Ghungroo - The Siren Call of Lovers (#2)

Chapter 42 - Not A Joke

Chapter 42

"You're fucking kidding me, right?"

This had to be some sort of joke. It was all too un-real. Too unbelievable. Just last night, before we had fallen asleep, he had said he loved me.

Dave shakes his head. From the redness of his face I can tell that this isn't some joke. No, it isn't some elaborate, twisted prank executed on the childish whim of Riaan.

And yet, half of me kept praying that Riaan was lurking behind some curtain or couch waiting to jump out laughing and saying that this was some stupid joke.

But no. This wasn't some joke. It was real. Very real.

So, what? Riaan left? Left me stranded on an island? Left for good?

I needed to sit.

I made my way to the dining room table and collapsed into one of the chairs there.

I heard Dave's voice from behind me.

"I'm sorry, Layla."

His words had held genuine empathy for me. But my body had turned to poison. I didn't want his sympathy. I still don't.

"Dave." I turned around and looked him in the eye. "I don't care if you're fucking sorry. Right now I need answers."

"Layla, that's all he told me. I swear. Don't shoot the messenger, okay...If ...If it's any consolation, he seemed upset. He wasn't himself when he left."

"No Dave, that does not comfort me in any way. Right now the only thing that will console me is having Riaan in front of me so I can tell him what a prick he is just before ripping his head clean off his body. How could he do this? Why? I need to call him."

I went in search of my phone. Dave had given me back my phone a while ago and apart from charging my it, I had not made use of it. I had had no use for it, until that point.

I made it to the bottom of the stairs before hearing Dave's voice from behind me again.

" He's not contactable. He asked that you respect his wish not to be contacted please."

He wished not to be contacted?

Dave's words made me angry. Who the fuck does Riaan think he is? Leaving a message like that for me. The coward couldn't say these things to my face. He uses Dave as a buffer further humiliating me in this manner.

I've heard of people breaking up over email or through a text message. But through an employee? How utterly humiliating.

At that moment I had just wanted to die.

I felt bile bubble up and spill from my lips.

"Did he, now? Is your boss fucking bipolar, Dave? Does he have selective amnesia? Is he bloody insane? He just had me on my knees only hours ago fucking me and telling me how much he loves me. And now you say he's left? Left as in gone for good? Is he such a cowardly fuck-up that he couldn't say these things to me before leaving? He leaves you to do his dirty work. Tell me Dave, how many of Riaan's fallen women have you had to say that exact line to?  He asked that I please not contact him? Like I'm some fucking failed business contract. Is he for real? Is he even fucking human? And yet, here you are Dave, still working for him."

The tears came then, unabated and choking me up.

At some point, Dave embraced me. I wanted to push him away. He was on Riaan's side. He was Riaan's messenger of doom and I hated him too. But I was too weak at that moment and gave into his pity hug. Yes, that's what it was. A pity hug. He felt sorry for me.