Leave Me If You Dare

6 years ago, Bill did an investigation about the incident at the Sky Anniversary. All shreds of evidence were pointing to Arabella. He had to bury a father at that time but still, he had to find out the truth and wanted to believe that she was innocent.

At the party, when Kelly urged him to introduce Arabella to everyone as his wife, he agreed without any hesitation. As for him, even when her mother had not urged him, he would still introduce her as his wife. He was ready to embrace his life with a wife and ready to give up all his women. After he tasted Arabella, from that moment, he realized that she was all he ever wanted.

She satisfied him in the bed and that all matters to him. That was just at first but somehow even though he was not willing to admit it, deep inside he knew Arabella gave him calm. She made him sleep soundly and did all the things he was not used to. She also made him the maddest person with her stubbornness but she could easily pacify him with her smile. Her smile calmed his heart.

Little by little Arabella changed him.

“The great Bill Sky, What a surprise. You called me.” Jayson sounded playful. He was shocked by his mortal competitor’s call. As two leading leaders in the business world, they never talked or nodded to each other when they met in the same place.

“8:00 pm. The Luxury Bar.” Bill sounded stern then hung up the call.

Jayson smirked and froze for a moment. More or less, he had already an idea of what Bill wanted to talk about. For the record, he was not the one who called first. It was Bill, his great competitor.

Bill went directly to the Luxury Bar after his dinner meeting. There’s no Jayson. He drank waiting for him. No one had made him wait but for the sake of the truth, he did. He never liked Jayson in the first place. If it wasn’t for Arabella, he would never ask him to see him tonight. He was still mourning the death of his father and yet he decided to meet Jayson to have a serious talk.

“Sir, Mr. Hansen is here.” After a while, George came inside and informed him. Bill just nodded acknowledging George. The latter went out swiftly and Jayson strode inside with a domineering look.

“So, Mr. Sky. I’m sorry I almost forgot our date.” Jayson with a daily dolly expression sounded.

“Sit,” Bill ordered sternly. He had no time with Jayson’s game.

“Woooh!” Jayson raised his two hands playfully. “Mr. Sky, you seemed used to ordering me so much now.” He added with a meaningful tone. Then he sat in front of him. Jayson filled his cup with liquor then drank half of it. He then crossed his long legs and looked at Bill with a serious expression. “What now?” He asked Bill normalizing the situation.

Jayson’s sudden seriousness and Bill’s sharp gaze filled the air with sudden intense tension.

“What’s Arabella’s part in the Blue Emerald project?” Bill asked directly. His eyes were deep dark buried to Jayson.

Jayson was stunned a bit by Bill’s question. He took a sip first on his whisky. “Hmmm… let’s just say, she is my partner,” Jayson replied meaningfully. “A good partner indeed.” He added with a cheerful voice.

Bill held himself hearing him. He was not supposed to see Jayson but he called him desperately. The waiter who manipulated the video and was caught in the CCTV was firmed with his statement. It was Arabella who planned it all. Arabella was also caught handing a USB to the guy the same USB used to play the video.

In another report, Arabella was captured by CCTV footage in a restaurant talking with the same guy, the waiter before the event. His investigation team handed him some papers that the guy was working with Arabella’s company before. They seemed to know each other for so long.

In the hospital, while facing his dad’s dead body, he was still thinking of the incident. Could it really be her? What kind of person in a proper state of mind would ruin her image in front of everyone? His investigation team had never failed him but their reports about the incident were suspicious or could it be that he just didn’t want to believe that Arabella could do such hideous things because he had known her to be an innocent one. He just wanted to believe that she’s innocent.

To know about the truth, he decided to hear from the horse's mouth. It was his last chance to give Arabella the benefit of the doubt. He was mourning and yet he still wanted to get things done right away. He wanted to clear her name.

“Condolence.” Jayson suddenly sounded that made Bill regain his senses.

“Just stop.” Bill sounded with controlled anger.

Jayson acted zipping his mouth in front of him.

“What’s Arabella’s crime that night?” Bill asked directly and firmly. He didn’t have the whole night for Jayson.

“Why should I tell you?” Jayson’s face became serious as he sipped his glass of whisky with arrogance.

Bill looked at him dangerously.

“Look. I’m pretty sure you know that we had been together for a very long time. We are lovers.” Jayson sounded with a provoking tone.

“Get straight to the point,” Bill remarked coldly.

“I am her first love,” Jayson said proudly.

Bill just looked at him seriously.

“First love never dies.” Jayson mockingly sounded.

Bill’s serious expression didn’t change.

“I’m not here to listen to your love story.” Bill stood up impatiently. “Listen to me, if you are part of this, I will do everything in my power to tear you apart.” Bill’s words were very powerful and dangerous. His threat was like a thunderous danger that could make anyone shiver in an instant.

Jayson smiled provokingly. “As mighty and great as you are, your evidence had nothing to do with me, right? Mr. Sky, that proves me innocent.” Jayson sounded with a proud tone but serious expression. “

“Then you used Arabella.” Bill suddenly held Jayson’s shirt in anger.

“How can I? I love her so much.” Jayson replied without any trace of fright. “She could use me but never I will use her.” He added while pulling Bill’s hands away.

