I Hate You But I Love You More

Chapter 21

I enter the penthouse at 11pm. I am careful as to be quiet. Originally, I was planning to stay at one of the rooms in this hotel but for one, I didn't walk with my purse when I stormed out earlier and two, even if I did walk with my purse, book a room with what money? Besides, the staff will find it suspicious that I'm getting another room.

I slowly and quietly walk up the stairs, careful not to make a sound. I want to avoid Darson at all cost. He said when he sees me I piss him off. God knows I don't want to piss Mr. Royalty off.

Something catches my attention when I walk past his office door. I stop in my tracks. "No, you told me she's doing this for the money and the assets were their end of the bargain." Is he talking into his phone or is there someone in there? "It's her father. What is wrong with you?" On the phone. "He's your friend since college for crying out loud! Paying for his treatment shouldn't have to come with a bargain!" He sounds piss. Wait, he didn't know? "And the fact that you kept this from me just proves how much I can't trust you. All along I thought she was doing this for my money when it was only her trying to spend one more second with her father."

Darson really didn't know? I don't know what to make of this. "Sure, it can also be passed off as the same but at least she doesn't have ill intentions. She's not you, father. She's not you." Then there is silence. I turn on my heels and the door swings open. Darson seems surprise to see me. I power walk to my room and close the door.

Shoot. Now he knows I probably heard everything. I throw myself on the bed and kick my legs. I don't even know what to say to him. Unknowing or not he shouldn't have judged me like that. The way he defended me though, makes me less mad at him.

"I need this bed to open up and swallow me whole." I groan into the pillow.

Three days later, I find Darson below the stairs. Just as I am about to take the stairs, he is there. I've been avoiding him all along. I turn on my heels to leave but his words stop me. "I'm sorry." That's something I never thought I'll hear Darson say. I decide to descend the stairs. "I misjudged you and I said some things I shouldn't." He looks genuine.

"You can hardly not get upset over someone's presence in three days." I point out. All of a sudden I'm supposed to accept your apology and hope you don't still somewhere deep down hate me? The way he said everything that night is still fresh in my head. Darson Meldeev actually hated me three days ago and now just by learning the truth it immediately disappears?

"Khara, I don't have the best memories-" He looks toward the ceiling then back at me. He then pulls me to a stool on the island then proceed to lean on the opposite counter. "I don't know why I'm telling you this." He mutters before taking a deep breath. "There was this girl. We were super close. She played with my feelings and in the end all she wanted was the money." That must've hurt. "Ever since then I've had a dislike for-" He pauses and look at his hands. "Everything I said that night was just me unloading years of anger on a situation I thought was the same." I remain quiet for a while.

"She must've meant a lot to you." I say. Something flashes in his eyes as his jaws clench.

"Not anymore." I can see why he went off on me like that. His words seem forced. I open my mouth to speak but he beats me to it. "I don't want to talk about it." I understand.

"I still don't get it though. We were actually on good terms then all of a sudden..." My words drift off. "You're not bipolar, are you?" He glares at me and I shut my mouth.

"Now that you brought it up, I actually do have a reason for my actions three days ago." Let's hear it. "Your family end of the bargain was to provide the assets left in the company, right?" I nod. That's what I was told, yes. "But there's actually no assets." He points out and I swear I stop breathing. What? That can't be. Our family made a deal.