The Bad Boy's Decision

Chapter 11: Forbidden fruit

Sorting through Kyle and Hayley's items and assembling them into categoric piles is a long and tedious process, made easier by Aidan's therapeutic presence. Chatting aimlessly while throwing things into labelled boxes is an afternoon well spent in my opinion and with the added view of Aidan's muscles bulging every time he manoeuvres heavy items around the room, I'm certainly not one to complain.

"Stop checking me out, you." Aidan jokingly demands, obviously catching my greedy stare as I drink in his tensed up biceps, due to the fact that he so effortlessly seems to be carrying box after box full of heavy electrical appliances.

Quick to avert my gaze, I focus my attention on Hayley's Jewellery box and with a blush resembling that of a sweaty marathon runner, I quietly mutter out my weak defence.

"Stop being so sexy then." I breathe, fully intending for Aidan not to hear but of course, with ears on full alert, he does.

"Sorry darling, can't help that. You'll just have to control yourself around me." he retorts, smugly to which I decide a soft blow to the head will sort out.

Following through with my plan, I pick up the feather-light pillow, firing it straight away, and smile when it comes into contact with his face.

"Arrogance is never sexy on a man, Aidan." I inform, pointing a finger at his brilliantly toned chest and laughing at his slightly disorientated expression.

He throws his head back in deep laughter and with a smile not even butter could melt, he offers up a flirtatious wink that has me both shaking my head it amusement and laughing hysterically.

"That's bull shit and we both know it. My confidence alone is what got you hooked in the first place." he says, the sheer cockiness radiating off of him hitting its all time highest point.

His statement causes a mocking scoff to fall from my lips and as I absentmindedly rummage through Hayley's endless amount of jewellery, a giant pillow is hauled at my head, causing the entire box to fall on the floor.

"Oh, nice one, dick face!" I joke, crouching down to retrieve the shiny objects; safely returning them to their rightful position.

After successfully locating most of the jewellery, I turn my attention to the far right corner where I notice a small red velvet box hanging open and next to it lies a glistening diamond ring, beautiful enough to put most hand jewellery to shame. Assuming it belongs to Hayley, I crawl on my hands and knees, ready to place the items back in the box, only to have Aidan protest in my doing so.

"Amelia, leave it!" his voice sounds desperate and as I register his pleading tone, an unsettling shiver runs up the full length of my spine.

Ignoring his demands, I allow my eyes to focus in on the golden band, which I now realise is an engagement ring, and with no knowledge as to why, I find myself drawn to the elegant piece of jewellery, picking it up to further inspect. Its subtle oval shape diamond is the perfect size and with its colouring consisting of a transparent, pale pink, the beautiful stone compliments the white gold band impeccably, adding to its sheer beauty. Although breathtakingly stunning, the clear pink stone is not what holds my attention but rather the engraved message inside.

'Amelia, my darling, always.'

The harsh realisation of what I've just stumbled upon slowly sinks in and as my brain begrudgingly accepts the hard-to-digest information, the very few pieces I have left of my heart painfully shatter into nothingness, leaving me feeling completely numb from the inside, out. As if that wasn't bad enough, the sudden inability to breathe takes over my entire body and as every ounce of oxygen leaves my lungs, my entire world caves in, metaphorically leaving me with nothing but a dark emptiness that appears to be swallowing me whole.