The Lost Bet

There Is A First Time For Everything

Elena's POV

When she woke up, the bed was empty. Good that he was off to work. Her body was battered. She was sore and her skin burned from all the hickeys and the bites. He was a beast.

Standing in the hot shower, she thought about her life. What is she gonna do after she leaves him or he leaves her? Will there be a life? Will people recognize her from the papers? Or will she fade away into oblivion once again? The idea of somewhere peaceful and serene lighted up her eyes and sowed a seed of hope, but she knew better. The more she hopes, the more her life will be entangled. She turned off the knob and got dressed. She was famished.

As she got downstairs, the aroma of fresh food made her stomach growl. She entered the kitchen to a sight which she had never expected.

Aslan had an apron around his waist and was cooking. There were boiled eggs, poached eggs, omelet, pancakes, croissant which she knew was not something he could cook. Fresh hot coffee was brewing and he was squeezing orange juice.

Their eyes met and something crossed his expressions. Dressed in nothing but an apron and his pajamas, he looked delicious than anything on the table. He wiped his hands on the apron and came to her. He got down on his knees and Elena took a step back, confused.

"What..."

"Elena, listen to me first. I am sorry. I am sorry for whatever I did last night. I am sorry that I treated you that way. I should have listened to you first, but Derek kept provoking me all night. And when I saw you with him, I ... I lost it. And I am sorry, sorry, sorry. I know it's not gonna change anything. But I want you to know that I am ashamed for what I did."

She looked at him in amazement. The guy who has her on her knees was begging, but does that change anything? No. It doesn't.

"I told you I was framed."

"I know."

"You could ask me the whole story."

"I know."

"What you did, hurt me very much."

"I know."

"And your sorry is nothing but a bullshit right now. I would rather like to know how long you need me here with you. I mean you must have something on your mind or you may have a time limit for your girlfriends. Like a week, two weeks, a month, three months, or whatever."

He stood up now; his signature stoic, cold expression on his face. Elena retreated and he advanced.

"What if I don't wanna let you go ever?"

"Then I would say that you have fallen for me and you will snap at me. Maybe this time you will send our nudes to John or even my family and be cocky about it and then you will say sorry. Again."

"That's what you think?"

"Yes. It's not like I am your girlfriend or wife that you will keep me forever. One day you will get tired. I just wanna think about my life after this."

His face was stone cold. Elena feared that this time, he will scorch her tongue. But he turned away and removed his apron.

"Sit down and eat. You haven't eaten anything since last night." She couldn't refuse this time. So she sat down and prayed to gods for herself.

It was just a matter of time before he will burst.

Elena's POV

A week had passed since their incident. Her tattoo was completely normal now like it was always there. Aslan was cold and wouldn't talk much, but she knew that he must be thinking about ways to remove her from his life. But why? He could simply ask her to leave.