CHASING MY EX-WIFE

CHAPTER 33

Arabel's POV

I choked for real.

“What?!” My exclamation does not come out right. My tone is too low, barely a whisper.

I am melting down to my knees. Hot and irritated.

With an unmistakably challenging gaze, he shifts backwards and bursts into laughter, making red crimson creep through my entire face.

“Why do you look so shocked? I was kidding, I wanted to jerk you back to life!”

If what I was feeling earlier was irritation, what I am feeling right now is pure anger. It bubbles inside of me, from a tiny atom until it springs full blown into rage.

He tries to hold me as he laughs, but I jump down from the horse, almost losing my footing.

Jerk.

Idiot.

Traitor.

Who the hell does he think he is fooling? Why the hell would he mention such a silly statement?

“Hey, Bella!” He calls; his voice is right behind me. I don't need to turn to see if he is closer than I think.

Two more running steps bring him to me. He blocks my way, panting heavily. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean…” he trails off.

What I am angry about is what I don't know. Is it the fact that he never told me he loved me when we were legally married to each other as man and wife?
Is it the fact that the word simply rolled off his tongue so easily at the wrong time? Is it because he used such a strong word for a joke?

I am just mad. I don't know why.

I don't even know what to say. I'm uncertain whether to reassure him that everything is fine and I was simply exaggerating, or to maintain the intensity of my anger.

I am exhausted. Tired of all this. Tired of running and avoiding him. Tired of seeing him and having to think of the past, I thought I was gradually forgetting and letting go of it.

Tired of being angry. Tired of being sad.

I am simply tired of everything.

With a deep sigh, I say to him. “It's fine.”

He is about to say something more when I stop him by pointing towards the woman with Daisy. “She is waiting for us.”

We rush towards her, and Richard thanks her before grabbing Daisy's hand. Right now, I just wish we could go back home.

The car is at the far end of the park. Walking there would take us about twenty minutes.

In silence, we begin to stroll on our way out, seeing more people trooping into the park and kids having fun doing all sorts of activities.

If we were alone, I would have allowed Daisy to try it all, but I am no longer in the mood for that.

I am too lost in thought to realize I am walking alone now, until I can't hear the shuttling of Daisy's feet on the sandy floor.

Looking back, I see her whispering into Richard's ears as he bends to her height. She is pointing in a direction, and my eyes follow her finger to see that it is an ice cream joint.

I shake my head.

They don't even acknowledge my absence. I watch them stride together towards the joint, so I tag along, feeling lonely.

For Daisy, Richard gets a vanilla flavored ice cream and gets me a bubble gum flavor which he knows is my favorite.
He extends the bowls to me and our hands meet unconsciously, sending a cold shiver running through me and shocking me to the bone.

Why do I feel these emotions for a man I claim to detest? After all he has done to me, am I falling for his lies and deceit?

Even though he seems to have changed, unlike his previous behaviors, I won't fall for his tricks. How he has changed totally in a space of four years doesn't cease to baffle me.

He was never concerned. Not kind.

“Let's go!” Daisy yells in excitement again, leaving me oblivious to what is happening. As soon as I turn, I see them entering a shop, passing through a transparent door.

With curiosity eating at me, I follow gently, holding onto the bowls of ice cream.

As soon as I get to the patio, music floats out of the place, and I realize it is a dance shop.

While hastening to enter to meet up with Richard and Daisy, I almost bump into a lanky guy who lustfully stares at me before tottering away.

I ignore that.

This isn't the first time a guy has done that. Especially when they don't see me with my child.

When I enter, I see Daisy signaling to me to come forward. I raise a brow, wondering what for.

“Let's dance,” Richard suggests with a smile.

I shake my head and wave them away to do as they please while I watch. Daisy grabs his hand and follows his lead, dancing slowly to the music.

As I watch, I begin to wonder when Richard became such a good dancer. Perhaps, he had always been one, but I never knew or noticed.

Daisy is a good dancer too. She must have gotten that from him.

Realizing what I am thinking, I slap myself mentally and sit down. The lanky guy comes back in and winks at me before heading off again into a small room.

I shake my head.

When I turn back to continue watching, Richard is staring at me. He must have seen what the guy did.

Daisy suddenly leaves his hand and rushes to me. “It's your turn, mom. I want to take my ice cream.”

“Daisy…” I want to scold her for the misbehavior. We were supposed to get home first.

But Richard cuts me to it. “Let her be. Go ahead, darling. Shall we?”

He stretches his hand at me like a gentleman would.
When Richard is close, I want to politely reject him, but the lanky guy comes out again and stops abruptly when he sees Richard in front of me and a baby girl opposite me.

Quickly, I take his hand, and he swings me to the dance floor, where there are four other couples dancing.

For a brief moment, my shyness threatens to overwhelm me, but it quickly fades when I realize no one is observing. Everyone is busy doing one thing or another.

There are couples dancing and staring lovingly at each other.

Kids are running around.

Daisy is scooping her ice cream hurriedly and moaning in delight.

“You look beautiful, Bella. Everyday.”

I meet his gaze, my heart slamming against my ribcage.

“I mean this. It's not like what I said earlier,” he beats me to it. I wanted to mention something similar.

With a soft mutter, I release my two tight lips. “Thank you.”

His smile amazes me. It makes me wonder what he is smiling at. And why does his smile seem new to me?

Was it because he barely smiled at me when we were married?

“Look up.” His tone sounds authoritative, but I find myself looking up like he just instructed me too. “Look at me.”

I do so.

With the slow rhythm, we move in sync until he leans a little forward towards me, making me think he wants to brush the pleat of hair falling off my face.

But he doesn't do that. Instead, something cold touches my forehead, and I go still, not dancing.

My eyes widen when I realize he just pecked my forehead. I haven't gotten over that when he pecks my nose too before his gaze settles on my lips.

I am trying to remind myself to breathe as he leans closer until his mouth moves over mine, and I find myself closing my eyes.

His tongue probes, tasting every bit of my mouth. Rapidly, it becomes more urgent, making me jerk back to reality.

Daisy is here.

What the hell did I just do?

A low gasp leaves my mouth as soon as I succeed in pushing him away. He let go of my hand, his mouth agape, looking shocked, like he didn't plan this either.

For a second, I see a flash of embarrassment, but I am too disappointed to give that a thought.

My child is here. How could he kiss me when my child is here?

Is this what he does with every female client that crosses his path? Not only did he cheat on me, but is he now a Casanova because he is no longer married to that stupid, submissive, weak wife of his?

I feel like shit. Pathetic. Sorry.

With tears threatening to spill down my eyes, I turn away to go grab Daisy and leave when I find an empty seat where Daisy was seated five minutes ago with the bowl of ice cream still on the table, half empty.

A knot forms in my throat as I lounge forward. “Daisy!”

With a choking tide of panic, I run out without hesitation, shouting her name as the knot pulls tighter in my throat.

“Daisy!” I scream with all my might.

“Daisy!” Richard also rushes out and calls to her.

With a mix of dread and panic, I slump down as a wild imagination rushes through my head, and I break down into tears.

****
Where could Daisy be?