Leave Me If You Dare

“No!” Trishia sounded with strong refusal. “You can’t show up at my wedding. No one can see you.” Trishia was talking to someone on the phone. Her voice was almost screaming.

“I already granted your wish!”

“It’s not gonna happen. If it weren’t for you, that woman should be dead by now.”

“Don’t meddle in my life ever again.”

“Keep your promise to me if you still want her to live.”

“I don’t care about that bitch!” Trishia said to the person on the phone with fury.

Meanwhile,

‘Arabella, where are you? Call me.’

‘Are you safe? Call me.’

‘Should I call the police? Call me.’

‘Did you find Adam? Call me.’

‘Are with Adam now? Call me.’

‘Worried and I miss you. Call me.’

Having back a mobile signal outside Bill’s house, Damien’s messages, flooded. She wanted to call him right away but Bill was always at her side.

‘Damien, I’m safe don’t worry about me. Please help me find another apartment far from the city. Send me the address and we will go directly there once I get Adam. They already know about Adam. He is in danger.’ Arabella secretly replied to Damien’s messages. For now, she could only rely on her good friend, Damien.

After she successfully sent her message, someone suddenly grabbed her phone. Arabella didn’t react to Bill and let him have her phone as she was already tired of arguing when everything was all under their control while she was always left with no choice. She could say her situation sucks but for Adam, she refused to surrender. She just followed him inside the enormous shopping mall. The mall housed all the expensive luxury brands in the world. It was the most luxurious mall in Capital Z that was owned by Sky Corporation.

When Bill strode inside, all his staff wearing black and white suits bowed at him in a long straight-line side by side. Arabella walked behind him with her head low.

After Bill raised his hand, the staff went back to work. When there was no crowd around, Arabella raised her head a little to see the surroundings but to her surprise, the only people there was all the staff.

Where are the customers?

Where are the shoppers?

Curious, she asked in her thought.

What is Bill doing in here?

What are they going to do here?

Arabella lowered her head again while walking behind Bill.

They stopped and entered a luxurious store. Bill strode inside and directly sat on the French couch crossing his long legs. Arabella stood beside him with a still low head.

“What are you waiting for?” Bill suddenly asked her.

Noticing Bill was talking to her, she slightly raised her head to face him. Her expression was puzzled by his question.

Bill smirked at her. “Go shop your clothes.” He smiled at her with arrogance but a sweet tone.

“Ma’am, what can we help you with?” After Bill’s words, three women with a black suit and white shirt came to her side.

“No, thanks.” She refused at them waving her hand and giving them a stiff smile.

Bill looked at Arabella. He studied her expression carefully. He thought all women loved to shop all luxurious clothes but she was different.

Then he raised his hand. The three women strode closer to him. With long legs crossed, “Give her all the limited edition.” Bill specifically ordered the staff.

Arabella was stunned but she didn’t make it noticeable. The store housed the most expensive and famous brand in the world for woman’s apparel. From fragrance, clothes, underwear, bags, and shoes. Bill’s move surprised her but she wasn’t thankful for him at all. He turned down the lunch invitation of Trishia and went out his way to shop for her clothes but it didn’t please her. Arabella lowered her head again without saying anything.

Bill just looked at her. She was cold as ice. Her eyes were gloomy. There’s no glow in her expression.

After a while, the staff carried so many shopping bags to his car. Bill went to a fine dining restaurant on the second floor. Arabella followed like his personal slave without any complaints.

“Sit,” Bill ordered fixing her chair behind a round table in the restaurant.

Arabella heard him but she didn’t move.

Seeing her unmoved, Bill stood behind her and pushed her shoulders down. Arabella had no choice but to sit.

Bill began to order the food and after a while, it was served hot.

Arabella just looked at the food coldly but deep inside her belly was already rumbling. She was really hungry as the food smelled so good too.

“Eat,” Bill ordered her while he was starting to slice his big medium-well steak.

A delicate guy who served them poured wine into their glasses.

Arabella didn’t move as she didn’t want to eat with him as she tried her best to suppress her hunger.

Seeing her still unmoved, Bill raised his hand to call the attention of the server.

“Madam, don’t you like our food? You want something else?” The man walked beside her and approached her politely.

“No. It's fine. I am okay.” Arabella blushed as she answered shyly. She didn’t want to embarrass the server and the restaurant.

She smiled at the server and quickly got her utensils to eat.

Bill smirked at her expression.

Arabella started to slice her well-done steak but she had a hard time doing it.

“Here. Taste mine.” Bill suddenly fed a slice of meat to her using his own fork. Arabella was stunned for a while but quickly recovered her senses. She wanted to avoid it but seeing the old fine server who was standing beside them, she smiled at him and took the meat by her mouth.

Bill smiled at her while Arabella was surprised by the taste of the meat. It was mouth-watering meat that she didn’t regret eating it even if it came from his fork.

After she swallowed the meat, Bill suddenly got her plate and began to slice her steak. Arabella looked at the man while doing it. She was confused but didn’t dwell on him doing a good did for her. She had no time to mess her thoughts because of what he’s doing.

After slicing, Bill put her plate back to her. Arabella just lowered her head and began eating. Her eyes were merely avoiding him. Thanking him was also not on her plan at all. She started eating and silence filled the cold air.

