Chapter Forty-three
Arabella awoke the next day to an empty bed. She heaved a breath and stretched her arms out before sitting up.
She rubbed at her bleary eyes and winced as they ached.
Climbing down from the bed, her feet smacked the cooled floor and she slapped a hand over her head as she suddenly felt light-headed.
“Oh, man.” She staggered and luckily, she was near the window to grip the curtains.
“What’s wrong with me?” She frowned, placing her palm on her temple. She winced as she sensed how warm it was.
“Please, no.” She mumbled over again as she stepped towards the vanity. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she grimaced as someone else stared back at her.
Her eyes were red and her eyelid was puffy. Sweat dribbled down her forehead and the more she scrunched it up, the more her head pounded.
She didn’t feel sick yesterday. But why was she suddenly ill?
She seldom got sick but whenever it was about to happen, there was always a warning sign.
However, nothing of such happened.
The door opened and her eyes flickered to it. She noticed Sandro standing there watching her and her mouth moved but she doubted she was saying anything.
Sandro tilted his head as he stared at her. “What is wrong? Are you ill?”
“Sandro… ?” Arabella mumbled.
“Hey.”
As he stepped towards her she peered into his eyes. He looked like Sandro but he didn’t seem like him. Sandro never asked how she felt or how she was doing. It was surprising he looked worried and asked about her health.
Perhaps, she was hallucinating. She grimaced, clenching the white sink before staring at him again.
He still stood there, looking worried.
She wasn’t buying it.
Arabella shook her head and she let out a groan.
“Your body is warm.”
Sandro tortured her all the time. He didn’t care about how she felt. It was all a lie to get into her pants but the way he gripped her hand gently made her feel otherwise.
“What happened to you?” She let out. Her voice was hoarse. “You never cared about me. Why do you suddenly care?”
Her blurry vision stared at him. Despite not seeing him clearly, he didn’t look as though he was enjoying her plight.
Leading her to the bed, he let her lay on it and he placed his hand on her head. “How long have you been sick?” He asked.
“Sick?” Arabella mumbled. “I’m not sick. I want to stand.”
“Very well.” He said, helping her up again.
Was she dreaming? Arabella frowned. How was he kind to her? She was his freaking sworn enemy and the woman he wanted to kill by all means!
“Who are you and where is Sandro?”
An amused smile curved up Sandro’s lip. “That is the last thing you need to be worried about now. I need to take you to Francis.”
Without further discussion from her, he carried her bridal style and strode out of the room, leaving her speechless.
********
“Hey.”
Francis stared at Sandro as he caressed Arabella’s cheek, then at Janice who stood snarling at him.
“Believe the shit he does at your risk. He’s a piece of crap.”
“Maybe he’s sorry for all that he did to her,” Francis said.
“Sandro is a bastard and he can never be sorry. Don’t tell me you are falling for this. I know Arabella is an airhead and will believe he turned good for her which we all know is a lie.”
“I can hear you.” Sandro glared at Janice.
“I know.” She shrugged.
Sandro sighed, ignoring her and staring at Arabella. He gripped her hand. “Will you be fine?”
“This is weird,” Arabella mumbled, staring at their intertwined hand. “Why are you doing this? I’m an orphan and I have no one to give you ransom if that’s where you are aiming at.”
Sandro tossed his head back and let out a peal of laughter. “Whatever do I need your money for?”
“I don’t know,” Arabella said in a small voice. “Just stop acting weird.”
“Helping you is acting weird?”
She nodded. “Seeing as you never helped me before now.”
Sandro nodded and heaved a breath. “Very well.”
He stood from the bed and stepped towards Francis who jerked, dashing away from where Janice stood.
Janice tsked, rolling her eyes. She stepped away from the door towards Arabella.
“I’m leaving you in her care,” Sandro said.
Francis nodded hastily. “Yes.” He let out, ignoring the glint in Sandro’s eyes.
He let his eyes move towards Arabella and he shook his head. “Is she hurt anywhere? I mean any physical injury?”
“Are you insinuating I hit her?” Sandro raised a brow.
“I-I didn’t say that!” Francis stuttered. His eyes flickered to Janice who was watching him and she shrugged.
“Help me,” Francis mouthed.NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.
Janice rolled her eyes.
“Did you call your girlfriend here to help you?” Sandro chuckled.
“I’m not his girlfriend.” Janice retorted faster than Francis would have wanted.
Hurt flashed in his eyes briefly but it didn’t go unnoticed by Sandro.
The latter parted his back, “Women are like that sometimes. Watch Arabella. I’m sure you won’t want to get on my bad side.”
Sandro said and stepped out of the room.
Janice stared at Francis. “I didn’t mean it that way.” She started.
Francis wondered if she didn’t. He couldn’t tell if she was lying or not as he was unable to read her thoughts.
Moreover, she had never really fancied him as he did to her, he believed.
“I guess I won’t be the first to be rejected this way and definitely won’t be the last either.”
Francis shrugged and moved away from Janice.
Janice grimaced. “Me and my big mouth.”
“If you are done, can you help me with this? She needs to take some drugs and it is only the flu she caught, thankfully.”
Janice sighed. She moved to where Francis stood and gripped the paper he stretched out to her. Perusing it, she creased her brows.
“Why are you giving her all these and were we not warned never to go to the Rosette empire to get any of these?”
The Rosette empire wasn’t just a household, it was a huge company that sells anything. From drugs to ammunition and literally, anything could be found there.
However, it was somewhat costly.
And the downside was, they never sold it out to just anyone. Only people who had the password could enter through the gate.
Janice wondered how whoever had gotten the drugs got past the gatekeepers and the questions always tossed at people.
He or she must be intelligent and good at disguise.
Yet, she knew there was only one person and that was Blaze.
“It is the boss’s order.” Francis let out. “He’s trying to get something from her. I believe that is the reason he’s acting up.”
“Goodness, I’ll kill him if he tries shit.” Janice scrunched up the paper in her hand and stalked out of the room.
“What was that about?” Arabella asked. She had been watching them whisper but she didn’t want to interrupt their conversation as he wanted to know what they were talking about. But their voices were too low, making it difficult for her.
“It’s nothing.” Francis flashed her a smile. “How do you feel?”
Arabella breathed out. She rolled her eyes as she felt he was evading her question. Nonetheless, she answered him. “Good, I guess.”
Francis nodded. “You’ll be okay.” He assured.
Arabella smiled at him as he left the room. She got comfortable on the bed and wondered where Blaze was. She had sent Janice to fetch him whilst they were discussing. Now, she doubted he was anywhere around the De Luca’s building.
Because he should be the one by her side.
Her mind wandered back to Sandro’s odd behaviour, then to Blaze and then to the kiss.
Her cheeks reddened and she shut her eyes before opening them.
As soon as she did, the door went ajar and her eyes collided with the blazing brown orbs of Blaze.