Ding-Dong…
Brandon folded the paper he was reading and placed it next to him on the sofa. He was about to stand up when Yasmin stopped him.
"I will check." She rose to her feet and went to the front door.
When she opened the door, she saw Declan. His glum expression made her stomach clench. But she managed to smile.
"Please, come in." She gestured for him to come in.
"I am not here to sit around and talk," he hissed. "Say goodbye to your parents."
"Have a cup of coffee at least."
He held up his index finger to say something. He came to a standstill when he saw Brandon behind her.
"Declan... It's good to see you here." Brandon smiled a little. "Come in."
"Another time," Declan responded coldly, shoving his hands inside his pockets. He shifted his gaze to Yasmin and motioned for her to come out with a nod.
Yasmin was disappointed with him. She wondered why he couldn't stay with her parents for a while. She pouted and went into the kitchen to say bye to her mother.
"You must be busy." Brandon chuckled awkwardly. "I would appreciate it if you could join us for dinner."
"Not today. But we will be having dinner together soon. Anyway, please let me know next time she comes here. I get worried when I can't reach her on the phone."
Declan exuded a vibe of hostility, but at the same time, he sounded worried for Yasmin.
Brandon was unsure whether to feel happy or panicked. He nodded and murmured in a trance, "Sure, sure."
"Bye, dad." Meanwhile, Yasmin came over and hugged him. "Take care. I will call you later."
"Hmm." He patted her head.
Yasmin went out soon thereafter. She glanced at Declan while going towards the elevator. She couldn't muster her courage to say anything after noticing his sullen look.
Declan pressed the down button and waited for the elevator to come. He looked at the display, flashing the floor number.
The lift started moving upward from the ground floor and paused at the third floor. It started moving again after some time.
"Why did you hang up on me?" He asked with a cold tone.
"I… No…" Yasmin sulked. "My phone died."
Declan turned to her. "Why don't you charge your phone?"
Yasmin grew irritated at his interrogation. She lifted her chin and looked at the lift. "If someone keeps calling, the battery will eventually die."
"Are you annoyed because I called?"
Yasmin faked a smile at him. "I am so glad that you called. However, you should stop calling if no one answers the phone." She glared at him, her smile fading.
Declan moved in closer at lightning speed, holding up his index finger. Yasmin took a frantic step back, her pupils dilating. She got scared, looking at his murderous look.
Ding…
The elevator arrived, and the door opened with a swish.
Declan stepped back and squared his shoulders, slipping his hands into his pockets. Two women and a middle-aged man came out, chattering and laughing, followed by a young man doing something on the phone.
Declan and Yasmin boarded the lift. They were deafeningly quiet. They kept their expressions gloomy. No one was ready to start a conversation.
Declan was already in a sour mood. He expected her to apologize for not returning his calls, but she complained about his calling her over and over. It fueled his anger.
Yasmin was equally annoyed with him. She intended to dine with her parents. She considered inviting him to eat there when she learned he was coming over. But Declan didn't even enter the house, let alone eat anything.
She kept her gaze fixed on the changing numbers on the LED screen, resisting the urge to look at him. Her rebellious mind was dying to look at him.
'Control…' She clutched the straps of her bag and forcefully kept looking at the screen. Her skin started pricking as she sensed his gaze on her. She wanted to run out.
'Why is the elevator moving so slow?'
Ding…
The elevator finally stopped at the ground floor. She breathed a sigh of relief and walked out without glancing at him.
Clomp-Clomp-Clomp…
The footsteps behind her were steady. It was neither fast nor slow.
Yasmin felt a chill on her back. She wondered how mere footsteps could be so daunting.
Declan drove straight home as soon as they got into the car. He maintained the silence, his face glum, his eyes on the road.
Yasmin couldn't stop peeking at him this time. She could hardly stay silent. She had so much to say to him but didn't know where to start.
"I am sorry." She finally broke the silence with an apology. "I didn't know you would come back early. So, I went to see my parents."
Declan didn't respond to her. He kept driving, focusing his gaze on the road.
"Don't be mad at me."
"Don't forget to inform me the next time you go out. At the very least, I won't have to worry. And remember to check your phone. I don't like it when people don't answer my calls." He cast a fleeting glance at her and asked, "Why didn't you respond to my calls?"
"I was talking to Mommy in the kitchen, and the phone was in the hall… in silent mode." She added the last three words after a while.
"Do not put your phone on silent."
The rest of the journey went in silence. The car came to a halt in front of the villa almost an hour later.
They went inside the house.
Harry hurried to the kitchen when he saw them coming. He called Amy and asked her to warm the food.
Yasmin went to the closet to change her dress when she entered the room, while Declan stood by the bed and took off his coat.
He removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt sleeves. "Did you go anywhere before your parents' house?" He finally asked what had been bothering him for so long.
"Yeah. I met someone at college. We then went to a café."
"I knew it," he murmured, gritting his teeth. "She couldn't wait to spend time with her ex."
Yasmin came out of the closet with a sweet smile on her face. She looked stunning in those white trousers and a baby-pink top. The pink gave her a fresh look.
Declan felt something fluttering inside his ribcage, his eyes glued to her. The rage he was feeling right now vanished instantly. He wanted nothing but to take her in his arms and kiss her.
"I met Grace," she said.
Declan's face immediately darkened when he heard the name Grace. He started palpitating. A lump formed in his stomach and rose to his throat, choking him.
Unaware of his uneasiness, Yasmin continued, "She is such a kind woman. She took me to a café and gave me a ride to my parents' house. And look at this." She opened the blue box and showed the rings to him. She gave me these as a wedding gift. I invited her to come here and dine with us."
Declan snatched the box from her and threw it away. The box crashed to the carpeted floor, and the rings rolled down.
Yasmin covered her mouth instantly, staring at the rings. Before she could recover from the shock, Declan yanked her arm and pulled her in closer.
"Listen very carefully, Yasmin," Declan grumbled, his eyes fiery. "Stay away from that woman."
"Why?" Yasmin was terrified to death. She had no idea how she had summoned the courage to question him.
"Don't ask anything." He turned aside, releasing her.
"But I want to know."
"She is not good for you," he snarled, turning back to her.
"She was so nice to me. She didn't look harmful. And she said…"
"I don't want to hear anything about her," he snapped. He felt as if his veins were about to burst. His hands formed tight balls as he tried to keep his rage in check. "Listen…" His tone was gentler this time. "She is not a good woman, okay? She can brainwash you. She may teach you bad things or even turn you against the Wilsons."
"Why do you think that way?" She frowned even more. "She said nothing bad about the family. I can tell that she likes you."
"Are you going to believe me or that stranger?"
Yasmin blinked, puzzled.
"Answer me," he roared, squeezing her arms.
"Of course, I will believe you," she yelled frantically.
Declan hung his head down, letting out a deep sigh. His grip on her arms remained firm.
Yasmin stood there numb, searching for his eyes. She grew worried, looking at his anxiety. She was curious about Grace and her relationship with Declan.
"Declan…"
"Remember what you said." He dashed out the door.