You're always mine | Espresso x Madeleine [Might Rewrite Soon]

Chapter 4

"Forgot something?" Espresso said assuming the person who went in was Almond.
"I just wanted to talk." Madeleine said and Espresso turned around.
"There's nothing to talk about. Just let me do my job and then I'll leave. You won't see me again for the second time." Espresso said and he turned around again.
"I just wanted to know the reason. Is it because of me?" Madeleine insisted to know.
"Go away. I'm working." Espresso said coldly. Madeleine walked closer.
"Don't even think about getting close." Espresso threatened. Madeleine stopped.
"Talk to me. Please?" Madeleine said. Espresso can't take it anymore. He walked away intending to leave but Madeleine grabbed his arm before he could even open the door.
"I don't want to let go of you for the second time. For the past 4 years I couldn't think about anyone but you. Arranged marriage after arranged marriage I declined it hoping you'll come back to me. I lied to my parents that I only wanted to expand the school but I only did it because I wanted to buy time for you to open the door again so we can run away together. You might've lost feelings for me but I didn't so please. Give me another chance, I promise I will make this right again." Madeleine begged gripping harder as Espresso tried to break free.

"Let me go." Espresso said but Madeleine refused. "Let me go idiot. My wrist hurts." Espresso added and Madeleine let's go and apologized.
"Listen. It wasn't about you. It was me so don't blame yourself. I did it for– I felt unsafe when I was with you. I wanted to be free again so please. Stop hoping and be happy with someone else." Espresso said still not facing Madeleine.
"There's no one else like you. How could I be happy when I only felt happiness with you." Madeleine said. Espresso was silent.
"Give me another chance to make you happy. I won't give up on you and what we had." Madeleine said.
"Just leave me alone." Espresso said and open the door.
"Hey. I will try again for you." Madeleine said and Espresso just walked away.

Espresso went home crying. All these years he thought that Madeleine moved on and was happy with someone. Someone else who his parents approve of. Someone who isn't him. But after today, he kind of felt relieved. Relieved that he still had a chance and relieved that after all these years he was always on Madeleine's head. But he knows no matter how many times he wants to be with him again Madeleine's parents would try to break them up again.

The next day at the office Espresso stayed. He let Almond go to the school and since he has gathered enough data he can do his own research on things.
"You seem down. Did something happened last night?" Almond asked Espresso.
"No. I'm just a bit burnt out I guess." Espresso replied.
"If that's the case then after this you should go on a vacation. Relax once in a while." Almond said.
"I'll think about it. Go now, you don't want to get stuck in traffic, would you?" Espresso said and Almond left.
Espresso sighed. He didn't lied about him feeling burnt out but other than that he feels sad and angered. He was a mess all day. Stumbling and almost dropping things on the lab. Alchemist noticed.
"Espresso I can do this if you wanted to. I may be busy but I can multitask." Alchemist said.
"No no. As you said you're busy and I don't want to bother you." Espresso said.
"You seem tired. I could just do this and you take a nap." Alchemist said.
"No don't worry about me. I just needed a distraction on something and even if I tried I can't sleep. Please don't mind me here." Espresso said. Alchemist obliged and went back to her job clearly worried about his dear friend.
It was already afternoon and the sun is almost setting. Espresso made little progress because he cannot think straight. He just rubbed his eyes and decided to take a small nap.
Espresso was awoken by a tap on the shoulder and he jumped. The first thing he does was check the time to see how long he has been asleep.
"Sorry. I had to wake you. You seem uncomfortable." Almond said.
"No it's fine. Thank you. I was planning to just take a nap." Espresso said.
"A nap doesn't last for 6 hours." Almond said.
"I know. I'll get back to work. You go home, it's late and your daughter must be so scared back home." Espresso said.
"Don't worry about her, Latte's there." Almond said.
"She finally moved in?" Espresso asked.
"Yeah, she did. Enough about me. How did your research go?" Almond asked.
"Barely made progress. Sorry." Espresso said.
"Don't be. I'm glad you actually fell asleep." Almond said.
"I gotta make up for it. I'll stay here for a while." Espresso said.
"May I accompany you?" A voice was heard when the door opened.
Espresso looked confused. How the hell did Madeleine get there? Unless... Espresso looked at Almond and Almond refused to have bring Madeleine.
"I followed Almond. Sorry." Madeleine confessed.
"Go home. Both of you." Espresso said.
"I'm sorry, Sir, but you can't be here." Almond said trying to escort Madeleine out.
"I know but I just wanted to talk to Espresso. Please." Madeleine begged.
"Go home Madeleine. We already talked yesterday, what more do you want to talk about?" Espresso said.
"You two saw each other?" Almond said confused.
"I'm sorry. Excuse me." Espresso went to the bathroom inside their office and locked himself in. He doesn't want to confront anyone at the moment. He'd rather just stay silent than talk through the pain.
"Espresso?" Almond said at the door, knocking.
"I'm sorry. Can you leave me alone for a second?" Espresso said.
"I can't do that. You know how these things go. You lock yourself in the bathroom and then you break down. The next thing I know you fall asleep on the floor." Almond said. Espresso sighed.
"You're acting like a dad." Espresso said.
"I am a dad and I have a teenage daughter who acts almost the same way as you. What do you expect from me?" Almond said.
"Has he left?" Espresso asked.
"Well if I'm completely honest with you he's beside me." Almond said. There was silence for a minute.
"Okay. I'm willing to talk." Espresso finally said as he walked out the bathroom.
"Let's go outside." Espresso said to Madeleine and they both walked out. Almond was at the distance keeping an eye of the two. He was close enough to see what's going on but far enough to not eavesdrop.

"So?" Espresso asked.
"Do you still like me?" Madeleine said.
"Still straight forward as ever." Espresso said.
"Okay maybe not that question. Did you date anyone?" Madeleine asked again.
"Wouldn't you want to know." Espresso said. Madeleine was eager for an answer.
"No." Espresso said. "I was focused on my job. Do you think I have time?" Espresso added.
"I see." Madeleine said.
"You. How have you been?" Espresso asked.
"Devastated. After you broke up with me I couldn't move on." Madeleine said.
"For 4 years?!" Espresso said. Madeleine nodded.
"What the fuck." Espresso said again.
"Yeah. I tried dating again but none of them was like you." Madeleine said.
"You asshole. They'll break if they figured out they were like me." Espresso said.
"Yeah I know. I was an asshole." Madeleine said.
"Can you give me a chance?" Madeleine asked.
"No." Espresso said.
"Why not?" Madeleine asked.
"It's complicated." Espresso said.
"Try me." Madeleine said that ager to listen.
"I can't tell you." Espresso said.
"Is it about my parents?" Madeleine said. No comment.
"Look. I know you felt unsafe but I tried protecting you, I did. Did something happened? Did they bribe you?" Madeleine said. Espresso was silent and couldn't look at Madeleine.
"They did. Didn't they?" Madeleine said.
"So what if they did. What will you do?" Espresso said.
"I know you Espresso. You didn't broke up with me because of the money. There was something else isn't there?" Madeleine said.
"What if there is?" Espresso said shouting in anger. "What would you do then?" Espresso said again.
"I'll talk you out of it. Isn't that what we always do?" Madeleine said and wiped the tears from Espresso's face. Espresso lightly slapped Madeleine's hand away.
"I've changed the past years, Madeleine. How are you too sure that I'm the Espresso you knew." Espresso said.
"You hate change. Even if you try you know you can't change." Madeleine said. Espresso sighed in defeat.
"I'm going home. We'll talk there." Espresso said and went in the office.