Bab 16: Officially Dating!

'They need to stop this sickening arranged marriage. There is no way I would agree.' Vaughn paced back and forth while Chlea was still outside their room.

Apparently, Chlea is talking to someone on her phone in the hotel hallway. Certainly, she does not like the news she got.

"I know! Catherine, you know I'll be out of town until Monday. Why do they have to make the Sunday dinner in MY house? What? It was Vivienne's suggestion? How dare she!" Chlea can't help but yell over the phone.

Most of the time, she just can't stand her stepmother. The mistress, the one who added so much misery to her biological mother's heart before she died of natural causes. Vivienne has been Regan's long-time mistress, another woman. Chlea's parents are legally married but Vivienne decided to push herself into the union, still. Regan on the other hand is as equally evil as Vivienne. He was just not committed to the marriage with Chlea's mother.

Chlea has been so chilled about these matters. She did everything she can to put these shameful things in the past, however, Vivienne's presence and her audacity to meddle with her life and to make herself the lady of the household, when in fact Regan did not marry her still after almost 25 years of being the mistress. Why? Nobody knows but Regan himself.

Chlea just can't believe that even though she is islands away from them now, Vivienne keeps on pestering her still like what she has always done ever since. There is just bad blood between them. Not to mention her sister Odette.

This is not the typical tear-jerking Cinderella story because Chlea does not let anybody mess with her, no one dares to. This is why she has been tagged as the rebel of the Alcala clan.

She then went on to continue, "Catherine, when they arrive, I want them out. Not even a single step inside my property. The audacity of that woman! Let alone Dad let them be with their plan. I hate this!"

Perhaps from somebody else's perspective, Chlea is being too harsh to her stepmother and sister. But what they don't know is that these women treated them worst like dirt.

When Chlea's Mom had all the rights in the world because she is the legal wife, Vivienne manipulated Regan for her to stay at their family estate. A mistress in the house, literally. Chlea's Mom being the kind and understanding woman that she is, did not do anything but cry. This is why Chlea refuses to do so, being kind to the people who destroyed her family is definitely not in her vocabulary.

With gritted teeth, Chlea went back inside their hotel room.

"Inhale, exhale." Chlea chanted while doing so on the balcony.

Vaughn, sensing the tension in Chlea, maintained his silence while reading a book.

"Vaughn, can you come here for a minute?" Chlea asked.

"Sure thing. What's up?"

Chlea faced him eye to eye, "Are you in a relationship?"

Vaughn was caught off guard with her question, "Where did that come from?"

"Oh, I apologize for being too upfront." Chlea turned her back and put both of her hands on the railing watching the vivid stars on the pitch-black sky.

Vaughn looked up too and sat down on the chair located on the balcony.

"No, I am not." A more composed Vaughn answered Chlea's question.

In Chlea's perspective, Vaughn looks so cool as his face gets serious.

Delighted with what she heard, Chlea sat down and faced him.

"Great! Then we should go out. Let's date." Chlea casually suggested.

Vaughn, thinking he could not be more surprised earlier than now tried to hide the shock in his face and acted confidently.

"Why are you so casual about this? You should not make decisions when you are mad. Mind telling me what is happening?" Vaughn asked even though this could be the possible solution for his problem as well.

"I am not mad. I'll tell you the reason when I am ready. So are we dating now or what?" Chlea crossed her legs with her hands on top of it shaking.

'Really?! This is my solution?' Chlea thought to herself feeling her heart violently hammering against her chest.

Vaughn could clearly observe that this is not the type of girl Chlea is. There must be a reason. Oddly, seeing Chlea nervous while spitting those suggestions made her more attractive in his eyes. He just can't seem to figure out what she is thinking.

"We're dating now. But I'd like to let you know..." Vaughn paused and leaned on towards Chlea which made her cheeks turn crimson.

Chlea tried to act unaffected.

Vaughn continued, "That I don't take dating as a joke. I date for real. Are you ready for that?"

Chlea swallowed hard almost every saliva she has acting very brave when in fact she's already stuttering slapping her face mentally. 'What did I get myself into?!'

Chlea looked at Vaughn indirectly, "Of- of course, I- I am!"

"Oh, you are? Why are you stuttering then?" Vaughn teased as he leaned back on the chair away from Chlea.

"I- I am not! It's just getting too cold here outside, I go now!" Chlea said as she stormed out of the balcony.

"She is just one unpredictable woman." Vaughn laughed sexily as he went inside too because it is indeed getting cold outside.

When he entered the room, Chlea is sitting at the edge of the bed with both of her hands on her face, silently sobbing.

"Chlea, look. I did not mean to say that to you. Whatever I may have done... Look, I am sorry." Vaughn said as he was half kneeling in front of Chlea to meet her eyes.

She did finally remove her hands from her red puffy face while tears keep on escaping from her eyelids.

Slowly, Vaugh reached for both of Chlea's trembling hands.

"Look at me." He said

Vaughn proceeded, "I know this may sound unbelievable but I like you. You make me smile in your own little ways. There's just something in you I can't explain... I am lost for words when you said that earlier." He said in the calmest way possible.

"Really?" Chlea said while wiping her tears.

Vaugh nodded and held her hands tighter. He went closer and gave her a hug. Chlea can feel his warmth and his body overpowering her slim figure.

"Are you sure you mean that? And not just to make me stop crying? Don't ever take it back!" Chlea teased while still hugging each other.

"I mean it with all my heart. I bet your floral dress on it." Vaugh laughed.

"Silly!" Chlea slightly slapped his arm and broke off the hug.

"So we're a thing now?" Chlea asked.

"Official. No erase." Vaughn assured.

Both of them know they are not supposed to be together. But who can stop someone's heart? They know it is not possible with their respective situations but together, they are willing to risk it all.

As they were still processing today's happenings together, Chlea's phone suddenly rang. It was Hyolyn calling.

"Hey Chley, by 6 PM let's meet by the pond alright? Please tell Vaughn too. We'll be having our dinner there."

"No worries. We will be there, I guess we'll just have to ask around where that pond is." Chlea replied.

Hyolyn laughed, "Yes, we will be waiting for you two. Bye~"

"Lyn said we will be having dinner at the pond. Do you know where that is?" Chlea asked Vaughn as she put her phone on the bedside table, stood up, and went to the cabinet checking the things she brought.

Now, Vaughn lying on the off-white leather sofa closing his eyes.

"I think it was just a few meters away from the cotton candy bar we went to earlier. What time did they say we should meet?" He asked.

"By 6 PM, she said. Let me just go for a quick shower, alright? We still have 30 minutes to spare anyway." Chlea said while holding her clothes in both hands.

"Absolutely no problem. I'll just change my clothes here real quick while you're in the shower." Vaughn agreed.

While Chlea was taking a shower, Vaughn stood up near the glass door that leads to the balcony. The bare sky is clearly seen from where he is. With both hands in his pocket, he seems to be in deep thought. Thinking how he listened to his heart this time after restraining it to open up for someone for years already. It was just the perfect timing.

Meanwhile, Chlea just got out of the shower fully dressed in an oversized white t-shirt and skinny jeans.

'How could he look so dashing just standing there?' She said to herself while looking at Vaughn from the back. Vaughn has incredibly wide and strong shoulders. His hair screams perfection and his strong aura makes Chlea swoon for him more. His towering height makes her feel secure whenever he is near.

"Vaughn, should we go? Gosh, did I startle you?" Chlea said while covering her mouth.

"Yes, haha! It's alright. Let's go, I bet you are starving." He said while holding her hand.

"I really am!"

They both headed outside holding hands while walking.