4: Unexpected Encounter

~ LAURA’S POV

I was utterly shocked when I laid eyes on him. I was convinced we had parted ways for good, but fate had other plans, reuniting us in an unexpected twist of events. When Christian mentioned meeting the richest tycoon in town, I anticipated meeting a stranger, not someone from my past. Seeing Theo again took me by surprise.

I have to admit, a deep void within me was filled the moment I saw him. It's been five years, three months, and four days since our last meeting, each day felt like a reminder of regret and longing and I missed him deeply but standing before him today stirred a whirlwind of emotions within me, igniting a strong desire to embrace him, to express my enduring feelings. Every sunrise, every sunset, my thoughts are consumed by him, yearning for his presence, missing every part of him. There is no doubt that Theo has changed, I am proud of the man that he has become and I am even more prouder of the fact that he is willing to help me and Christian even after what happened between him and me.

Getting into the car, Christian just wouldn't stop going on about Theo. Christian's admiration for Theo is evident; he truly idolizes him. "I still can’t believe this, Theodore Sinclair is willing to work with me, do you have any idea how much of a big deal that is?" he exclaimed.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Another lengthy story about Theo was about to unfold. While I don't mind hearing Christian talk about Theo, what bothers me is his intention to leverage Theo to fuel his gambling habit. Christian is a big gambler, he’s addicted to gambling just as much as I am addicted to thinking Theo. He does it every day, every time, and ever since the new casino in town opened, it just got worse because he spent all his time and money there. He spent so much that he got bankrupt and that is the main reason why he is in the position he is right now. Christian never listens, I had told him several times to just stop gambling and focus on work but he never listens to me and I just hate it.

At this moment I don’t even advise him anymore, he does what his heart wants him to do, and each time his heart wants him to do the worst. It’s almost as if he doesn’t love himself.

As he continued his monologue, I couldn't resist butting in, "It's all well and good that he's willing to invest, but that doesn't give you the green light to squander the cash on gambling."

"What the fuck are you on about?" Christian blurted out.

He always gets triggered when I mention gambling, though that has never stopped me from talking "You know exactly what I mean, Christian. I'm fed up with this conversation because it seems like you never pay attention. This could be your shot to step up, clear your debts, and get back on your feet. Don't blow this chance on gambling," I stressed.

Christian appeared taken aback by my words, "Debts? What debts are you talking about?"

"I know about the debts, I've seen them," I retorted.

Out of the blue, he veered the car to the side of the road. I stared at him in astonishment, ready to question his abrupt stop, but before I could, he exploded, "How the fuck did you find out about that?"

"Why'd you park the car?" I questioned, a sense of fury evident in him, prompting me to swiftly try to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Can we just keep driving? We need to head home," I urged, hoping to redirect the tension

"You went through my things, didn’t you?" He gushed, his anger palpable.

"I didn’t, now could you please just drive," I replied, attempting to defuse the escalating situation.

"You fucking bitch!" He screeched, his rage boiling over as he suddenly wrapped his hands around my neck, cutting off my words. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop going through my things?" His grip tightened, choking me.

"I..." I struggled to speak, the pressure on my neck increasing. "Chris… Christian, let go," I managed to plead, the lack of air making my words feeble.

He didn’t release his hold but instead intensified the pressure, his tone menacing. "I've warned you never to invade my privacy, so keep out and mind your fucking business," he growled.

I nodded in compliance, hoping he'd ease his grip. "Fucking bitch!" He spat as he finally let go, forcefully pushing me against the window, leaving me breathless and shaken.

I gasped desperately for air, my lungs burning with each cough as I tried to steady myself. Despite the chaos beside him, Christian remained eerily calm, nonchalantly starting the car and driving on, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of the moment when he had nearly caused killed me.

I’m not actually surprised by his actions. This is what he does and yes it hurts but I’m used to it. It just made me remember what kind of a man I married. Christian is a great guy… well at least that was what I thought before I got married to him. He used to be nice to me but ever since he got addicted to drinking, everything changed and now it feels like I married an alcoholic who abuses me and gambles till I beg him to stop. It may seem sad but promise you, this is just a little of the truth about him.

Christian and I are caught up in a whirlwind of highs and lows, but the smiles seem to elude us. There are moments when I wish I had the courage to break free from him, but that's a step I can't bring myself to take. Every attempt to leave Christian in the past has only led to my own downfall. It feels like he's a permanent fixture in my life, no matter how hard I try to shake him off, he remains firmly attached to my being. After all, being with him was never a choice but a fate I couldn't escape.

Over the last five years, I've come to realize that sometimes what we desire isn't always what's truly best for us, and what we try to avoid might hold unexpected blessings. That's why I made the difficult decision to part ways with Theo; it felt like the only option at the time. Now, I find myself with Christian, and it seems like staying with him is my only path. Life is like a rollercoaster, where you find yourself in a seat that may not always feel right. But every now and then, it throws unexpected balls your way and those balls are what changes everything. Maybe, just maybe, having Theo reappear in my life could be the twist that changes everything once more.