Leave Me If You Dare - Chapter 221

The bidding schedule was fast approaching.

Bill was very busy as the company wanted to win this project so badly.

This project was known internationally.

It was spread everywhere by the international media and was dubbed as the biggest project of the year.

All big companies were competing to win the bidding for this project.

Whoever wins this project would secure a great shoot-up of stocks in the stock market.

Whoever loses would get the opposite.

The leading companies were said to be Sky Corporation and Golden Arm by Eric.

They were the biggest of the biggest and the best of the best.

Since these two companies were competing, everyone was eyeing and thrilled with the competition.

Every day, the project was always advertised on television, on the big LED billboards, and in business magazines around the world.

Bill formed a committee for this project.

He chose them by himself and those were the person who he trusted the most in the company.

Since it was a big project, there’s no room for mistakes.

All their conversations and plans were discrete.

Their proposal is the most confidential document right now in the company.

This is their winning piece for the bidding.

“I will be coming late tonight,” Bill informed Arabella earlier when he went to her office.

“Bill, anything I could help with?” Arabella asked sincerely.

Bill smirked tiringly and he shook his head.

“Just take care of all the documents that I need to sign. I and my committee were working on it. Okay?” Bill said with a reassuring tone.

Arabella just nodded.

When Bill left, she heaved a sigh.

Then she dialed Lira on the landline.

“How are you there?” Lira stayed on the CEO’s floor as Bill’s new secretary.

“Ms. J, Thank God you called! I’m fine but still adjusting to my new boss.” Lira sounded in a tiring tone.

“Oh common! You will get used to it.” Arabella pacified Lira. If there’s another person she could trust, that’s Lira.

“For you Ms. J, I will.” Lira’s tone had brightened up.

“Let’s go for lunch.” Arabella invited her. Lira was always her beck and call as she refused to have a secretary for the moment.

“Sure! But can I invite James?” Lira’s tone was a bit shy.

“Hmmm… no problem! Lira, you have to tell me all I want to know later. Bye.” Arabella dropped the call.

When they met in the restaurant just inside the building of the company, James was still not there.

“Lira, can you tell me what’s your relationship with James?” Arabella didn’t want to be nosy but she considered Lira as her family and she couldn’t help but worry.

“We’re just friends.” Lira smiled but her expression was uneasy.

“Oh, come on! Your answer is for celebrities!” Arabella joked trying to make Lira feel comfortable with the topic.

Lira laughed a little. “Ms. J, James is actually courting me for a long time. Now, I’m thinking to accept him.” Lira said but his eyes had no joy.

“Oh…” Arabella was unable to speak immediately. “Then, what about Damien?” Arabella suddenly asked.

Lira almost dropped her utensils on the floor.

She didn’t expect Arabella would ask her about Damien.

All she knew was that her previous boss had no idea of her unlabeled relationship with Damien.

“Hmmm…” Lira was unable to find her words immediately. She blushed and was ashamed in front of her boss.

“Don’t be silly!” Arabella tried to pacified Lira. “I know how you looked at Damien. I am also a girl and I know you loved him a long time ago.” Arabella smiled at the shy Lira.

Lira heaved a sigh of relief and smiled.

“So, you tell me, don’t you love Damien anymore?” Arabella wanted to confirm as she felt Lira was not happy with her decision.

She was like Lira’s big sister.

“I do. I can’t take him out of my heart but he never loves me.” Lira said in a gloomy tone. “His heart always belongs to you, Ms. J,” Lira added saddened.

Her tone was not angry with Arabella. Lira seemed hopeless and she just wanted to get rid of her feeling for Damien.

“Lira,” Arabella couldn’t help to pity her.

She held Lira’s hand to console her.

“Listen, your love for him will change everything in the future. Trust me.” Arabella uttered.

Damien was always good to her and she believed if only he could see Lira’s love, he would definitely change and accept Lira wholeheartedly.

