"Declan, you can't do this to me," Tina yelled, leaping to her feet. "You are lying. You are a liar." She sobbed, helplessly staring at his retreating form.
Declan walked in without even a hint of hesitation as if he hadn't heard her. He mercilessly trampled on her dream of being his wife.
Tina's heart shattered into a million pieces. She got the impression from his retreating form that he was also walking away from her life.
"No..." She shook her head. "No, no, no…" she yelled, her eyes obscuring with rage. "You can't leave me like this. You have to come back to me. Declan, you are mine."
When Yasmin walked into the foyer, she saw Declan coming in. Oblivious to his sour mood, she approached him with a smile. But he stormed into the hall, not even looking at her.
Yasmin stalled and peered at his back, figuring something was not right. The click-clack noise of heels made her look toward the entrance, only to see Tina approaching. It made her frown, as she assumed Declan and Tina were together.
She fisted her hands tightly, feeling resentful.
Tina also stopped right in front of her, casting her a scornful look. "What? Are you jealous?" She sneered. "This is the reality that you may not be aware of. Declan and I are in love with each other. He is upset with me because of some misunderstandings. He will come back to me once his anger subsides. No business deal or family pressure can keep us separate for long. Be wise, and leave him. This will keep you from getting hurt."
"Do you think I'll leave him because you say so?" Yasmin scoffed and cast her a disdainful look. "Who are you? His ex? Uh…" She chuckled dryly. "I don't think so. I have never heard of Declan dating anyone. Because of this, he was rumored to be gay. I remember the entire city gossiping about it."
She went in closer and looked straight into her eyes, tilting her head to the side. "Why didn't you come out and clear the air if you were his girlfriend? Why didn't you make your relationship public? Were you having fun hearing people talk about his sexuality? What kind of girlfriend you are?"
'Liar,' she murmured this word in her mind.
"Declan has no feelings for you," she stated sternly, taking a step back. "You are the one who fantasizes about him. Stop thinking about him."
She walked into the hall, leaving Tina writhing in anger. She clutched her skirt to keep her hands from shaking, but she couldn't stop her heart from trembling in trepidation. When she didn't see Declan in the hall, she became more anxious.
Yasmin looked around the empty hall, not knowing where to find him. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. She was not sure what she would say out of jealousy and resentment if Tina provoked her again. A thin layer of sweat covered her face.
In the meantime, she noticed him exiting Helena's room. She ran over to him.
Declan frowned at her. He took his time looking at her before asking, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." She mustered a smile, trying to calm herself. "Should we go back? I need to finish my homework."
"Hmm." Declan nodded and walked out, holding her hand.
Tina was still in the foyer.
Yasmin kept her gaze on her, hiding the uneasiness deep within her. She sensed Declan slowing his pace. His fingers interlaced tightly with hers.
She held his wrist, giving him a smile. Declan also smiled back at her, his grip on her hand loosening slightly.
Intimate glances and smiles between them made Tina's heart charred. She quivered as she watched them walk out. Helpless anger simmered in her. This helplessness soon transformed into determination.
She was not someone who would accept defeat. She ruthlessly wiped the tears that had streamed down her cheeks. "You have messed up with the wrong person, Yasmin. You will have to pay for it. Declan is mine. I will take him back. And if he can't be mine, I won't let him be anyone else's either."
She stood there, fists clenched, watching the Rolls Royce drive out of the main gate.
***
The journey was quiet. Declan kept his gaze on the road, his face sullen. Yasmin leaned back in her seat, her gaze fixed on the road ahead through the windshield. She couldn't get Tina's words out of her head, no matter how many times she tried.
'What kind of misunderstanding was she talking about?'
She was a bit hesitant to believe what Tina had said. Having known Declan for a few days, she knew he was not someone to be pushed to do things. She also figured that a mere business deal wouldn't make him agree to this marriage. This business deal was not as important to him as it was to the Wileys.
This prompted her to believe that Declan had a strong reason for agreeing to this marriage. She began to wonder if Tina's story of misunderstanding was true.
'Is he trying to make her jealous?'
Yasmin was in distress. If it was true, he would leave her as soon as his misunderstanding was cleared up. What would she do?
She had already fallen in love with him. She didn't want to leave him. The thought of being separated from him made her sick to her stomach.
'Um… Mommy.' Her face turned ugly. 'How can I make him fall for me? Why is it so difficult to figure out what he thinks of me? Oh, God… Please help me.'
Declan looked at her and noticed her flustered appearance as if she was about to cry. He thought someone in the mansion had said something to her that made her sad. He swiftly parked the car on the roadside.
Yasmin came back to reality with a start. She turned to him, only to meet his blue eyes. She leaned backward subconsciously, nervous under his steady gaze, her hands clasping the seatbelt.
"Why did you stop the car?" she asked.
"What are you thinking?"
"Huh?" Yasmin blinked, puzzled.
"Your face." He pointed at her face.
She touched her cheeks in an instant.
"I saw it."
"What?"
"You were pale, lost in thoughts. Did anyone say anything to you at the mansion?"
Yasmin was happy to learn that he was concerned about her. Her nervousness faded away. A glimmer of hope flashed in her heart. If she tried hard enough, she could win him.
She took some time to respond. "It was a nice experience to meet your family. I know now who likes or dislikes me. But nothing matters to me as long as you are with me."
He reached out and stroked his finger against her cheek, his lips curling slightly. His gaze was gentle.
"Finish your homework fast." He resumed his driving after saying that sternly.
Yasmin couldn't understand why he had said that. She blankly stared at him.
Declan was aware of her piercing gaze. He rubbed his chin and rested his elbow on the door frame, resisting the urge to smile.
'Dummy,' he muttered in his mind as he resumed driving.