Chapter 31: Chapter Thirty ✓

Chapter Thirty:

Emberly's POV:

I wanted to open my mouth to defend myself, to apologise but no words came out.  I was too shocked to even move. I panicked immediately. I literally felt like someone has punched me in the stomach. My head felt dizzy and a thousand thoughts and questions swarmed my brain. Now she would think I was a home wrecker. What if she assumed I was cheating with him behind her back? I was familiar with the feeling and trust me when they say it was the worst feeling ever, they were not lying. I blinked back my tears.

"Here I was worried about the wedding and I find you busy with some fling." She said sarcastically.

"She is not a fling." He snapped back at her and turned around to face me. When he saw my condition, his face displayed concern as he tried to touch my hand. I moved back instantly as if his touch burned me and he frowned in confusion.

"She looks like one." She snapped back and shifted her gaze to my face.

I was expecting hurt, hatred, and betrayal from her but instead I got a confused expression then a soft smile. I snapped from my trance as she kept smiling warmly at me. Much to my horror, she just winked at me. Both of them started walking inside yet I stood still gawking at their backs. Why wasn't she angry? Better yet why was she not yelling? That would've been the first reaction that came to my mind if I had been in her place, yet she looked so calm. Arran stopped walking when he realised I was nowhere to be seen; he turned around and narrowed his eyes at me. I nearly tripped over my own feet as I followed them.

"Can you just tell me what the hell you are doing here?" Arran asked her once we were in the living room.

"Nick hasn't answered his phone. I've been calling him since yesterday but he isn't answering." She sniffed softly and sat down.

Now that we were inside, I could see her properly. She was indeed beautiful and from corner of my eyes I could see a diamond ring on her left hand bedazzling the whole room.  Okay not really but the thing was huge!

"I don't blame him." Arran muttered but we both heard it clearly. She glared at him.

"I'm just worried, Arran. First he ignores all the calls and then he won't show up. I can feel it." She rubbed her temples warily.

"You are just exaggerating stuff. Cut him some slack, he has a lot on his mind." He replied sharply and it was my turn to glare at him. He shrugged his shoulders in response.

"Like what?" She scoffed.

"Like getting married!" He replied in the same tone and by now I was beyond confused.

"Who is Nick?" I blurted out in bewilderment.

"My fiancé who is ignoring me." She responded to me stiffly. My eyes nearly bulged out.

"What?" Arran questioned me noticing my expression. I opened my mouth but then shut it tightly.

"I thought... Wait how do you both know each other again?" I asked them.

"We're cousins." Both answered in unison.

What the actual f...

All this time I thought they were in a relationship when the truth was that they were both cousins. I didn't know whether to be happy over the fact that they weren't getting married or be a bit sad at how stupid and idiotic I was. First the princess thing and now I find out this. I think when the angel was granting everyone with intelligence, he purposely skipped me so I could make a fool out of myself every chance I had.

Damn it.

"I think you should give him some space. He's already stressing out with all this; he doesn't need a whiny bitch on his case all the time." He said uncaringly and we both gasped. I had an urge to smack him on his head. What an insensitive thing to say to someone who was about to get married in two weeks time.

"Sometimes I forget how brutal you can get." She said bitterly while he just smirked. I couldn't agree more.

Oh. My. God. Why couldn't I see it before? They both resembled each other a tiny bit and I should never forget it was Arran we were talking about. My heart started racing. I grinned but I quickly wiped the smile when I caught them staring at me with strange expressions.

"Excuse me, I need to use the toilet." I said shyly, barely containing my happiness.

"Sure, you know your way." He smiled at me and I returned it with my own.

"Who is she again?" She furrowed her eyebrows together.

"Oh, I'm Emberly. I work for Arran." I introduced myself happily.

"She is my friend." He said at the same time.

Our eyes widened and we both looked away quickly. His cousin... ha I totally loved calling her that, looked at us both with a secretive smile.

"I'm Victoria but you can call me Tori." She smiled with a raised brow at Arran, who rolled his eyes.

"I'll be right back." I said awkwardly. It seemed like they were having a private conversation with their eyes.

"Yeah so help me Arran... talk to him." I heard her saying to him.

