Beautifully Disturbed | ✓

[46]

Laila's POV

"So, what's up?" James asks as we settle down at the table.

I stay silent for a little bit.

James raises a brow. "Is it about your PhD studies? Are you second-guessing your career path? Do you not want to be a doctor of psychology anymore?" He looks genuinely concerned.

"No, no! That's not it. I'm enjoying my field, don't worry about that." I start twiddling with the ends of my scarf. "It's that... I was wondering why none of Alex's family came to the wedding. Is it because of me?"

That seems to have struck something with James too. His shoulders tense up immediately.

"No, it has nothing to do with you. He doesn't... get along them." I know he's choosing his words very carefully.

It's almost as if a wrong word comes out, everything would explode.

"He doesn't get along with any of them?" I ask.

James shakes his head and starts rapping his fingers on his lap nervously.

"James, I see that this topic is making you uncomfortable so I won't push it further. But maybe you could give me his parents' number? I feel like they deserve to know." I suggest.

"No way, Laila! Not happening!" He says a little too quickly, making me jump back a bit.

"I won't tell Alex!" I promise him.

"He'll find out anyways and then, I—our friendship might end up dead in a ditch somewhere."

Was he about to say he might end up in a ditch somewhere?

"I just want to know about his family. Maybe just say hi, how are you. Talk to them about Alex, if they're willing. That's it! I'll take full responsibility, I promise." He could probably see the desperation in my eyes.

He sighs. "I know you'll take the blame, Laila. I don't doubt that. You'd probably take the blame even if it was all my fault. But Alex keeps his family life hidden away for a reason..." James stands up. "But I also understand that you're now his wife and have the right to understand him more because you can clearly tell there's something wrong."

I'm not sure if he's standing up to leave or—

"I am going to go to the washroom, I'm leaving my phone on the table." He takes it out of his pocket and places it on the table, unlocked.

I didn't understand what he was trying to do at first. But then, he looks at me then back at the phone and then at me one last time.

It suddenly hits me, he wants to me find the contact information for Alex's parents myself.

I nod at him and he goes off.

I grab his phone and click contacts. I search 'Romano' and find a few names. Luckily, in the contact info, it specifically says how the person is related to Alex.

I send myself the numbers of his parents and delete the message off of James' phone.

The whole time my heart was racing. Both Sophie and James seem to be the red flags I needed to tell me to stop digging further.

But what if there's something actually wrong with Alex? How do you expect me to live with him while staying in the unknown?

James comes back five minutes later and we mutually pretend the first 10 minutes never happened.

Suddenly, James' phone rings and he picks it up.

"Yeah, Alex?" He says into the phone.

My heart drops. Did Alex figure it out? Was he watching?