CHASING MY EX-WIFE

CHAPTER 22

Arabel’s POV

Daisy is a heavy sleeper. She slept all through the ride back home, leaving Richard and I in a complete and awkward silence.

As soon as he stops in front of the gate, I see Alex come out with his two hands in his pants pocket, a cold glare directed towards Richard, who rushes to get the door for me.

Feeling guilty for no reason, I step out immediately with Daisy in my arms. I didn't sit at the back of the car this time since Daisy was asleep. I sat right next to Richard with the sleeping girl in my arms.

"Bye.” I wave at him awkwardly before rushing towards Alex. “When did you arrive?”

The question comes in a whisper.

He only snarls and walks back inside, making me embarrassed to turn back and see the expression on Richard’s face.

With humiliation and a mixture of anger, I follow him.

Alex has been a good friend to me and to Daisy. I have never seen his anger until now, but I won't let him ridicule him like he once did ever again.

Just because he gave out his home for me to stay for the time being does not give him the right to watch my every move and make decisions for me.

Realizing he didn't even help me with the sleeping Daisy, my annoyance increases tenfold.

When we are inside, he halts, but I walk past him to lay Daisy down. As soon as she is lying comfortably on the bed, I move out to go find him. I will give him a piece of my mind.

“You now go out with your ex-husband, uhn?” He scoffs from behind, and I twirl around to face him.

Gone was that patient, quiet, and reversed girl. Nobody is allowed to trample upon me or humiliate me just like he did.

“That wasn't a date, and even if it was, how is that any of your business?” I blurt out sharply, my words cutting deep as a flash of pain crosses his expression.

“Really? So now it's none of my business?”

I blink, daring him to say what he has in mind. From his tone, I am sure he wants to remind me of all the good he has done for me in the absence of my so-called ex-husband.

“That wasn't a date, Alex! What the hell is wrong with you?!” I snap, trying to control my anger. He has every right to ask me what I was doing with my ex-husband, but not in this manner.

I know Richard doesn't deserve any of my attention. I am not supposed to be doing this, but I just have to. I know what I am doing.

His chest rises and falls as he stares at me with rage bubbling inside of him. “What exactly do you want me to think, Bella? This isn't the first time I have seen you together outside of business hours. Not only am I seeing you together today, but you have been gone for hours while I flew back here because I figured you must miss me or you are bored and I should be…” He trails off, breathing heavily. Then he curses beneath his breath, turning around to hide his face.

My face falls.

I should have told him about the outing before heading out. Am I supposed to apologize? Why isn't he apologizing for accusing me too?

“I understand that you might still have lingering feelings for each other…” He turns around, and I cut him short quickly.

“No, it's nothing like that. Daisy made me go with him. He wanted to take her out, but I didn't want her gone with him alone,” I explain, but his nose flares up again.

“What for? Do you owe him anything?!”

Why is he overreacting? I just explained, and he isn't even trying to understand me.

My subsidised anger rises back up as I keep mute and watch him struggle to keep himself in check.

"Bella.” His voice is soft and low now as he approaches me. When he touched my shoulder, I yank his hand away. “That man is your ex. You are supposed to hate him. You two are not supposed to be seen together or to even be close to each other.”

“I know that!” I snap at him angrily.

“Then why did you allow him?”

“I just told you it wasn't a date, Alex! Don't push it. It wasn't a date, and besides, he doesn't even know I am her!”

“You think he is a fool? If he doesn't know you are her, why is he stalking you?”

“He is not stalking me!”

“Are you defending him now?” He points out. “You are defending that cheater and loser, what has he fed you with?”

An unexpected twinge of sadness tugs at my skin, and frustration sinks in. I blink back the tears threatening to fall down my eyes as I remember what happened two days ago and how he made me cry because of this same issue.

Would things be different if I wasn't staying at his home?

Swallowing back my tears, my voice breaks. “Just because I stay at your home, Alex, doesn't mean you should ridicule me the way you did out there. You are not my boyfriend or husband, and I owe you no explanation.”

“Really?” The rage is back in his eyes, replacing the calmness I sighted a minute ago.

“Yes, or are you?”

Silence falls.

I am sure the maid will hear our conversation, but I don't care. It is high time I gave him a piece of my mind. I didn't come to New York because of Richard. I came back for my business growth. When Richard turned out to be my client, I didn't have a choice.

He is my ex, not my enemy.

Even though an outing like this will never happen again, I have been able to figure out how much regret he has for my disappearance. I saw the pain in his eyes.

I might still be mad at him, but he is definitely not an enemy.

He stares down for a while, and I fold my arms around my bosom, expecting an apology.

“I am sorry, Bella."  The apology comes immediately, as if he can hear my thoughts. “But I am saying this for a reason. That man has no good intentions towards you. You should be focused on your business and other things, such as a new relationship, to enable you to forget that fool who let you go when he shouldn't.”

I shut my eyes, unable to figure out if I am hurt by his insult of Richard when he has no right to or by his words of lecture to me, like I don't know what is right.

“Alex!”

“I like you, Bella,"  he suddenly announce, making me flicker my eyes open. “Yes, I do. If I don't, I won't be doing all of this.”

Finally, my assumptions are right. He always showed it, but I always chose to ignore it. Having to confess this to me right now is definitely bad timing.

“So because you like me, you then choose to ridicule me in front of him?”

“Ridicule? I didn't. And who? In front of your ex?”

At the mention of my ex, I shut my eyes again. Realizing he isn't seeing his fault here and I don't have to bicker words with him anymore since there is a lasting solution to it, I walk out on him with a single resolve in mind.

I am going to find another apartment for my daughter and me.

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Do you THINK Arabel is making a good decision about leaving Alex's apartment?