A Small Peck

Three days. Three days went by after that night of reckoning. Ezra found out three major pieces of information. One nerve wracking. One gut wrenching and the other one is eye rolling.

Nerve wracking when Stella told the truth of her past. His heart broke looking at the woman who is nothing but fragile despite what she shows. Ezra knew her eyes were hiding something and now that the truth is before him he can't accept it. There are more layers to her truth, he senses it but doesn't have the heart to push it. He refuses to push her now but little by little he will have to wait for her to reveal. There's time, there's just too much for them to have this conversation again and maybe the next time he will grow closer to her. Maybe.

When Stella reveals another part of her past which is now his present, his gut twisted. The person he was thinking wasn't doing his job properly and was just doing an easy job was actually an A class Asshole. He takes bribes to do a job and that his current target is him? His gut wrench in a bad way. According to Stella, she couldn't file any case against her tormentor because Ferdinand works for that person but something tells him that Ferdinand doesn't only take bribes from just one person and immediately calls his lawyer to give him the information he got. Again, Stella being the fallen Angel in his life helped him again.

The eye rolling is definitely the one when Jones hinted his suspicion against Stella and says he's not putting his faith in her. Even when he's the one playing all the time with her with his words to get to her. How did he know? His driver revealed this piece when Stella came that day bringing in his food and caught him with Carly. Apparently from the driver's point of view they seemed equally cosy with each other and were enjoying whatever was happening behind the screen of the back seat. He says he didn't hear their conversation as they seemed muffled to him but when the screen dropped by Jones, he was wiping his lips. Not only that, today he had to check the surveillance cameras to get proof of what's going on with them. Most of it was Jones advancing towards her which gave him a relief to some point but then he decides he has to talk straight about it to her.

Ezra was calm these three days despite the urge to ask Stella who her soul ripper was but still she didn't reveal. Thankfully he heard the name of that person while she was in the traumatic state and it slipped from her mouth but it wasn't enough. There are several Ricardo's in New York City and finding a rich man with that name isn't easy. Everyday he would find himself being careful around her. Keep distance despite his wants. He limited his conversations with her, limited staring at her. Even declined her visit to the office for giving him his lunch. Rather he asked her to give it to the driver and he would bring it to him. Stella smiled at the decision as if she's happy to hear the change. Ezra will admit he was disappointed at himself for avoiding so much of her and resisting himself for just having what he wants but wouldn't that make him equally as the monster from her past? He won't rape her. He knows he wouldn't do that even in his dreams but he still had the intention to fuck her when she was given the job. How is he any different than Ricardo?

Only Stella has that answer. And he's dying to hear it from her.

Today, after listening to his driver's obscure observation on them, Ezra is furious. He's furious to the extent where he goes by no boundaries. He's mad that she chose another man rather than him. For fuck's sake Jones is a married man and lives right below his penthouse of the deluxe apartment building. Why would she even want to be physical with him? With a man who is already taken? Can she really be a homewrecker? Or maybe she just doesn't know that he has a family?

He clearly remembers Stella being conservative around him. Yes, sometimes she surprises him with her cunning smirk and snarky comments. Maybe sometimes with the surprise closeness. He used to think all this behaviour of hers was just because she's shy. But now that he thinks otherwise, he can only see her avoiding him with any chance encounter between them.

"Fuck!" He curses under his breath. "How I'm I only seeing this now?" He remembers how scrutinising her eyes were looking at him when found out he entered that night inside her bedroom without her permission. "It was always in front of my eyes and yet…" he couldn't be more foolish.

"Sir, we have arrived." The driver announces just as the car reached the driveway of Ezra's home.

But Ezra didn't make any move to get down the vehicle. "Fred, tell me again; did you really see Ms. Robinson smiling after their… their moment?"

"It can be anything Sir, I wouldn't dare to accuse anyone but yes she was smiling." He answers sincerely.

The lump in Ezra's throat became heavy. Nodding at his driver's way he gets down the vehicle. He didn't expect a betrayal like this from Jones but never in a million would he expect something like this from Stella.

Just as he walks inside the lobby his eyes freezes seeing Jones and his wife walking hand in hand and laughing. Acting like a loving family. Though now he noticed that the acting is from Jones entirely while his wife looks at him with pure adoration. What a lucky man he is to even have someone like her besides him yet he had to be the vile person.

"Sir!" Jones acknowledges him walking close to him with his wife tagging along. "You came back early, Sir, any problem?"

He backfires instantly with sarcasm without regretting the fact his wife is also standing with him. "Why? Can't I come to my own home from my own business to my own home at my own will?"

The tension grew thick around them, it was then Jones's wife cut it by chuckling making the atmosphere more light. "Didn't know Mr. Knight would be funny too. I like your sense of humour Sir."

Ezra gives Jones a sting eye look before bending slightly towards his wife and kisses her cheeks slightly. "And I didn't know you have grown more beautiful than the last time I met you."

"Thanks for the compliment." His wife sheepishly mutters.

Giving his attention back to Jones, "we need to talk about something very important. Come straight to my office after dinner."

He orders sternly to him but gives a soft smile towards his wife who returns back the gesture too then leaves to face the woman in question.

Standing in the elevator he thinks of every question going in his mind. He will say it. He won't back away from his interrogating questions just because he thinks she's fragile.

His heart throb loudly in his chest thinking what possible answers he will get from her while opening the door to his penthouse and there he found her walking inside the kitchen. Singing a sweet Melody cooking a savoury dish.

Just then her eyes met him and there… the killer smile she gave him. "Hey! You are home!" As if her eyes shone brightly in happiness upon seeing him.

And he's gone.

All over again.

"Jones informed you just now that you have reached earlier." She chuckles, making his uncertainty come back again, "not that I'm complaining but don't yell at me for not having the dinner ready as you didn't give me heads up." She waited for him to respond to her but got nothing, "hey, you okay?" Worry marries her face, "did something happen, Mr. Knight?"

Ezra wants to throw a fit at why she calls Jones with his own name but addresses him with formalities? Is this her way of proving what's the possible relation going on between them?

But then fury has to strike him again hearing the vile man's name on her lips. "You are a trouble Ms. Robinson. A beautiful trouble indeed."