Bought For A Baby, Kept For A Lifetime-Chapter 242: Fear

"So basically she wants you to stay away because she feels you’re crossing the lines of your contract, is that what happened?"

The grand modern penthouse had an open design and breathtaking windows that overlooked a dazzling city skyline, at night it dazzled like a gazillion stars in the distance. Andrew could be seen standing before those windows, his expression distant despite the fact that the magnificent views of the highest towers in the city glimmering right before his eyes were immensely catching.

A dark brown liquid sat inside the small glass he held in his hand, and as his thoughts seemed to lead somewhere that made his jaw clench tightly in what felt like anger or just someone holding back their emotions, he raised the glass to his lips and sipped from it as if using the drink to chase away the emotions.

Shawn was sitting in the massive L-shaped sectional grey sofa that faced the windows allowing for anyone sitting there to enjoy the breathtaking views, he kept his glass of whiskey upon the sleek round coffee table placed in front of the sofa and got on his feet walking over to Andrew who acted as if he hadn’t heard his question. It felt as if this question triggered him in a way that made him fall silent all of a sudden.

Shawn could understand. A relationship born from something that started as a deal, a mere contract was bound to have it’s sour points. These sour points would remain in the relationship unless a new name was given to that relationship.

That new name could only be given to the relationship if one of the parties opened up about their feelings and emotions.

In this case, Shawn believed the man should step up after all the whole thing had been started by him.

"I know you must be feeling frustrated right now, and this frustration will only continue if your relationship with her goes on like this. Yes, she is your wife right now, but then again she isn’t."

Shawn was standing right next to Andrew enjoying the views as well, however as he spoke the last words Andrew’s gaze shifted to him sharply, he could feel Andrew’s eyes burning a harsh glare on him.

"I didn’t say anything wrong, she isn’t really your wife if she became your wife in the first place only after signing papers that bound her to divorce you a year or so later."

The steel sharpness of Andrew’s gaze seemed to suddenly melt away as he realized the meaning behind Shawn’s words.

"It’s your responsibility to fix the flaw in your relationship, you have to eliminate what once bound you together which is none other than the contract."

"I said I’d destroy the damn contract." Andrew finally uttered, his voice irrepressibly thick and hoarse.

"Just destroying the contract isn’t enough." Shawn countered and he heard Andrew chuckle in a bitter tone.

"She said the same thing."

Shawn wasn’t surprised to hear that. Saying he would destroy the contract wasn’t enough to change the status of their relationship.

It was just like a fire starting in a home and the owner of the place choosing to open the windows to let the smoke out rather than addressing the fire itself. One has to address the root before fixing the problem, but his friend whose EQ was lower than the average person’s wouldn’t know that right off the bat would he.

"Man, you still have a lot to learn." Shawn sighed to himself before he continued, "Instead of destroying the contract without basis, you have to introduce a new bond into your relationship with her, which is love."

"I know what I feel Shawn, you don’t have to teach me about love."

"Really? Then if your feelings are so clear, have you made them clear to her?" As Shawn asked this question, he noticed Andrew stiffen, his fingers clutched his glass tighter but he didn’t change his facial expression.

"If you know love so much, why haven’t you told her yet? You do know that if you love someone, you’re supposed to tell her right?"

Andrew was silent for quite a while, Shawn couldn’t guess what was on his mind.

"I also know that being there, protecting her, holding her, loving her are also ways to make her feel it." Andrew spoke quietly as if he said these words to himself rather than to Shawn who he was having a conversation with.

"Words have a stronger effect my friend." Shawn said. "Unless..." He trailed off looking as if he had just thought about something.

"... unless you’re not telling her, not because you don’t want to but because deep down you’re afraid?"

"I’m not afraid, stop talking nonsense." Andrew said rigidly, this time downing the remaining contents of his glass, without waiting for Shawn to say anything else he turned back, strode to the table and poured himself another drink.

"No, you are!" Shawn exclaimed, his voice holding both amusement and disbelief. He watched Andrew down another glass and almost laughed out loud when he deduced he was actually right in his guess.

Shawn went on to press Andrew for a few minutes more, noticing Andrew continued to avoid answering this specific question, both men went in circles with the conversation until Shawn succeeded in pushing Andrew’s button and the latter finally exploded in annoyance, admitting to it.

"She might not be in love with me right now okay?" As Andrew blurted these words he halted, standing stiff for a long time. Shawn allowed him to sit with the words he just admitted because in all honesty he had never once seen Andrew admit to any weakness until this woman came into his life. These new things, feelings, love, and accepting things he thought were weaknesses, it would take a while for him to fully adjust to them.

"I was horrible to her, I made her my wife even if she wasn’t willing. I did it for my own ambition, I’m surprised she doesn’t hate me. Tell me, would a woman love a man who was nothing but a monster to her?"

He said these words out loud, he admitted to them.

Some part of him always knew this but he never consciously accepted it.

He knew every woman wanted a beautiful wedding but he had taken that kind of life from her the moment he had made her sign the contract to marry him. Their marriage...it was like keeping her in a prison where the prospects of her life had been taken away from her, but still he kept her and wouldn’t even think about doing it any other way, wouldn’t even think about not having married her because he was inherently selfish and he would do it all over again just to make her his wife.

Anne was pure and good, she had the kind of good in her that he didn’t have. Would her heart choose to love him?

"I don’t plan to ever let her go, not now, not even ten years from now. My feelings...I plan to tell her when I know her heart already let me in. When I know she has fallen in love with me too."

Maybe deep inside somewhere within, he was a coward. He had been strong all his life, had braved through so many things, so many challenges, but he admitted that he was scared, extremely scared of letting her see the feelings in his heart and she didn’t feel the same. Scared of her rejecting his feelings. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

It could be said that Anne held the very weapon that could break his heart and shatter his soul. And just like every business transaction he ever participated in, he never went into it without certain expectations and predictions of a hundred percent profit yield, him falling in love hadn’t been expected, neither had he predicted it, but he would never allow losing her to come unexpected as well. Which was why he was careful, loving her without saying the words.

Andrew heard Shawn let out a low chuckle, "It seems the great Andrew Sterling who isn’t even scared of bullets considering how many times you’ve been shot already, finally has one fear. But you don’t have to be so careful or calculating when it comes to matters of the heart. For all you know, she might feel the exact same way for you too, right now as we speak."

When Shawn felt Andrew suddenly look at him, he turned to face him fully.

"If you know nothing about women let me just tell you right now, a woman wouldn’t give her soul, her body, her tenderness to a man who means absolutely nothing. Sometimes all it takes is you looking deep in her eyes, don’t let your mind try to conjure up the hundred and one things you must have done to make it impossible for her to love you, let your heart see her heart through her eyes, you will surely know if she loves you or not."