Love could move mountains.

“I’m sorry I’m late.” James suddenly sounded.

Arabella looked at James secretly. Maybe she was just a little biased because she didn’t know James, unlike Damien.

James looked at Arabella and he smiled. He seemed to know Arabella was studying him.

Arabella quickly averted her gaze.

Silence due to awkwardness was floating in the air until someone came down and sat beside Arabella.

“Damien?” Lira sounded shocked.

Damien just smirked at Lira.

“Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you that I also invited Damien to join us. If you guys don’t mind?” Arabella asked for their permission.

When she could sense something on the phone with Lira earlier, Arabella invited Damien.

As she was closed with the two, she wished that Damien and Lira would end up together.

“It’s fine. Hi bro! I’m James. Remember? Nice to see you again.” James was first to greet Damien reaching his hand.

Damien just nodded and shook Jame’s hand.

Lira could not look at Damien.

Damien’s eyes were at Arabella.

James was with Lira and Arabella was secretly observing James.

“Can I talk for you a minute?” After a moment of silence, Damien asked Arabella.

His tone was displeased.

Earlier, Damien was in a good mood receiving her call especially when Arabella was inviting him for a lunch.

To his surprise, other people were joining them.

He didn’t expect to see Lira and that guy James.

He never liked James for Lira.

Lira was too naïve and innocent while James was the straightforward type.

They were quite the opposite.

Arabella nodded and stood up.

She felt wrong this time so she had to grant Damien’s request.

They went to another table in a secluded area of the restaurant.

“What are you doing?” Damien asked with controlled annoyance.

“I just miss you guys. I know I am busy these past few days.” Her words were real.

She was guilty about forgetting them for a little while because of her and Bill’s busy schedules.

Damien heaved a deep sigh.

“Yeah. Because you were too busy with that man who happened to kill your dad. The man who almost killed your son and gave only suffering to you and your mom.” Damien muttered in a low voice was his tone was firm.

“Damien,” Hearing Damien, she was like slapped by a million hands. She knew Damien was right.

“What? Tell me if I’m not telling the truth.” His voice was cold.

“I can’t say anything to you right now.” Arabella could only answer. “Please, just trust me on this.” Arabella knew that Damien was just worried for her.

Damien heaved a sigh again.

“But you know I’m worried about you.” Damien had calmed down.

“I know. But Damien, I want to ask you something?” Arabella said firmly.

Damien looked at her with a frown.

“About Lira.” She stated.

“What about her?” Damien’s tone switched to cold again.

“You know she loves you. Why don’t you give her a chance?” Arabella could not help not to meddle with Lira’s feelings toward Damien.

She knew she had no right but she could not just let Lira fall into other hands when she only loved Damien.

“You already know the answer to your question,” Damien answered with a displeased expression. “And don’t ever ask me that again!” Damien quickly stood up and left with great annoyance. She could say Damien was very angry with her. She had not seen this kind of temper of him before.

Arabella felt wronged.

She understood Damien but for her, it would just be a waste if Lira would get tired of loving him.

All she wanted for Damien is he could find someone who would love him and take care of him.

Arabella believed, that girl should be Lira.

She heaved a sigh then went back to the other table.

Lira seemed to know why Damien didn’t come back.

After their lunch, Arabella had received Bill’s text.

‘Come to my office, please. I miss you.’

“I’ll go with you Lira,” Arabella said. She knew Bill was out with the bidding committee but he came back quick.

When James was not with them anymore, Arabella held Lira’s hand to console her.

Her expression was extremely gloomy and Arabella could tell the reason for it.

It’s the unexpected presence of Damien.

“I’m sorry. I should not invite him.” Arabella said sincerely.

“It’s okay Ms. J. I know you just wanted to help.” Lira answered with a smile.

Arabella heaved a sigh.

“I just hope you don’t stop loving Damien and use another man to forget him,” Arabella uttered full of hope for the two.

