Book 2: "Against Everyone"

5

Lauren POV

It's been a weeks staying in this fancy condominium with him. Part of me was glad that his schedule seems far off to bumped into mine, that means when he arrived I'm already in my room. Either sleeping or plainly pretending to be busy. Good thing I already have my laptop to monitor my restaurant without stressing out myself.

Ms. Harper helps me a lot during the day. To be honest, my heart filled with joy having her. She's practically a mother figure that I never had. The cuts and wounds seems to healed. I can lift my left arms without bearing from too much pain. The bruise all over my face seems to loosen a bit.

"Ms. Harper, can I ask you a big favor?"

"Sure, sweetheart."

"Ms. Harper, can you please remove the bandage gauze wrapped all over my head."

"Not yet green eyes. Not until next week, let the cut be fully healed."

A sudden interruption from a tall built man came to my view. My eyes widen seeing him for like the first time during the whole entire weeks. I kindly calm myself to gain my composure back. Ms. Harper greeted him as he return the smile genuinely. He removed his black coat and place it on the couch. I was speechless for some reasons, it quite odd not talking to him the whole duration and then seeing him in an instant. I couldn't seems to look at him, so what I did I keep myself busy by focusing on my laptop while viewing all the liquidations reports forwarded to me by my employees, not until he made his way towards the counter that I'm occupying with. He sat at the opposite chair facing me.

"How have you been green eyes? Haven't seen you for like ages."

I look up to him, there I met his hazel brown orbs shooting me intense gaze but there's a longing vibe I can see or perhaps I assumed.

"Don't be exaggerated, it just like a weeks. Well, as you can see I'm perfectly fine and ready to be in my home sweet home."

"Here we go again."

He retorted while placing his face in between his hands that supported by his elbow leaning on the counter.

"I wasn't kidding. Look, I can lift my left arms."

"Sure you can, but look at your face."

"But there still progress, see to it. Look, this bruise loosen a bit. Just the stupid wounds still haven't healed and it pissed me off."

I saw his smile reach his eyes seeing me enduring all the kind of tortures. I lifted my arms and try to remove the itchy small band aid in my left cheek. I yelp in pain and abruptly stop from my first attempt.

"Stop with your pathetic attempt."

"Ugh. It's itchy, can't I replace this at least?"

He think for a moment before sparing a glance on me again.

"Wait here, I'll go upstairs and get you a new one."

I nod and he abruptly stood up. He picked up his coat on the couch and run upstairs. Within a minutes he came back with the pack of small band aids.

He pull my chair to him, we are now facing to each other with a safe distance proximity of our faces. He gently touch my cheek and stares at me for like eternity until I chose to break the silence.