wearing Axel's polo?" she asked sharply. I closed my eyes for a moment before returning my gaze to her in despair.

"I don't want to fight with you right now, Stella," I said in a low voice, but Axel spoke from behind me before she could open her lips to respond.

"What brings you here?" Stella's expression changed in an instant, and a smile formed on her lips. She walked past me as if nothing had happened. I turned to face them, and I could see how tightly Stella hugged Axel. I secretly smiled bitterly. Seeing them now together makes my heart breaks into pieces.

"I'm here to see you," Stella replied, kissing Axel, so I avoided looking at them. She pretended as if they hadn't seen each other in a long time. Isn't spending a full day with Axel enough for her? I rolled my eyes. Why am I standing here and watching them both?

"How come you didn't come to me yesterday?" Stella asked modestly. Wait...what? Axel did not visit her yesterday? I thought...

"I had an important appointment yesterday, so I didn't come to see you," Axel replied seriously. I blinked in confusion. The way Axel answered Stella was different, unlike the last time I see them together.

"That doesn't matter anymore; what matters is that I'm here; can we go to the orphanage right now?" she asked cheerfully, but Axel only gave her a bored look. I'm puzzled. Is there something going on between them?

"What's the problem?" It was obvious in Stella's voice that she was shocked by Axel's actions. I'm also confused. Is there something going on that's making Axel so angry at Stella?

Axel shifted his gaze to me. "Let's go, Chloe," he said, ignoring Stella's question. I was surprised when he abruptly dragged me out of the condo, while Stella was taken aback by Axel's disregard for her. I couldn’t help but turn to Stella who remained standing. She didn't even stop Axel to ask what his problem was, and she was just frozen in her position due to the change in Axel's treatment of her. I felt pain in my chest for her. I understand how painful it is to notice a change in the behavior of the man you love. But Axel would not be this way if she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Axel, what did that mean?" I asked as he held my hand.

"This isn't the place to tell you; just keep walking and don't ask too many questions," Axel stated coldly. But it appears that even when we are in the right place, he has no intention of telling me. I just can't believe seeing Axel treat Stella like that, unlike before they are happy when they meet.

Everyone turned to look at us as we exited the elevator...or at me? When I looked down, I realized I was only wearing Axel's polo up to my legs.

"Isn't Stella, Axel's girlfriend? Why is someone else with him now?" a woman murmured. I was embarrassed by how everyone we passed stared at me. Perhaps Axel is already well-known here, and not everyone is aware that I'm married to him.

"Axel, they're all staring at me," I said softly, causing him to pause. Axel frowned and took a look around. I bowed my head slightly so he could see what I was wearing because I was embarrassed by how they looked at me.

"Damn it," he cussed, but my eyes widened when Axel abruptly lifted me like a newlywed. Because of what he did, my cheeks became hot. Is he crazy? Hasn't he seen how many people have seen us? My God, I feel like I'm about to burst from the shame that has engulfed me!

"What are you doing?" I whispered in disbelief.

"Just ignore them," he just said, giving me a serious look before continuing to walk. I was even more ashamed because Axel didn't think well of what he did. But he doesn't seem to care about his surroundings. So I simply hid my red face in his chest until we arrived at the parking lot, where he carefully placed me in his car.

“So, could you tell me what's up with you and Stella?” I asked abruptly.

“Fasten your seatbelt.” He simply ignored my query. My shoulders dropped because, as I expected, he had no intention of telling me what had happened. I buckled my seatbelt before he maneuvered his car. I still wanted to ask Axel where we were heading, but I couldn't because he didn't appear to be in the mood, so I kept quiet. After fifteen minutes his car stalled in front of a bar. I know who owns the bar where we stopped: Casper, one of his best friends.

Axel came out first, then came to me to open the door. I went outside, but was surprised when he took one of my hands in his and gently drew me outside. Perhaps my cheeks are already flushed as a result of Axel's actions.

"Axel, Chloe, you're already here!" Casper said as we walked in the bar. He was about to hug me when Axel spoke up.

"Have you done what I told you to do?" he asked in his bossy tone. Casper scratched his head and laughed slightly. I just noticed that there were no other people here but us.

"Of course, the clothes she is going to wear are already in the room. Let's go, Chloe." Casper uttered but I turned to Axel.

"Go ahead, I'm just here," he said, smiling slightly at me, but I knew he was hiding something behind that smile. After a few seconds, I simply nodded and followed Casper to the room he mentioned. We came to a standstill in front of a door, but I moved ahead of him before he could say anything.

"I'll ask you frankly, do you know anything about Axel and Stella's problem?" I asked, causing him to hold his head.

"Didn't he tell you?" he asked me back. So, does he know why Axel's treatment of Andy abruptly changed? In response to his question, I shook my head.

"Oh, I see, but you'd better ask him first—" I interrupted him before he could continue his sentence.

"Please," I begged him. He heaves a deep breath before telling me everything. He already left me to see Axel after telling me what had happened. I sat on the sofa, angry, because of what I discovered.

Axel intended to see Stella the day he left me before something unexpected happened, but he was unable to approach her because he saw clearly how Stella betrayed him. He noticed Stella kissing another man in her condo, and what surprised him, even more, was that the man Stella was kissing was none other than Liam, Axel's brother.

That bitch! How could Stella have done that after Axel had told her how much he loved her? Honestly, I'm not happy now that I found out their relationship is not okay, but anger is dominating me. Stella's bravery in going to Axel's condo as if she'd done nothing wrong. She's the type of woman you'd think couldn't make a mistake, but she's just concealing her true self. I know I'm no different from Stella now because of what she did and because I gave up my body to Axel, but what makes me angry is that Axel loves her, and Stella still managed to fool around.

I touched the side of my forehead and massaged it. Everything that has happened these past few days has made me feel as if I am about to be torn apart by a slew of problems. The invasion of men I don’t know nearly killed me, Levine’s death, and Stella’s cheating, did that all have to happen?

After five minutes, I sat up straight when Mommy suddenly came to mind. Shit, I forgot to go to the hospital. Maybe she was expecting me to come but it looks like I can't go on now. I stood up to look for my cellphone in my pocket but I couldn't find it. Where the hell did I put it?

I left the room to look for my cellphone in Axel's car. Perhaps I just left it in there. I didn't bother to go to Axel and just went straight out of the bar to the parking lot. I immediately looked for my cellphone inside the car and found it without any further difficulty.

I was about to call my mother when I was surprised by someone tugging on my arm, causing me to drop my cellphone. But my eyes widened even more as the man dragged me closer to him and kissed me without hesitation. What the hell?!