D&S

Chapter # 10

Ester, don't love me. I am toxic for you. Stop believing in your stupid delusions and leave me alone. Your love is meaningless! You and I are not meant for each other. That's why.. please.. leave me.

***

Burning in the fire of wrath, filling with fury and distress. I almost lost control over myself but I know that I have to keep as calm as possible, I have to refrain myself so that my anger won't burst on Ester like before. I don't want to make her sad. I have to control my emotions and confiscate my feelings. I have to keep this consternation inside me and put up a happy front.

"Desmond." Ester called me. I hummed, drinking my tea while using my phone. She sat beside me and began to say nervously.

"Grace.. Invited me to accompany her for.. shopping.. So can I-"

"No." I said sternly.

"But, Why?" She asked.

"Because I said so." I said looking at her. She lowered her head and remained silent.

"Look, Ester." I called her while holding her hand. "Grace is Henry's sister and I don't want you to be in any contact with her, understood?" I said softly, explaining to her. She gave me a hesitant nod.

"Talk to any other person you want but not him or anyone related to him." I said firmly.

"O-Okay." She said vaguely. I smiled and kissed the back of her palm.

"Good." I said and stood up. I kissed her cheek and she said, "Take care." I smiled and then left for work.

After work, I went to meet Henry. I entered his office, furious, wanting to know why he was falling so low that he took a girl and introduced her as Grace. What in the hell was he thinking? What exactly are his intentions?

"What the hell are you trying to do, Henry?" I snarled, bursting into his office. He looked up at me and raised an eyebrow.

"What?" He asked with a smirk, acting as if he was not aware of what I was talking about.

"Showing a girl and calling her Grace. Are you out of your mind?!" I scowled. His smirk faded as he stood up and walked in front of me. He looked at me with his head high cockily which irked me.

"I know how sensitive you are when it comes to Ester.. "!He began to say.

"You want to know why?... Fine I will tell you." He began to walk around, "That girl will become Ester's friend. For someone as pathetic as her, a friend is no less than a blessing and I know you. You will never let Ester befriend her... but what will happen when you will stop her and she asks... why? Will you be able to tell her? If yes, then how she will react?" He ended with a laugh. I curled my hands in a fist and grit my teeth. I know I am in a swamp and the only way to get out of it is to tell Ester everything. I need to muster courage to tell her about it or else it would be fatal for us. I need to do something before he does. I cannot let Ester be heart broken because of me again. I don't want any harm or hurt from my side to reach and for that I will do whatever I can.

I walked close to him and held his collar. I glared at him and hissed,

"Do whatever you can. She will never leave me."

"We will see." He hissed back. I pushed him and ran my hand in my hair as I turned to leave but he shouted from behind,

"Desmond! Remember the day it all started! I will not back away that easily." I cursed under my breath and walked out of his office with mixed emotions of anxiety, anger and fear. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself.

I sighed and shook my head, not wanting to think about this anymore. What's done is done. All I can do is to focus on my future and not let my past crumble me and take away my serenity from me. I am at which road where I need to focus ahead, if I turn to look behind I will lose the track of my path. Just the thought of losing Ester scares me to no extent, I will never let it happen. I have to do something about it.

I cannot let anyone take my home away from me. I cannot be cold with Ester too... I have hurt her enough and I don't want to push her away anymore. I couldn't do it anymore but how will I get out of this. I need to think of something. I want Ester to be happy, wanting to spend my life with the sound of her laughs, her smiles and melodious voices. No more hurt, no hatred.

These loving gazes of yours; keeps me awake all night long.

When you look at me lovingly my mind feels exhilarated and I don't want to look anywhere but you. I can stare at you all time... just like I used to do at night. I sometimes thought of myself as a creep but I could pull myself away from her. Even after hating her that much, I ended up loving her with every inch of my core. She is my prayer. I don't want anything if I have her.

I entered my home and saw Ester talking with the least person I want her to; that fake Grace.

"Oh, Welcome Desmond." Ester greeted me nervously. I smiled and hugged her.

"Your brother wants to meet you." I told that woman. She smiled and stood up.

"I see. I shall go and meet him then. It was nice talking to you, Ester." She said, shaking her hands with her. Ester passed her a smile and she left.

After she left I narrowed my eyes at Ester, waiting for her to say anything about it. She twirls her fingers between my shirt with her head hanging low and looking so adorable like this.

"I am waiting, Ester." I said. Her bit her lips and said hurriedly,

"She came here because I refused to go with her. She came by herself to take me but I didn't go with her and it would be bad if I returned her from the doorstep. We just talked." She shut her eyes, holding my shirt tightly. I kept looking at her bewildered that she was startled by this. I just asked her a question. I don't know what I should do just to remove those fears, I didn't mean to embed such frights in her.

Is my gaze that menacing that she became scared so easily?

I lifted her chin and made her look at me. "Open your eyes, Ester." I said softly. Cupping her cheeks with my one hand while holding her back with my other hand, stroking her affectionately. She slowly opened her eyes and lifted her gaze and looked at me, timidly with a hint of fear in her eyes which made my heart clenched. I passed her a smile and engulfed her in a hug and kissed her head.

"So.. You are not angry?" she asked.

"Why would I be? She came, not you called her." I said, caressing her tenderly. She grinned and pulled away. Looking blithe that it warms my heart.

"You freshened up! I will serve dinner!" She said excitedly and left. Before I could call her she just left, I don't know why she dislikes my intimacy that much? I sighed and put my hand over my forehead. I shook my head and went to our room and freshened up and went down. We had our dinner and went to sleep.