Jilted at the Altar

Chapter Twenty Two

"Did you know her?" Ariella asked as she shifted out his grasp and slid to the sofa. Dalton instantly missed her warmth.

"No. I saw her on a few instances but never talked to her."

"Did she come over to your place?" She asked referring to the apartment he shared with Kaden and William for a year.

"Only once, for a few a minutes. I usually saw them together at the library or at the café near the campus. He told me they were working on a thesis together"

"I thought he loved me"

"He did"

"That is messed up."

"No really Ariella." Dalton adjusted to face her. "I don't know how this turned out like this but he loved you. I could see it. It was one of the reasons---" Dalton abruptly stopped.

"What?"

"I started liking you back in high school but then I realized how Kaden felt for you. He tried to hide it but when he told me, I felt that the feeling I had for you were nothing compared to what he felt for you so I backed off."

Ariella looked at him and imagined what her life would have been like if she had been with Dalton all these years. Would they have been married today or broken up long ago? She could clearly see the love he had for her and she was comfortable with it because he was not forcing her and was confident in his unwavering love.

He shifted near to her. How would have things turned out?

"What are you thinking?" he asked as he tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

"Why did he leave me?" She whispered.

"Because he is an idiot for not realizing your love" Dalton said in a low voice as he cradled her face. Ariella was drowning in his green eyes.

"For not realizing what an amazing woman you are" He continued. Ariella placed both her hands on his forearms.

"Ariella, any man would be lucky to have you by his side. Don't ever think it is your fault. Whatever happened, the blame lies in his lack of judgment. You are beautiful inside and out."

Ariella leaned forward but Dalton pulled his face aside.

"No Ariella, I don't want to be your rebound. I told you I am here waiting for you but not like this"

Ariella looked at him; she wanted him to hold her. She wanted to feel the safety she felt in his arms. He made her feel like the center of the universe with just the way he looked at her.

"You are too special to be a rebound" She whispered. She reached out and touched his face. Dalton steeled himself against her touch.

Ariella let her fingers travel along the length of his jaw, like she was trying to memorize his face with her fingers.

"Ari..." Dalton closed his eyes as her fingers lingered on his lips.

He felt her lips on his and he lost all restraint. He flipped them over; he hovered above her, keeping distance between them. Ariella pulled him against her by yanking him by the tie.

They were interrupted by a loud clatter.

"Oh gosh, I am so sorry Mr. Reynolds" Mrs. Kathy said as she blushed and tried to gather the groceries she dropped. "I just...the dinner...I am sorry"

Dalton straightened and Ariella scooted to the other side of the sofa.

Dalton helped Mrs. Kathy gather the groceries and kept them on the counter.

"Anything special you would like?" Mrs. Kathy asked.

"You can take the night off and spend time with your children. We will order in"

Mrs. Kathy looked at them and smiled.

"As you wish Mr. Reynolds. Thank You." Mrs. Kathy said and took her leave.

Dalton ordered in food and they ate in silence, the past moments halted but not forgotten between them.

"You go, I will clear up" Dalton said as he took the plates and carried them to the kitchen.

Ariella woke up in cold sweat and nausea overwhelmed her. She rushed to the washroom and emptied her stomach contents.

She looked at the time and saw it was well past midnight. She didn't want to be alone at this moment. She decided to see if Dalton was up. She saw his bedroom door was open and the lights were on.

She stepped inside and gasped. There were at least five books on pregnancy scattered on his bed with two flipped open. She smiled when she saw he was highlighting and tagging pages.

"Dalton?" She called out but he was not in the room. She backed out of his room and went to the living room where she found him standing out in the balcony. She walked up to him and hugged him from behind.

Dalton felt her hands surround his torso but he remained still as she placed her cheek against his bare back.

He twisted in arms and faced her, keeping the glass of drink he was nursing to the side.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked as he gently lifted her chin up with his finger.

"Yes" She smiled at him.

They stood there in silence embracing each other.

"Thank you" Ariella whispered against his chest.

"For what?"

"Everything"

"You don't need to thank me. You deserve all the happiness"

Dalton leaned down and Ariella winced from the smell of whiskey. He pulled back.

"I am sorry, the whiskey. I am just feeling nauseous. Just threw up my dinner"

"Do you want to go to the doctor? You okay?"

"No it's just sickness, I guess morning sickness at night" So far Ariella had been lucky when it came to morning sickness but from the past few days she had been getting nauseous, sometimes even at the sight of certain things.

"Come on, let's get you to bed." Dalton said as he led her to her room.

He tucked her in.

"Dalton...stay..." It was barely audible but Dalton paused.

"One moment" He went to and cleansed his mouth with a mouthwash and threw on a t-shirt.

Ariella watched him as he strolled back into the room and slid in to her bed next to her.

"I liked you better without the t-shirt"

"Hmm...really?"

Ariella smiled when she smelled the mint on his breath; small things mattered.

"Yes"

Dalton leaned back and pulled the t-shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. He had worn it out courtesy, not wanting to slip into her bed half naked.

"Better?" He asked he pulled her against his chest.

"Much better."

Soon Ariella's breaths evened out and she was fast asleep.

Dalton adjusted his arm under her head and his finger brushed against the rings. He grasped them and held them up. His jaw tightened when he noticed the promise ring and engagement ring.

He shoved them back under the pillow, with a promise to replace these with his own when the time came.

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