King's Prize (Kissed By The Baddest Bidder)

Chapter 28: When Love And Hate

My smile froze when I opened the door and saw the man behind my father.

I couldn't believe it.

Eisuke. Here.

"Satine, let us in." Dad's cordial tone snapped me from my momentary shock.

Heart pounding so loud, I moved aside to let Dad pass through, but Eisuke didn't move, just staring at me like I was doing. I must be dreaming, but the scent of something expensive coming from him wafted my nostrils and I was sure. 

He's indeed infront of me.

Though he was looking at me like he would a stranger.

"Mr. Ichinomiya, please come in." Dad's voice sliced through my thoughts and I jerked, embarrassed.

He stepped towards me and I turned my back at once, leading him inside the house.

I've dreamt of this, Eisuke showing up, telling me he wants me back and was ready to forgive my father. This however, is a far cry from the illusion I had created that I felt my eyes sting. Eisuke was colder than I have ever seen him.

I wanted to ask, so many questions were racing through my mind yet I couldn't speak, and merely stood there looking at him.

I've missed him. Terribly.

Dad cleared his throat, and in a cheerful voice said, "Satine, Mr. Ichinomiya offered me a job. We're going back to Japan."

What? "W-We are?"

Eisuke took a seat like the place was his, Dad's eyes skirting away from him.

"You should... you should pack at once. Our flight is tonight." Dad smiled widely though his eyes seemed a bit red and excusing himself, started going up the stairs, seemingly in a hurry.

I was still too shocked to say anything.

When Eisuke stood up and walked towards me, I shuddered involuntarily.

His familiar smirk sent a warm glow in my chest and a flutter in my stomach, and as he looked down at me, I felt my love for him wash over me like a powerful wave.

His hand reached up, clutched a handful of hair at the back of my head, and tilting my face he placed his mouth on mine and kissed me forcefully, a little savagely until I was gasping for breath.

There was anger in the kiss, plenty of it that I could almost taste it, the hand holding my hair tightened, the pain staggering me that I pushed him off me.

He knew he had hurt me but didn't look sorry at all.

I wanted to howl, the hurt slicing through me. I stood rigid instead, though I could never stop the tears even if I tried. We stared at each other and I know, as he knows, that this is nothing but payback.

"We're not going back," I said, amazed at myself that I could speak clearly.

His mouth twitched. "Then you can visit your dear father in jail, is that what you want?"

My heart felt like it was breaking all over again. "If you really want to punish him, why didn't you send him to jail at once?"

Eisuke trailed a finger down my neck and I gasped. "You wouldn't want that."

"Don't pretend you care for me at all," I hissed.

Eisuke's cold expression sent me shivers that I looked away, but what he said next was more hurtful than anything he's said so far. "I want you. I don't care for you."

***

I pretended like I was happily reunited with my lover, and showed Dad no sign of my inner turmoil from the time we set foot out of the house which I've started to love, to the long flight back to Tokyo, and even after arriving at Tres Spades.

I have wondered about it, but when Mr. Kenzaki handed me a keycard to a suite at the 45th floor, I knew at once, Eisuke's anger has not been a dream and is indeed directed at me, and he wouldn't allow me back at the penthouse ever again.

My father was next door, and from what I have gathered, Eisuke offered him a job overseas.

After I showered, I knelt on the floor and started to unpack, angry at myself for crying yet again. I haven't been with my Dad for long and now he's going away again, Eisuke's anger tearing us apart.

But I couldn't let him go to jail, no matter how deserving.

Being away from him is better than seeing him rot away in a cell.

I took my phone and set it up in a way that Dad would find easy to use, and wiping the tears off my face, I smiled at the camera and took a dozen or so selfies, deleting the ones that looked as if I'd just finished crying. I made a video which Dad can watch later, reminding him not to drink coffee before bedtime (an annoying habit of his), not to skip dinner, to take his vitamins, and to continue his morning walks.

I should've joined him in his morning walks, I thought regretfully.

I gasped when the door to my suite opened and Eisuke came in.

He was still in the clothes he wore at the flight, but his eyes were bloodshot and he reeked of alcohol as if he'd been drinking nonstop, something I've never seen him do.

"Eisuke..." I said, standing from the floor and walking towards him. Fool that I was, I couldn't stop worrying about him; it was so unlike him to look this... vulnerable.

"You... don't mean... anything... to me." His words slurred but I heard him clearly, and I bit my lip to prevent myself from crying. He staggered inside and I stepped back, my chest tightening in despair.

So this is how it feels, to love someone who doesn't love you back.

I clamped a hand on my mouth before I scream with the pain of it.

"Satine..." Eisuke's eyes bored into mine, his hand reaching out to me.

I must've imagined it, but the pleading tone was enough to make me cry.

He pulled me to him and powerless with my own emotions, I let him take my clothes off one by one.

***

Not once did he kiss me.

I sobbed silently and tried to move his arm away, but he was a little heavy now that he was fast asleep, and after minutes of futile attempts, I sighed and just turned my head away. 

He did say he wanted me, the force of his passion almost blinded me into thinking he might've cared for me still.

But not once did he kiss me, and I repeated that into my head as if the pain would lessen somehow.

He stirred, and heart hammering in my chest, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

I felt him move away from the bed, then a rustle of clothes as if he was getting dressed, and peering a little, I watched him walk out of the suite without so much as a backward glance.

I stiffened at the sound of door closing, gasping as pain hit me once more.