I walked around aimlessly, barely concealing my happiness. Cherry was right, I did assume thing a lot. It was an old habit of mine and this wasn't the first time I had done it. I assumed 'princess' was his fiancée whereas it was a cute, little doll and I really thought he was getting married when the truth was, it was his cousin who was getting married. I also assumed he was cheating with Lucy when they were just having dinner! See this was the thing with Arran; he made me come to all of these assumptions. It might have been a selfish of me to blame him but I seriously could not fully admit to what an idiot I had been.

God, talk about embarrassment. I stopped walking and did the first thing to numb my embarrassment. I banged my head into the nearest wall. Yup, like that would help.

"What are you doing?" A deep yet concerned voice echoed in my ears.

You see how easy it was to embarrass myself? I faced him and grimaced when I saw amusement in his eyes. Glad that someone was finding this situation amusing.

"I... I got lost." I lied, blushing furiously.

"And you thought by banging your head against a wall you would remember?" He arched his eyebrow and I blushed.

"No... yes... uhm I don't know." I mumbled.

"This way." He chuckled and gestured for me to follow him.

"Hey Arran...?" I suddenly remembered something.

"Hmm?"

"Cut her some slack. She is getting married; she doesn't need you taunting her." I told him, stopping midway on the stairs. He stopped too and faced me.

"I'm not taunting her." He said in confusion and I nearly rolled my eyes.

"Sure, you're not. Just don't be harsh." I told him softly.

"I am not." His tone was strong and it made me a little angry.

"Just look at her face, the poor girl is so tired." I tried to reason out.

It was true, Tori came to his house for some support and he was acting his usual arrogant self. She might have not said it but I could see the worry lines on her face. Her husband-to-be was ignoring he, she had every right to be anxious.

"No, she is not." He said stubbornly and this time I really wanted to whack him on his head.

"Who isn't what?" Tori appeared out of nowhere and questioned us.

He opened his mouth to probably blurt everything out but my glare stopped him. I motioned him to say something to Tori who was waiting for a reply. He sighed.

"Why don't you take a day off and spend a day together with Nick? Like before. I'll arrange it." He said while rubbing the back of his neck. I suppressed my smile when Tori's eyes widened.

"What about the wedding preparations?" She asked dejectedly.

"I'll call Courtney and she'll do it for you." He muttered.

"Oh my god. Really?" She squealed. Whoever this Courtney was, she seemed pretty famous to make her this excited.

"Yeah." He rolled his eyes.

"Thank you... Emberly." She turned to me and hugged me tightly. I wasn't expecting that at all so I staggered a bit and hugged her back hesitantly.

"What? Why are you thanking her?" He asked in disbelief.

"I know she convinced you." She broke the hug and beamed at me.

"Whatever." He muttered and picked up his beeping phone. He excused himself.

"I've heard a lot about you." She said, smiling warmly at me.

"I hope it's all good." I laughed nervously.

"Not entirely. Thank you Emberly." She said sincerely, shocking me a bit.

"No seriously, I didn't do anything." I said, frowning. It wasn't a big deal. He came up with the idea.

"I meant for not giving up on him. I know how... difficult he can be but I've seen the way he looks at you and trust me, you're special to him." She touched my arm gently.

Now, I was completely silent. Any time now, she would tell me that she was joking and she would laugh at me and Arran would join her too but instead of that happening, she kept looking at me warmly with a strange emotion in her eyes.

"I... don't know what to say." I said truthfully and she giggled.

"Just take care of him." She told me and again I was momentarily speechless.

Everyone around Arran was deeply concerned about him. Whether it was his father or his best friend, everyone was protecting him in a strange way. They thought I could change him but all I wanted was to ask them why. Why me? What must have happened to make him this way? Why did they all seem to understand the reason behind his behaviour? According to them he wasn't always like this so then what had happened? And then they say he had been through a lot. Even I came across many of his different moods, some appealing and some unpleasant but that was what he was. As soon as he felt like someone was getting to know the real him, he shut himself down completely.

Maybe, I could ask her instead. I wanted to respect his privacy but at the same time I wanted to know him better. I opened my mouth to ask her but Arran beat me to it by approaching us.

"Do you want to go home?" He glanced at me briefly before typing furiously in his phone.

"Yeah. Can you drop me off?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Sure Tori, are you staying?" He turned his attention to his cousin.

