Chapter 415 - Four Hundred And Fifteen: Treacherous Thoughts

The third point of view:

Anabelle was free at last and that had to be the happiest day of her life, however, to her horror, it wasn't. The girl couldn't explain it but she wanted more time with Julie.

It was true that the asshole bullied and made her do difficult things - some of them being things she had never done in her entire life- but he never made her do inappropriate things and knew how to appease her anger. Although he hadn't been that sweet the first time they met, Anabelle had come to discover that was the mask he hid beneath; he always appeared to be tough and uncaring. But in reality, he was a big, bad, softie.

It was true that when Anabelle was freed from that contract, she had been over the moon and happily sent every single video of her celebratory cruising to him yet waited for his opinion - which didn't fail her expectation. Julie had the special talent of demoralizing a person's confidence with just a speech, but she didn't take it to heart knowing he didn't mean it - it was one of his great pretenses. 

Then it dawned on Annabelle, since when did she learn to understand him this much? This was someone who had broken her heart to the extent she had sworn never to get married - said out of disappointment at that moment, common people, heartbreak hurts like a bitch. How could men be this heartless? Dabbling with one's feelings?

Recognizing her sudden feelings for him, Anabelle drew back, discovering she had overstepped a boundary she shouldn't have. But then, it hasn't been easy. She fought against the urge to pick up her phone, call him up and quibble like they usually do. When did they grow this close? She couldn't possibly be that deeply in love with him. Oh no, she was doomed. 

Anabelle wasn't a sucker for pain or something and had learned from her first experience. Julie was not the type to love a woman, he was a player. Moreover, even if by chance he truly felt something for her, it would never grow into anything special. Why? Because he was Isabella's fiancée and the Julie she knew would never go against his grandfather. It was ingrained in him, the boy loved the old man to the bones and would never make him unhappy.

For the first time in her life, Anabelle loathed her cousin, Isabella. Who gave her the right to own everything she wanted? First, it had been Pedro and although that relationship had been based on her great need for companionship, it was still something and she snatched it away. 

Now, destiny gave her Julie by chance, it was love at first bra, yeah, no, you know what, forget the fact she had seen him at a lingerie store. But the point was that things wouldn't have blown out of proportion if Isabella had just glued her butt to a chair. Yes, she understood Isabella had done it to get revenge for her, but her angry self didn't want to acknowledge that as of now. Why does her cousin always get the best ones? It just made her insanely annoyed.

The girl was so bitter inwardly that when Israel had called her up on a date, she took it. Anabelle needed a distraction, something to take her mind off the fact she might have fallen in love a second time with a guy that shattered her heart - a guy she could never have because he was beyond reach. It was humiliating and heartbreaking - that affection was doomed to fail before it even began. 

However, that date might have been for nothing because her mind wandered off now and then to him. The only thing Israel proved to her was that he was a good distraction - not at all times though. Israel was actually a good friend but he just couldn't hold her interest as much as Julie did. To Anabelle, Julie was like a blend of sunshine mixed with danger. He was positive, of course, but there was this thrilling sense of precariousness about him that turned her on. 

So when that date with Israel ended, Anabelle was clear on what, no, who, she wanted. Sadly enough, she couldn't have him. Plus the fact she learned never to throw herself at a man as she did in her other relationship - with Pedro. She decided to bury her feelings for Julie while planning to withdraw from their newfound friendship - there was nothing friendly about her feelings for him. 

However, withdrawing so quickly would draw suspicion and trust her when she said Julie was stubborn, like incredibly headstrong. He would begin to probe her for the sudden change and God damns her if she dares confess. So Anabelle began by limiting the "hours" they spoke on phone, stopped sending him videos of herself and prayed he got bored of her and moved onto another "friend". However, the reverse was the case, the boy kept calling which made her wonder if he even had a life. 

She had seen his friends that day at the racing track, doesn't he hang with them or something? The long hours he spent teasing, bullying, and infuriating her on the phone were suspicious. What about Israel? Don't Julie hang out with him? Wasn't there a belief that guys like sharing secrets with fellow guys? Why was she the one hearing the eww-worthy stuff he ever did? 

Well, here was the pathetic her, currently hiding in the backyard of the church, waiting out for him to leave - nobody would miss her presence anyway. Anabelle had a feeling that Julie and his stern-looking grandfather - it seems - would attend the burial today - honestly, she never expected his grandpa here - and had prepared herself mentally. But then, imagining and seeing him physically were two different things, so when their eyes met, she panicked. 

Her heart pounded so loudly blood rushed to her head and she felt dizzy. Anabelle scowled at the reaction, deciding to disappear before she made the mistake of introducing herself to grandfather dearest. Who was she kidding? She bet the man would have no interest in her. Anabelle snorted, why would he be intrigued when he had a perfect daughter-in-law called Isabella. Her cousin Isabella was the perfect, capable, beautiful, and know it all child. Who wouldn't like her? Even Julie liked her. 

Anabelle felt like a bitch with the treacherous thoughts inside of her towards Isabella. She loved her cousin but this wasn't a good time for her. Seeing Isabella with Pedro and knowing she had another standby called Judy at her side just made her envious and bitter. She better wallow in self-pity outside than transfer this strong aggression on someone else. 

So she squatted down on the tiled floor, leaning back against the church pillar and grateful for the fact that there was no audience to witness her in one of her lowest moments. Or so she thought because Anabelle felt that feeling of being watched from earlier and turned around, only to release a startled breath. 

Tell her this was a dream. No, slap her. 

No way, what was he doing here?