His ExWife (edited version)

Chapter 18

Flashback

They reached the top of the small hill Mariella's house was located on, the road was all worked up in new and undamaged cement, leading to this entire view of the city of London. Lights filled the skyline for both of them, Mariella was instantly mesmerized. Her left hand was still tightly held by Iyan and strangely, as they had been walking up the hill, he had been caressing her hand with his thumb slowly, in a very caring gesture. Mariella had not withdrawn her hand from his grip.

He had even asked if she was feeling cold again or if she wanted to get back but she had nodded a 'no'. She had gotten kind of lost and with Iyan's total attention on her, she had forgotten about her father and that haunted mansion whose slave she had been for so much time.

"Have you ever been up here?" Iyan asked as he watched her face go from neutral and worried to carefree and happy. She was so happy to see the lights.

"No, obviously not. Had I known this is what exists here, this spot would have become my regular hang out place," she looked at him, her eyes glowing with the joy.

He chuckled softly, "Okay what do you like better? City lights or stars?"

"You're actually asking me that?" she laughed in return and both of them sat down cross legged on the wide road. It was the end of the road right then, reaching the top of the hill. No vehicles would be coming therefore, that remained clear.

"Yes, see if I like a girl and I want to take her out someday, I should know what she likes first, shouldn't I?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow.

Her stomach turned again- butterflies! This was literally happening a lot lately, specially in Iyan's company.

"I see," she said, not reacting to what he said, "Who is this lucky girl you want to take out to a date then?" she asked teasingly before shifting her focus on to the gaspingly beautiful view in front of her.

Iyan chuckled again in response to that, he noticed her body language; her shoulders lay relaxed now and her body was not tensed anymore like it had been when she had just opened the gate in front of the mansion.

"Well, there is someone," he said shifting his gaze away from her and to the view now.

"Wait, I realized I have never even asked you this but you've never had a girlfriend before?" she turned to him, her curiosity on peak.

"Hm, no," his answer was short and very honest. The girls Scott and Iyan had even come across had been through family friends and cousins and all of them had gone for the better choice- Scott. Apple of the eye of his mom...he used to think scornfully.

"How's that even possible?" she rejected his answer. From how she saw him, he was a very handsome guy and she knew this fairly well that had he been Italy, he would have been the hot topic in her school for all the girls. "Lying won't make you more of a saint you know," she said sarcastically to tease him.

"Haha okay, I'm not lying, I am aware of the fact that I do get attention from...some, at least," he mentioned with a dramatic pause, "But, you know I want to do a lot in life, so much that I don't think I have the time to play the games most people play at our age. Liking, dating, having sex, moving on and this vicious cycle that repeats...it's too cruel throwing yours and someone else's emotions like this. Not to mention, it's also a bit time consuming," he explained.

Mariella's eyes were watching just him now, her attention had been long drawn from the lights and the stars.

"So what do you want, I mean other than the guys and girls of our age?" she asked him, she really wanted to know what he thought of.