After an hour, they strode out from the restaurant. Bill strode to the 3rd floor and went directly to a store that was full of instruments. Arabella’s eyes glowed when she saw a big white piano inside the store. She remembered all her performances when she was a pianist in Country Y. She missed those peaceful days when she had Lira as her assistant and Adam with Damien who always visited her in her rehearsals bringing her favorite snacks.

If only she could just go back to country Y that instant, with the people she loved, but of course, she didn’t have the heart to leave her mother behind. Seeing the piano, she didn’t even notice that her eyes were already teary and red.

Bill raised his hand then two men strode closer to him.

“Deliver this piano to my house,” Bill ordered while his eyes pierced to Arabella.

Arabella’s eyes grew wide.

A piano? In his house?

She frowned secretly and lowered her head again.

“I heard you are a good pianist.” Bill leaned towards Arabella and whispered. She had nothing to say to him. Her expression didn’t change as her eyes fixated on the ground.

Seeing Arabella had an aloof expression, Bill held her chin up to face him.

Arabella looked at him with anger and disgust in her eyes.

“So stubborn,” Bill commented then he released her chin.

After the piano was wrapped, Bill strode out of the store followed by Arabella.

Arabella was already tired. They had been walking around for almost an hour in a very huge mall without any other customers. Only the staff of the mall and them.

Arabella shrugged secretly on how money could do things possible. It was her first time seeing a mall with no crowd. It was an exclusive shopping spree. They were only the two people who walked inside and they were very well served by the staff.

This is only one of the perks of having Bill that’s why there are so many women deliberately throwing their selves to him even if he’s a monster.

She smirked with her thoughts about Bill. The more she felt disgusted at him.

Bill went inside the big cinema. She followed.

The place was dark but it was empty. Bill sat in front and Arabella stood beside him.

‘What is this man up to now?’ She was anxious about him. Bill Sky was going to watch a movie? The no romance guy was going to watch a movie in a cinema while his house had a big entertainment theater. Arabella doubted if he did even date a girl before as more or less she knew his not into romance. Flowers, chocolates, and movies were not his thing. She frowned and heaved a heavy sigh while still unmoved on her spot.

“Sit.” He ordered tapping the empty seat beside him. Arabella was tired of standing and walking so she sat down but not beside him. She left 3 vacant seats in the middle from him. Upon sitting, she felt relieved but not until Bill suddenly sat beside her leaving his previous seat empty. He leaned his back on the backrest while crossing his long legs. Arabella was uncomfortable being with him by her side so she decided to wait for him outside the cinema. When she was about to stand, Bill’s hand was quick to hold her cold hand.

“From now on, your place is always beside me. Do you understand?” Bill whispered in a deep voice to the startled Arabella. His words were magnetic.

She struggled to take her hand away from him but Bill didn’t let go of it. He locked his fingers to hers then he leaned his head to her shoulder.

Is he going to sleep?

Why did he come here?

Her mind had many questions but she didn’t bother to find answers to them. All she wanted to do was to stay away from him. She felt awkward.

Very awkward. The monster became a sweet lovable puppy. What he was up to? Her calm had always run out whenever she thought about him. She was reluctant to him and always reminded herself that he’s a scheming person. He would not do any good to her. As he said in the hospital,

“I will kill you.”

“Seeing you suffer is my happiness.” Bill’s words popped out in her mind. So, this kindness and sweetness he was showing to her was merely another vicious plot.

“Why are we here?” Finally, Arabella asked while pushing his head back to its original position.

“Watch a movie.” He answered briefly while putting his head again on her shoulder.

She suddenly regretted why she asked. Of course, he’s gonna answer that. Arabella didn’t say anything anymore but still, she tried pushing his head away.

For a while, Bill didn’t move anymore. Arabella smiled secretly seeing him annoyed and felt unwanted. Good for him!

Then the movie started.

Arabella was curious to know what movie they’re going to watch but she almost screamed when she saw a thin long-haired white woman with black eyes and mouth bleeding crawling in front of them on the screen. She quickly had a jump scare then turned around in nervousness. She wanted to run away but Bill held her hand tightly.

“I don’t want to watch. Let it go of me.” She seemed Bill intentionally brought her there to scare her. Such a vicious move! She was cursing him in her heart.

“You can hug me if you are scared.” Holding her hand, he teasingly said while laughing like her scared expression made him laugh out loud.

“No way!” She quickly refuted. Then she realized that she was overreacting. It was just a movie. It’s just that she was surrounded by monsters every day and she didn’t want to see another monster again even in the movie.

“Are you scared?” Bill asked breaking the silence in the air.

“No.” She answered briefly as she didn't want to give him satisfaction. ‘I am more afraid of the monster beside me.’ At the back of her head, she said. She concluded that Bill prepared the horrifying movie for her intentionally.

“Are you scared of me?” He suddenly asked again.

“No.” She replied toughly.

Bill looked at her seriously. Their eyes met in the dark with a little light from the screen. The air became stiff and cold inside with their eyes slaying with each other.

“You should be,” Bill remarked in a deep voice then he quickly held her face and he kissed her roughly.