The Only Exception | Armin x Annie

Chapter 23

Armin's Point of View

I stared at her peaceful sleeping face as she laid her head on my biceps. She told me that her phone was dead and she was just out discussing the whole script with the director. She didn't tell me about her latest projects yet or who her new main lead was. All I know is that she's working on a new project and that was the reason why she came in so late. Too late.

I know it's wrong to suspect her but she never goes home this late. She looked a little bit frantic when I saw her in front of the door and she spoke like she wasn't sure of her words.

I shifted my position as I heard my phone's notification sound and grabbed my phone slowly, barely moving to not wake Annie up. I scrolled through my phone and saw my recent text message from an unknown number.

From: 06xx xxx xxxx

Meet me at our old hang out place by the studio. Just come by yourself.

You know who I am.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I read the message. He told me about our own hang out spot by the studio so this must be him.

I looked over to Annie who was still sleeping peacefully so I slowly moved my arm and made her rest her head on the pillow. I stood up avoiding any noise and wrote a note for her for when she wakes up. I kissed her forehead before leaving our condo and drive towards 'that spot'.

As I arrived at a small place where me, Christa, and him used to hang out, I opened the old door and the sound of it creaking distressed my hearing. There I saw him sitting down our usual hang out spot back when we were still unknown in the industry.

"Floch." I muttered his name as he gave me a smile

"Long time no see, Armin." He spoke as he stood up.

There was a moment of silence that enveloped the both us. Despite him being famous, the last time I saw him personally was when I told him about my relationship with Christa.

He loved her.

He loved her so much but because of me, he stopped. He stopped seeing me and Christa. We stopped visiting this spot where we usually stayed.

"How's your new girlfriend?" He asked as he placed a cigarette in between his lips and lit it up with his lighter. I remained silent as he was busy inhaling the smoke and exhaling it as if I wasn't here.

"If I were you, I'd stay away from problematic people like her." I balled my hands into fists, restraining myself from punching him. I wouldn't let anyone talk about my girlfriend that way. She's the most unproblematic person I've met in my life.

"I have no idea why you decided to break up with Christa, Armin. If I knew you'd throw her away I wouldn't have given her to you in the first place." He stared at me as he exhaled the smoke once again.

"If you were in my place, you would as well." I muttered which made him glare at me.

"For fuck's sake Armin stop holding a grudge on her. You were the toxic one in the relationship, being too fucking imsensitive. You were lucky a girl was asking you for sex but you declined her. But then I heard about you dating that whore? You probably fucked a slut like he--" He stopped as I grabbed his collar tightly and stared at him straight in the eyes.

"Don't fucking talk about my girlfriend that way you bastard. The only whore here is the girl you love, trying to act like a victim." I said calmly yet my voice was filled with anger. He grabbed my collar as well before spitting his cigarette and stepping on it.

"Oh now she's got you all up on her fingertips? You've changed Armin. You fucking changed. And because of you, I couldn't meet Christa anymore. She's all locked up in her room and won't talk to anyone due to the trauma of the hate from other people that you yourself had caused!" He yelled at me as he pushed me away.

"She caused her own trauma, Floch. I just did the right thing, calling out an attention seeking bitch like her!"

He was about to punch me but I swerved and he ended up hitting the wall, causing his knuckles to bleed and leave a blood mark on the wall.

"Armin Arlert, you have two choices. It's either you tell the media that what you said during your press conference was false and you clean up Christa's reputation or I'll be the one to ruin your girlfriend's reputation and make her feel the exact same way Christa felt." He said as he aggressively sat back down.

What does he mean by ruining my girlfriend's reputation? What does he have? Is this another dirty trick up his sleeve? When can I get a goddamn break from all of these fucking issues.

"If you don't know, I'm Annie's leading man in her upcoming movie. That says it all, right?" He grinned and irritated me with his smug face.

So he's Annie's new partner. Out of all the men in the industry, why him? Annie said that she met with the director last night. Did she lie?

"Choose wisely, Armin. Because any moment now, I can destroy a slut like her."

"You smell like alcohol. Did you drink?"

"Y-Yeah k-kinda."

I ignored Floch and ran outside going back to my car. I drove as fast as I could to our condo. If what I was thinking was right, it's going to be dangerous for Annie.

Just when people started to accept her and turn their backs on the hate they gave her, another issue will happen. She'll be unhappy again. I'll get to see another frown from her. Just when she started getting more comfortable, these shits happen.

No matter what Floch says, I'll protect her. I'll protect my girlfriend from all those malicious rumors. Because I trust her. I trust her that she won't do anything that could ruin the both of us.

Because she did her best to make me fall for her despite knowing the fact that it could ruin her.

As I arrived at our condo, I opened the door and ran towards our room. As I opened the door, I saw her shocked face that looked at me as she was holding the book I gave her for her birthday.

"A-Armin?" She asked confused of why I aggressively opened the door and why I was panting for air.

I ran towards her and embraced her. She doesn't deserve to suffer from another issue.

"Annie..." I called and cupped her cheeks before tucking a strand of her hair on the back of her ear. "What happened last night?"

"A-Armin...I already told you--"

"Baby please tell me the truth. I won't get mad so please? Be honest with me, Annie." I said as I gave her forehead a kiss and caressed her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry...I'm sorry I lied...I-I really don't know what happened last night. I just woke up in a hotel room and a migraine. I saw a letter left by Floch telling me I had too much to drink but I couldn't really remember what happened. I'm sorry Armin I'm sorry I really couldn't recall what happened." She said as tears started falling down her eyes. It pains me to see her like this. I hate it when she cries.

"Annie shhh...It's alright. I'm not mad at you okay? Please just be honest with me next time, hmm? No more secrets okay?" I said as I wiped her tears with my thumb. She nodded and rested her head on my shoulder as I embraced her.

She couldn't remember anything so she was drugged. That fucking bastard did all of this to her. I won't forgive him. I won't make him live an easy life if he continues with his tactics.

I'll fucking destroy everyone who takes away my girlfriend's happiness. Especially you, Floch Forster.