"No I'm going to check on my husband to be and maybe we can rekindle our relationship." She giggled causing him to grimace.

"Too much information. All right then, good night and take care. Call me if you need anything." He hugged Tori who whispered something in his ear. His green orbs widened and turned to meet mine.

"Will do and it was nice meeting you." She turned her head to me and smiled once more.

"Shall we?" He asked me and I nodded.

"Your cousin was nice." I whispered softly once we were in the car.

"And crazy." He muttered, driving the car smoothly. Strangely, he didn't ask for   the directions to my house. He had only dropped me off once before.

"She is getting married, that's why." I closed my eyes and sighed.

Cousin or not, she was lucky to find someone she was willing to spend her whole life with. We all secretly wished for that one who was willing to accept us with all our flaws, someone you could be yourself with without scaring them away. I wondered what my other half was doing right at this moment. Please don't be in prison. I didn't realise I had fallen asleep until Arran nudged me softly. I yawned and slid out of the car.

"I had a great time." I told him when we were near my house door.

"You don't need to lie." He rolled his eyes and I chuckled.

"Take care and thanks for the ride." I inserted the key into the keyhole. I could feel my bed calling for me. I was about to go inside when he called me.

"Hey there's a thing at my parents house. Do you want to go?" He asked me timidly.

I stared at him as if he had asked me for my lungs. Childish, I know but I was in a state of shock. He had his hands inside his pockets and he was looking nervous. Arran Raymond was nervous!

"What thing?" I creased my brows together and questioned him warily.

"Just a family dinner." He informed me casually but he still seemed hesitant.

A family dinner at the senior Raymond house didn't sound to pleasant to me. His whole family would be there and I barely knew anyone. It would be too awkward for me to be there with the rest of them.

"I don't know it sounds too personal. It would feel awkward." I told him truthfully.

"Why?" He frowned.

"You're my boss remember." I informed him and he narrows his eyes like I had said the dumbest thing ever.

"I'll introduce you as my friend." He looked satisfied with his solution and for a second I forgot he was my boss but when I realised what he said, I frowned.

Who is he and what has he done with Arran? He is willing to introduce me as a friend?

"I still don't know." I rubbed the side of my arm nervously.

"Just say yes." He insisted, his eyes were pleading with me.

What was the worst thing that could happen? What if it turned out well? I was getting a chance to know him so why pass on this opportunity?

"Fine, I'll go." I sighed and his lips curved up in a bright smile.

"Thanks Emberly."

Then I remembered my biggest worry. I didn't even know how many people were going to be there. What would his mother think? Relax Emberly; it is just a dinner not an introduction with your in-laws! I groaned internally when I realized what it might imply. What have I done?

"What shall I wear?" I asked hastily.

"You look beautiful in anything..." His eyes widened when he realised what he said and he looked away immediately. I grinned as he tried to mask his slip up with a stern expression.

"Thank you." I mumbled and looked away.

"Bye Emberly, I'll pick you up at 7. Be ready or else you won't get paid this month." He ordered as I rolled my eyes.

I watched him drive away and sighed dreamily. An old lady who lived across the street gave me a strange look through her window and I blushed. I scurried to my room and called Cherry first who informed me she would be home in 10 minutes. I slipped out of the dress and swore to never wear it again. After a quick shower, which helped me with my tense muscles, I laid on my bed and thought about everything that had happened tonight. About Cherry's dress to the near kiss, then finding out it was his cousin's wedding all long and lastly, about the invitation.

I looked over to my left where the clock displayed 2am. My stomach was fluttering in anticipation. Was I really ready to meet his family? The answer was no but for once I was excited to get to know him better.

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I know you might hate me for not uploading sooner but I swear I got the shittest timetable ever :( I've only got one day off and 3 days I've got lectured till 7 :/ came home 5 minutes ago... I will try my best to upload once a week but I'm not sure... I commute via train so it's hard for me to squeeze a time to write... hope you guys can understand my situation.

As usual, Mia edited this chapter for me ^.^ iluwyouhun x

This chapter is dedicated to kabikabii for making a lovely banner at the side ^.^ thank you hun x

After reading this chapter I bet you all can breathe now :P let me know how was this chapter and please don't forget to vote... can I get another 2k?

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