Rivals of the heart

17.Cold Distance and Misunderstandings

Bella's POV:

The following day was a sharp contrast to the light-hearted interactions we had the day before. William was cold, almost icily distant. As we left the apartment for the office, the silence between us was thick and uncomfortable. There was something undeniably frosty about his demeanor, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

When we arrived at the office, he barely acknowledged me. His usual curt remarks were replaced with a stony silence that only grew more palpable as the day went on. I tried to focus on my work, but the atmosphere was heavy with his palpable annoyance.

Around mid-morning, William called me into his office. I walked in, expecting a normal work discussion, but his attitude was colder than ever. He barely looked up from his desk as he spoke.

"Bella, we need to go over the project details," he said curtly, his tone flat and lacking any warmth. "I've noticed a few discrepancies that need addressing."

I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. "Sure, Sir. What discrepancies are we talking about?"

He rattled off a list of minor issues with the project, but his comments were laced with an underlying irritation that I couldn't quite place. Each critique felt harsher than necessary, and his demeanor was nothing like the playful, teasing William I had interacted with the day before.

After a while, I couldn't take it anymore. "William, is everything okay? You seem... different today. Is there something wrong?"

He continued to work in silence for a moment, his expression unreadable. I could tell he was seething, but he didn't answer right away. The coldness of his demeanor was unmistakable, and it was starting to get under my skin.

"Well?" I pressed, unable to keep my curiosity and concern at bay. "You're usually not this—"

"Not this what?" he interrupted abruptly, finally looking up. "Not this professional? Not this focused on the work? Maybe you're just not used to it."

His words stung, but I tried to stay composed. "No, I mean you're usually not this... distant. This rude. It's like there's a wall between us today."

William's eyes narrowed, and his jaw tightened. "Maybe I'm just not in the mood for your usual antics. Or maybe I'm just tired of the games."

"What games?" I asked, genuinely confused. "I don't understand what's going on."

He huffed, leaning back in his chair with an air of arrogance. "Oh, come on, Bella. Don't play innocent. You're the one who seems to have a lot going on outside of work. Like, I don't know, some secret romantic life."

The accusation in his voice was sharp, and it hit me like a jolt. "What are you talking about?"

William's gaze was piercing. "I overheard your phone call yesterday. The one where you were saying all those... affectionate things. 'I love you,' 'I miss you.' It's quite the revelation."

I felt a rush of confusion and surprise. "You heard that? But... but who was I talking to? How did you—"

"Why does it matter who you were talking to?" he cut in harshly. "It's clear you've got someone else in your life. And clearly, you're more interested in them than you are in me."

I tried to process his words, but the shock was overwhelming. "William, I don't understand. There's no one... I don't have a boyfriend. What are you talking about?"

He leaned forward, his expression a mix of anger and frustration. "Well, it's not really my problem, is it? It just seemed like you were pretty cozy with whoever it was. And now you're acting like nothing happened."