Chapter 38
Adelie POV
'When are you getting married' her words replay in my head for the umpteenth time as Ray drives us to the company. I have never thought of getting married to Raymond, not because I don't love him, but it's just that I've never thought of marriage. I've never asked myself what I really want, and besides, we just started a relationship and shouldn't be talking about marriage yet.
"Are you bothered about what my mom said?" His voice pulls me out of my train of thought, and I tilt my head to look at him before I sigh briefly. Is it not worth being bothered about?
"No, it's not," I lie to him, even though he can read my expression that it's the reason.
"You don't need to pretend, babe. It's fine to think about it. Don't worry, mom was just teasing you. It's fine if you're not ready for it now... I will make sure he doesn't mention that again, ok?" He assures me as he places his hand on mine, caressing it slowly while still driving, and somehow, I feel relieved.
"Hmm," I slowly nod my head.
Silence surges in the car as he drives down the road, and my phone suddenly beeps.
'Guess what, sweetie. I passed the night at your house with Asher' my eyes narrow in shock and my mouth drop open as I read the text over and over again.
"Shit!" I curse under my breath, slamming my hand against the window glass, and I bet it would've broken if I'm strong enough.
"What is the problem? Are you okay?" He pulls over at the side of the road and stares at me worriedly while having a questioning look on his face. Fuck! That bastard! I'm going to kill him if he dares to hurt my friend.
"I'm fine. Excuse me, please. I need to make a call," I say to him before I jump out of the car without giving him the chance to permit me. Stepping out of the car, I dial Cynthia's number immediately, but on face time. I need to make sure that she's fine.
"Did you call to confirm if I'm saying the truth?" She pouts her lips as soon as her face pops on the screen of my face, but my attention is on the room instead, and she's right. She's really in Asher's room. Shit! Is this girl so desperate to be with Asher that she can't even read the bold handwriting that Asher is not interested in her?
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Cynthia? Why are you in Asher's room?" I know I shouldn't be so pissed because she may feel that this is weird, but I just can't control my anger. I don't want her to get hurt by that bastard. I know Asher. He is my brother, and I know he's up to something, even if I have no idea what he's up to.
"Why are you angry again, Adelie? Don't you want me here?" She blinks her eyes rapidly at me, and I run my fingers through my hair frustratingly. I think I'm going to lose my mind. How can she be dumb and innocent? Can't she see that this stupid love is not genuine?
"You need to leave there right now. Did he do anything to you? Did he hurt you? I can call the police if he hurt you," Even though I'm being unreasonable in calling the police on my brother, I also need to protect my friend. She's too innocent to get hurt by that bastard.
"Why are you being like this, Adelie? Even if you have something against your brother, why would you try to destroy our relationship because of that? He hasn't done anything wrong to me, and..." She pauses and looks above her phone, and with the expression on her face, I need not be told that Asher is there with her.
"Give the damn phone to Asher," I yell at her, and she sighs briefly before she put him on the phone, and as soon as his annoying face pops on the screen of the phone, I gulp down nothing as I feel my heart sinks into my stomach. As if he had just cast a spell on me, I suddenly feel my anger dissolve inside me, and my voice suddenly disappears.
"You wanted to speak to me, Adelie," He raises one of his eyebrows as he stares at me with a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. What the hell is happening? Is Asher using black magic?
"Don't be ridiculous, you don't even believe they exist," My subconscious mind reminds me, and I scoff mentally because I don't even know what to think anymore. I don't believe in black magic, I don't even want to believe that it exists, but I can't help it at this point. Because what the hell just happened?
"Why are you not saying anything, Adelie?" He asks again, and I quickly end the call. Taking a deep breath, I throw my head back as a drop of tears slid down the corner of my cheeks. I think I need to stay away from home for now, until I know what exactly is happening. This doesn't seem like it's easy anymore. Something is wrong with Asher... He must be possessed by some demons, but what about Cynthia that is now lost in his dark world?
"Are you ok, babe?" Ray's voice brings me back to reality, and I turn to see him standing behind me with a worried expression on his face.
"Did something bad happen? Why are you crying?" He asks as he quickly walks over to me and cups my cheeks in his palms while staring into my eyes like he wants to see through me.
"I'm fine," I slowly shake my head as I turn my face away. I really need someone to talk to about this, I need to let out my burden and find a solution to it, but I don't know how to even begin, and the fear of nobody believing me keeps making me hold back.
"You should get inside the car and let's head to the office," I quickly say to him before I pull the car door open and hop in, fastening my seatbelt afterward.
The drive to the company was boring and filled with silence as expected. Ray couldn't stop glancing at me occasionally, and I know he must be wondering what's wrong with me.
We finally arrive at the company after a long ride, and just when I'm about to hop out of the car, he holds my hand, bringing me back to my seat.
"Do you not trust me enough to talk to me?" He asks as he stares into my eyes, and I gulp down nothing as I bite my lip.
"I told you that I'm fine..."
"You're not. It's written all over you," He cuts me off, and I turn my face away as tears well up in my eyes. How do I start telling him that my brother has been flirting with me for years? How am I supposed to tell him that something is off with my brother? Will he even believe me? What if he does? Then what?
Slowly, he places a hand on my cheek and turns my face to look at him. He wipes the tears from my eyes with his thumb, before he gives me an assuring smile.
"I won't force you to talk if you don't want to, babe. I will be here when you're ready to talk about it. Don't just be sad, and don't take everything up on yourself, ok?" He says to me, and I slowly nod my head.
"I will always be here with you, and no matter what happens, just know that someone here loves you so much and would move the mountain for you," He further says, and I slowly nod my head...