Bill let him go. His face was not calm anymore.

“Is she?” Bill frowned asking Jayson.

Jayson smiled and sat back to the couch and made a sip on his glass.

“If yes. What would you do to her?” Then Jayson answered.

Bill was rooted on his spot.

“What could be the possible reason?” Bill asked again with aloofness.

“Think,” Jayson answered. Bill sat back and drank his whiskey in one go.

“My friend. Arabella was very eager to get rid of you in her life. She wanted her simple life back. She was extremely longing for it.” Jayson sounded with a serious tone.

Bill was unmoved. He thought of many times that she wanted to escape from him.

“Though you put her in a cage. She still escaped to see me and you see I am gonna be a father with our baby.” Jayson sipped another glass.

Who could forget about the video? Arabella announced that she was pregnant with Jayson’s child.

Bill suddenly stood up feeling wasted by Jayson’s words. “Keep it to yourself.” He said sternly and he strode away.

Bill got inside his car and his driver drove away quickly. At the back seat, he closed his eyes and Jayson’s words earlier popped out. He knew Jayson’s words were half-lies and half-truth or all lies but dotting all the evidence, Arabella had known the waiter for a very long time.

“My friend. Arabella was very eager to get rid of you in her life. She wanted her simple life back. She was extremely longing for it.” Jayson’s words.

“Huh!” Bill muttered. “What a desperate move!” He added with anger. His heart was beating fast in anger. He was betrayed by her and she chose Jayson over him. Maybe Jayson was right. First love never dies and Arabella still loved her first love, Jayson Hansen. Ending his sentence, his memory brought him back when he bumped Jayson and Arabella in a hotel. They were intimate even in the public.

Bill clenched his fist hard. How could someone have deceived him? How dare she betray him?

Arabella was the only and the first woman who got his full attention and interest and this woman caused his father's death just because she wanted her fuck*ing simple life back. That night, Bill couldn't help cursing the situation and her.

Meanwhile, Arabella was stunned by Bill’s question. How did he know that she was with Jayson?

“Why are you here?” She asked Jayson earlier.

“Same as you,” Jayson answered lazily.

Arabella smirked. In the first place, she should have not asked. She knew Jayson before and they liked to go to a park when they were upset

“You want to talk?” Arabella sounded just to start a conversation and she really felt she need to talk to someone or she would just blow up.

“Care to talk over a glass of wine?” Jayson sounded inviting her to go somewhere.

“Okay.” She answered quickly as she felt she was in dire need of a drink. Even if without Jayson, she really had a plan to go to a bar and drink away all her sorrows. Too bad, she didn’t have Farrah to drink with. She missed her so much especially in a time like this. Well, heaven was still good to her, Jayson arrived to save her from loneliness.

They went to a decent bar with classic sound and wine. The place was cozy and the ambiance soothed their moods.

It was a very long time that they had not seen and talked with each other. Arabella didn’t even expect that she would see Jayson again as she had no plan to go back to the city.

“I saw Margaret.” Arabella shared as she was pleased with the new Margaret she met the other time.

“Ahh… I don’t want to hear.” Jayson quickly blocked him.

Arabella’s mouth twitched.

“I bet. Your problem is …” She said with a hanging expression.

Jayson just nodded at her with a smirk.

“You just don’t know how to stop.” He commented with a smile.

“Remind me why we are here if we’re not gonna talk.” Arabella smiled refuting Jayson’s words. Though she was smiling, she could feel the loneliness in her heart. She missed Adam a lot.

“Well, she was urging me to make her a baby.” Jayson folded his arms in front. He seemed lost his vigor.

“Why not? Your two guys are already married.” Arabella remarked.

Jayson smirked. “You know I married her because of her child. I have no affection for her.” Jayson directly stated.

“What can I say?” Arabella could feel him but she could not make any comments when she was also a problematic one.

After a while, her cellphone chimed. When she saw the sender’s name, she frowned and quickly read his message.

After she saw the message, she stormed out leaving Jayson.

“I am not here to see you.” Arabella said with irritation up to her head. “Adam!” She called her son’s name without minding Bill. “Adam!” She called again striding to the second floor.

Bill quickly followed her and pulled her to him. Arabella was stunned and her cheeks instantly blushed. She was tipsy but still managed to go to his house when he texted him that Adam is sick tonight.

“Shut up.” Bill said seriously with eyes warning her.

“I want to see Adam!” Arabella refused to be warned and for her, she had all the rights to see her son.

Bill didn’t listen to her. He dragged her forcefully to his study room.

“Sit.” He locked the door.

Arabella didn’t seat as she didn’t want to take orders from him.

Bill shook his head and smirked. His serious expression never changed.

“Sign it.” He reached a paper and ordered her again.

Arabella was startled by the paper and his serious expression. She could feel another danger was coming. “Is this another contract for Adam’s custody?” She was flustered by her thought of Bill using his power to get his son from her.

Bill didn’t answer. Instead, he sat on the sofa crossed his long legs, and spread his arms on the backrest waiting for her reply.

Seeing the man’s action, she quickly opened the envelope to end the suspense. Her eyes grew wider when her eyes finally landed on the letters written in bold letters.

DIVORCE CONTRACT