When they reach the CEO’s floor, Arabella went directly to Bill. His desk was occupied with so many documents.

She went directly to his private room. She knocked on the door but no one answered so she opened it and entered the room.

Bill was lying on his bed with his business suit.

He was sleeping.

She strode closer and took a good look at the handsome sexy man.

She sat on the sofa next to the bed and her memory brought her last night.

“Jane! This is our birthday present to you.” Her father and mother showed her a bracelet. “This is your initials and these two stars right here are us.” Her mother explained the figures engraved on the bracelet. “Always remember, your stars will always give you light and guide you. If we are not here anymore, remember, we are up there in the sky seeing you always darling.” Her mom uttered while her eyes were already with tears.

Those words from her parents were always in her heart along with the bracelet that was in her hand right now.

She quickly ran to find Eric.

He was not in the kitchen nor the other parts of the house.

When she passed by the pool area, she could see a silhouette of a man in the garden.

She quickly went there.

Her heart was racing fast as she was approaching Eric’s direction.

Eric was sitting on a bench in the dark.

“Eric, I need to talk to you.” Without wasting any second, Arabella approached him.

Eric just nodded in the dark.

“Are you…” Arabella could not continue her sentence as beads of cold sweats started forming on her forehead while her heart was non-stop thumping so fast. “Are you…” She tried again but her words won’t come out. “Are you the boy who was kidnapped with me in the past?” She heaved a sigh after she successfully blurted out her words.

She didn’t know but she felt nervous and at the same time thrilled with Eric’s answer.

Arabella was sure that her bracelet was with the boy and she lost it when they both strived not to separate ways that time.

Eric didn’t say anything for a while. The silence felt awkward.

“If I were that boy, would you feel happy?” Finally, Eric spoke.

His question made her stunned.

She didn’t know what to answer like she was running of words in a moment.

“Of course. I would be very happy to know that you are alive.” Trying to put herself in a still manner, she answered what was inside her heart.

“I am very glad to find you too and know that you’re alive. I kept on thinking about that girl whom I promised to save and protect.” Eric’s sincerity was traced through his tone. “I kept finding you everywhere and It took me long years to finally find you. What a small Arabella.” He added with a deep tone.

Arabella was rooted on her spot. Now she knew why she felt light with Eric.

She did not doubt his presence in her life.

Eric opened the light.

The beautiful garden with a series of warm bulbs around appeared.

It was so romantic and cozy. Then he strode closer to her.

“Hi, I’m Eric Grant.” Eric reached his hand to her.

In the past, they hadn’t known each other’s names due to the circumstances.

“Arabella Jones.” Arabella took his hand. Then she hugged her long-lost friend. In that dark room, they shared fear. They were both scared but Eric made her brave.

He comforted her and protected her from the kidnappers. He put his life in danger for her and she would never forget that.

Eric hugged her tightly too.

“I’m really happy that you are alive.” Arabella was too emotional. She could not help thinking about that boy in her past. Seeing him again, her heart jumped for joy.

“Me too Arabella. Me too.” Eric replied tapping her back.

“My wife seemed to be so happy today. Care to share it with me?” Bill’s voice made Arabella snap back to her senses.

“Nothing.” She felt nervous by Bill’s interrogation but she could not tell him.

Bill would just make things complicated for Eric and her.

She knew how much Bill hated Eric’s character and presence. “I’m just happy seeing you in your sleep.” She had to make an alibi.

Bill smiled and grabbed her.

He kissed her like he was getting his energy back from her. “Now, I’m good!” Bill said with a sexy smile.

Arabella smiled at him too. “Are you ready for tomorrow’s bidding?” She asked.

Bill nodded and smiled.

His smile carried confidence.

He seemed to know the result of the bidding and he seemed to already know that his company would win the project.

Wearing her sweetest smile, Arabella hugged Bill. “Good luck for tomorrow..” She whispered.