She glared and her scowl deepened. “Who else would she be?! She’s obviously not some adoring fan else you wouldn’t have held her like that.” Arabella turned her back on him to hide the tears that slipped from her eyes. “I can’t… we don’t even like each other…” she said softly, denying her feelings for him.
"She's my-" he sighed. If I tell her, she might tell my father. Mal took a deep breath before continuing. "She's someone that you don't have to worry about. I know it may seem like I'm making it up, but I'm not." He went around her and lowered his head so he could see her face. "Please, Arabella, let me explain."
“How can I not worry?” She shot back, lifting her head to look at him. “You're all over the news with her… it’s obviously something.” She retorted. The light that had once been in her eyes had disappeared completely. She stared coldly at him. He was lying… he had to be. There was no other explanation.
“Explain what?” She growled, hugging herself. She was freezing. “I already understand.”
"Just come inside, I'll tell you everything. I promise." He begged her. Mal put a warm hand on her shoulder. "It's cold, and it'll be easier to explain if you're sitting down!"
(Sorry for small and low quality posts recently. I’m moving in a day ^^’ I’ve been a bit busy and stressed.)
She hated to admit that his warm hand was comforting. Her shoulder was cold to the touch through the sleeve of her nightgown. She bit her lip and nodded gently. “Fine… but only because it’s cold.” She huffed.
Arabella started towards the hotel, hugging herself tightly and shivering in the cold of the rain.
(Oh it's fine! Try to take care of yourself, don't overdo it :) )
Mal sighed with relief and caught up to Arabella, still making sure to hold open all of the doors for her.
When they finally got back into their room, Mal discretely set down her phone right where she left it. I won't be going down that road… He smiled at her and asked her to sit, handing her a blanket.
(Thanks, I’m going to try and be on as much as I can.)
She curled up in on herself the second she was sat down, taking the blanket and wrapping herself up in it. Her eyes slipped closed and she sighed. Arabella was absolutely devastated. She didn’t think she could ever trust him again so she wasn’t prepared to believed whatever explanation he brought up.
“Explain, now.” She said coldly, leaning back and staring st him with dull eyes.
He sighed. I can't believe I'm doing this.
"That was my sister, Kaniha" Mal pulled out his phone and showed a picture of her with some other woman. "She's happily married with her wife."
Rumors of Mal's father having a daughter as a first born would always fly around, especially since the man was the head of a huge company. Whoever the eldest was, always got to run the company. People have claimed to see evidence of Mal having a sister, and tried to take him down from the CEO of one of his companies.
(also sorry if i don't make much sense. I'm running on no sleep and no caffeine.)
Arabella stared at the photo, blinking at it as she tried to make sense of his words. Sister? So that was his sister…
A feeling of dread filled her soul. She had made a scene over his sister… she shouldn’t have even cared in the first place. So what if he was cheating on her? She didn’t matter to him. All she was was a burden on his family. They had kept it hidden but of the news and the world knew, she’d be thrown into a whirlwind of hate and skepticism. She could see the headlines already: ’Woman marries rich CEO’s son for money’; ‘The Griggs family SOLD their daughter off for money’; ‘CEO’s son married to commoner sold off for money’ The news would eat that up. She would rather let him cheat than ruin his families reputation with her horrid family’s mistakes.
Arabella sank into the blankets and squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m so sorry Mal… I said some awful things.” She mourned. “I’m so so so so sorry! I shouldn’t have ever doubted you… I should have known. She looks just like you.” The young women rubbed at her still-cold face. Guilt courses through her blood. “I shouldn’t have been so angry.” Her eyes opened to slits to stare at him. He didn’t deserve her… the rich son deserved some wonderful woman who wasn’t hand-picked and trained just for his every beck and whim. Maybe he liked that though, she could never really know.
Right then and there she vowed to never grow closer to him. If she did so it would only bring ruin and trouble upon him. He had a company to take over, she couldn’t be even more of a burden on him. So, Arabella leaned back against the wall and drew the blanket over and around her head, peeking her face out of it. “I’ll sleep right here for tonight… I’m sorry…”
(No it’s alright, you need sleep fam. Try and get some ok? I know what it’s like on no sleep)
Mal shook his head. "Arabella, you're fine. You had no idea. It was only reasonable that you snapped like that." He sighed. I still feel awful, though.
(Quick question before he responds to that second part; is she on the bed? On the couch? We never really specified. Because depending on where she was when she said that, he might either be like "k" or he'll fret over her-)
(And nah, but thank you. I can't really fall asleep yet-)
She shook her head. “I worried over nothing. Even if she had been a lover of yours i shouldn’t have reacted in the way that I did. You are perfectly fine with another woman… I should respect that. I’d you love another then you love another and I can’t stop you…”
(She’s on a couch thingy. Maybe a loveseat they had in the room.)
(Also, Alright But you are allowed to sleep wherever you’d like.)
