Deluded

Chapter 17

Evangeline's POV

I don't know what came over to me. I don't know where all that courage came from when I pecked Abram on his cheek, I know it must be normal for others to do it but it was exceptional for me since he's the first ever man that took me out for a date.

I'm usually not someone who associates myself with someone I barely know, but in Abram's case it feels different.

With him, I'm not afraid to break the rules
With him, I feel something inside me ignited. He makes me feel something I never felt before.

It's weird how I don't even know him that well but it feels like I have known him for ages and that I could trust him.

But maybe it's just because I don't usually get along with any other guys except Rico, maybe it's just a simple crush that will soon go away.

"I'll see you soon babes" he stated as he watched proceed inside of the gates, with my chest heavy with foreign emotions and stomach filled with raging butterflies. This is not good at all.

As I got inside, Rico standing close to the bushes caught my eyes making me almost gasp in surprise as I didn't expect to see him there.

"Hey, what are you doing there?" I questioned with a smile on my face, still too hyped up from the recent events.

"Nothing," he replied curtly, making the smile on my face vanish as the coldness on his voice surprised me.

"Why do you sound mad?" I inquired once again as I neared him, concerned what happened to him all of a sudden.

"Just had a long day, nothing else" he replied, smiling a little bit.

" Forget about me. How did lunch with your friend go?" He questioned a little harshly, making me confused but nonetheless, a smile reformed on my face, too excited to talk about my day.

"You probably had fun, right?" He stated, while I just nodded my head yes as his behavior seemed off for me.

"I'll see you around. Bye" I exclaimed, cutting the conversation as short as I can as I felt uneasy with his sudden interest in my day and what I did.

Paddling inside the house, just as I was about to turn towards my room, my father's voice made me stop on my track.

"You're home early today" he spoke, making me turn around to see him sitting at the coach with dozens of paperwork engulfing him.

"Yeah," I answered as I advanced towards him, wanting to spend some quality time with him since I barely see him these days.

As I neared his sitting figure, his eye bags and dark circles became more visible and as well as the stress lines on his face. He looks tired and badly needs sleep.

"You need sleep, dad" I stated as I sat beside him, collecting the scattered papers that fell on the floor.

"Yeah, I know but your dad gotta work" he answered as he rubbed his forehead.

"How much do you have to work? You're literally working day and night" I exclaimed as I took his hand into mine rubbing circles.

" I have to. Our company is not at it's best. We're facing problems with our shares and contracts" he answered with worry and tiredness lacing his voice.

He will literally kill himself working.

"Take rest and work or else you'll fall sick and we don't want that or else mom's gonna come running here from Spain, screaming into your ears until it bleeds" I joked out trying to lift his mood up.

" Yeah. I heard you went for lunch today with a friend" he stated, making my heart start to pump in fear.

If dad gets to know that I was with Abram, I don't think he would like it seeing how they interacted that night.

"Yeah, I was with a friend of mine. But how do you know about it?" I questioned with my hands slightly shaking just by thinking if he knew already that I was with Abram.

"I know every single thing you do, Evangeline. Where you go, with whom and where. And I also know that Valentino came here dropping you" he remarked making me almost gasp while hands shook beside me uncontrollably.

"Dad I-I..." I tried to explain something to him but no words came from my mouth as anxiety and panic attacks started to bubble inside me.

"Listen, Evangeline. I don't want this type of shit to be repeated. Do you get me? This would be the first and last time" he demanded with no trace of joke on his face, making me scoot away from him in fear.

" Why, dad?" I trembled with my head down as my throat tightened with tears threatening to come out as this was the first time he spoke to me with a harsh and demanding voice.

Just as I was expecting my dad to tell me the reason why he was silent as if he couldn't believe that I just questioned him which I don't normally do.

"Just stay away from him, Evangeline. I don't want to see you with him, or anywhere near him ever again." he fumed, getting up from the coach leaving me all alone with my own thoughts.

And just when I thought I'm finally catching up to the things that I missed, reality decided to pull me back down to where I belong.

_______