Mal's eyebrows furrowed. "Why would you say that? I made a vow to never betray you, and I plan on keeping that." He sighed, starting to feel sleepy. "Let's just put this whole thing behind us, ok?" He crouched down next to her and grabbed her cold hand. "Jesus, you're freezing. There's no way you're sleeping on this."
(Thank you lol)
Arabella looked away and held onto her arms. “Because you can easily divorce me and find the love of your life, Mal. I’m not saying I want a divorce because I will just go to the next guy in line to marry and he’s not as ideal, but you’d get your love of your life. I wouldn’t complain or fight that if it made you happy.”
She closed her eyes and nodded, whining softly. “Alright, Alright…” she murmured. Her eyes flew open when he said he wouldn’t let her sleep on the seat. “Mal I’ll be fine. Yes I’m cold but it’s nothing.” She lied, Arabella was visibly shaking from the cold she felt.
"Bold of you to assume that I don't think you could be the love of my life." He replied in a quieter voice, not looking up. He shook his head. "It wouldn't make me happy, Arabella. I'm more than content with you." Was it too soon to say that?
Mal arched an eyebrow at her. "You really think I'm falling for that? No. Get up and sleep on the bed, or I'll make you get up."
Arabella flushed at his words. She looked away and bit her lip. “Me? I can’t be the love of your life Mal…” she murmured back. “But I am glad you are content with me… I feel the same towards you. You’re very kind and I won’t ever do anything to compromise this marriage.” Despite her emotions behind the words they sounded practiced and taught - which they were. Her father taught her to always reply back just with those words. But she meant them nevertheless.
She shook her head and threw the blanket over her face. “No I’m alright here, I promise. You can take the bed.”
"That… sounded fake. Not gonna lie." He shook his head and sighed. "Listen, Arabella. I'm perfectly happy with you. And maybe you are the love of my life. You don't know that." He shrugged.
He rolled his eyes. "I warned you…" He scooped her up with one swift motion, not surprised at how light she was. She almost looks sick what with her being so skinny. He carried her to the bed and set her down gently. "You're sleeping here, where it's warm."
“I’m sorry I don’t want it to sound fake because I am content here. I’m not happy, necessarily, but I would much rather be here than with another man.” She admitted, looking up at him. “Is it wrong for me to want that…? I want to be the love of your life…” she admitted.
Arabella gasped, throwing her arms around his neck as she was lifted. “W-Wait!” She called, gasping. When she was laid down she sat up and pouted. “I can sleep over there. And you’re not going to sleep there either. Take the bed, Mal.”
He shook his head. "It's not wrong. In fact, you saying that made me feel so happy." He smiled at her, happiness practically flowing through his veins now. "We can stay together. We're already married, you know."
He laughed. "You must have me mixed up with someone else. I would never subject my wife to sleeping on a couch when there's a nice, lovely bed over here, "
Her eyes softened when his excitement began to show. But her heart ached. She wanted it, yes, but there was no way she could fall for him… she just, couldn’t… “That’s good… because I want to be. And I know we’re married dingbat, I have the ring to prove it.”
She stuck her tongue out up at him, curling into the blankets and stealing them all for herself. “Mhm… sure.”
"Dingbat?" he chuckled softly, ruffling her hair again. "You're cute."
Mal stuck out his lower lip like he was pouting. He seemed like a child again when he did this. "Meanie!" he said, in a fake whiny voice.
“I am not! I’m fierce.” She huffed, swatting his hand away. She laughed weakly and looked up at him with soft, dull eyes.
She rolled her eyes and patted the bed next to her. “Come and lay down.” She prompted, looking away. She felt s little better but not much…
Mal raised an eyebrow and suppressed laughter, not sure if she was kidding or not.
He obeyed her, wiping the pout off his face. "Yes, ma'am!" He stayed at a respectable distance however, as he wasn't sure if she would get mad or not.
She looked at him and smiled softly before rolling over and closing her eyes. She was exhausted and the bed was so comfortable.
Soon she had drifted off to sleep, her eyes slipping closed and her face falling into a peaceful expression.
(Time skip, or?)
(Yeup! To when?$
(Morning? I can do it if you want-)
(Yes please!!)
Time skip
Mal woke up, feeling completely drained. I feel like I could fall over at any second and I'm already laying down. He opened his eyes and saw Arabella, a smile taking over his face. She's so cute. He thought about kissing her forehead to wake her up, but decided to wait for those kind of moves.
He got up as quietly and carefully as he could. I'll wake her up with the sound of bacon. Mal tried his hardest to make breakfast without waking her up.
Arabella did, indeed, wake up to the sound and smell of bacon cooking. She yawned and sat up, stretching out her arms and blinking around blearily. “What is…?” She started before her eyes settled on the door. She whined before standing up and wandering into the kitchen. “Mal?”
Mal turned around, a plate already filled with food (excluding the bacon) and smiled. "Good morning! Did you sleep well?" He started to put the bacon on the plate, trying to make everything look perfect for her.