Rejecting the billionaire, or alpha

Chapter 6

Christabel told Laxton everything about what happened during Austin’s coming-of-age ceremony and about the Owain family’s proposal. Laxton’s face darkened considerably as the story progressed. By the end, the veins in his arms stood up and his traps muscles were bulging.

“They want to marry you to the Owain family?” he said in a deadly voice.

Christabel sighed and nodded. “I don’t know what to do now. Do you think I can hide out here? They can’t enter here but how about work?”

“Screw work, I don’t care about that now. Don’t they know that you’re with me? How dare they even think about this!” Laxton fumed and paced the floor while venting to himself.

Christabel's heart sank as she watched Laxton pace back and forth, his words piercing her like a knife. All the years of snide remarks from others came flooding back. They never believed that she and Laxton were in a real relationship, always insinuating that she was only after his wealth and fame.

She tried not to let their words get to her, they didn't know about their relationship and she didn’t need to justify herself. But she’d be lying if she said their sarcasm and remarks didn’t get to her sometimes.

To make matters worse, Laxton was no stranger to scandalous headlines. He was constantly photographed with a new starlet or supermodel or actress, and the tabloids never let up. In the beginning, Christabel would argue with him every time new photos surfaced and each time, he would refute the rumours but when asked why didn’t he stop the news with his family’s influence, he’d say that he needed the news to hype his popularity. Christabel just couldn't understand why he needed the attention when he already had a successful career and had the support of his influential family.

As a legally trained person who follows the principles of reason and unfamiliar with the world of entertainment, Christabel couldn’t understand his logic at all. Most important of all, he didn’t deny those pictures being taken at all! So doesn’t it mean that he was, in fact, with those girls and entered hotels and danced with them in clubs?

It became more and more infuriating trying to get a proper explanation from him as he couldn’t see the logic flaw at all. So Christabel gave up trying to reason with him when he started withdrawing himself from her and started answering her questions with: “believe whatever you want”. So Laxton continued doing whatever he wanted as well.

At this point, everyone saw Christabel as a shameless, adopted woman who is clinging on to Laxton to leech off his identity. Christabel’s fingers were red as her thoughts spiralled.

“Laxton, what if you got your mum to talk to Aunt Vivian?”

Laxton paused mid-pace and turned his upper body towards her stiffly like a robot. His big eyes are impossibly larger. Christabel’s hopes vanished when she saw him like that.

“My mother? What has she got to do with this?”

“I mean, she’s your family’s Luna so if she talks to Aunt Vivian and clear up about our relationship, then Aunt Vivian won’t think that I am still single and available to accept Owain’s proposal. Or wouldn’t your mum know the Owain family? She can talk to them on our behalf too, right?”

“I don’t want to pull her into our mess. Why are you scheming against my mother now? We should solve it without bringing her into this,” he frowned as he accused Christabel.

The feeling of injustice welled in her chest.

Scheming? This is called scheming? Isn’t this just asking for help?

She was angry and upset because Laxton had never willingly introduced her to his family and even when she was brought to his home, she was kinda smuggled in without meeting his family members. Up until now, she doesn’t even know whether his family knows that they were dating.

“Laxton, are you still hiding me like a dirty secret from your family?”

Laxton tensed up, his eyebrows furrowed and narrowed his eyes. His jaw clenched as he gritted his teeth, his aura turning darker and confrontational. His every minute action was meticulously acted out to explicitly express his emotions.

“What did you say?” he said between his clenched teeth.

Christabel took a deep breath and stood up.

“You never formally introduced me to your family. I bumped into your sister the other day and she just straight up ignored me like she didn’t know me. I want to know exactly what your family thinks of me, of us. Have you ever thought about being mated with me?”

Laxton’s face turned serious. His mid raised leg stomped down. Every move of his is calculated, aiming to deliver his speech. Christabel closed her eyes, knowing what was coming. True enough -

“Why are you so obstinate about this! What does it matter what my family thinks? I don’t want them involved in anything with us. We are just starting our lives. we’re too young to think about getting mated, don’t you think? My career is at its peak and you just got a job at your dream firm, do you want to let that go now?”

“Your career won’t be impacted just because you’re mated, many supermodels are mated and you have your family’s backing. We just need to do some PR. As for me, it really won’t affect me at all. It’s just work and I’m not saying we should get kids right away.”

“You’re out of your mind now, Christabel!” Laxton rushed forward and gripped her shoulders hard. “You’re just too stressed from the pressure and this Owain’s proposal. You don’t know what you’re talking about, okay?” Laxton’s eyes were wide, his tone like he’s pleading but actually, he was threatening her.

Tears threatened to fall down her cheeks but she held it in stubbornly as her heart thumped painfully in her ribcage. “I know what I’m saying. I know that I love you and I want to be with you forever. I never thought of leaving you, Lax… Why can’t we let your family know? Why can’t we think about getting marked? Why can’t we tell anyone about our relationship? Am I such a dirty secret that I have to be hidden away?”

“You know that’s not what I mean. I just don’t think it’s time yet.”

“Then when is the time! When? I don’t even know how to answer Aunt Vivian and Dad anymore! And you’ve never told your family about me, have you?”

“I did! Ok, I did! Don’t put words into my mouth! I have told them and you can say whatever you want to your family!” Laxton yelled at her as he squeezed her tight before letting her go and stomped around the condo.

“If you have told them, then why can’t I meet them? Why did your mother act like she didn’t know who I was when I bumped into her last week?”

“My mum has always been like this. She doesn’t know or understand what’s happening at all. Why are you being so calculative with her? Just leave her be! Get married, get married! Is that all you girls think about? What’s so good about getting married? So I mark you, and then??! There is no difference from us getting mated and being like this now. It’s just a label, can’t you think about anything else?”

“So you mean you don’t want to get married? Like ever?” Christabel blinked at him through watery eyes. Before this, he had convinced her that he didn’t believe in marriage or having the marking ceremony’s validation. She believed that it’s ok as long as he is faithful and committed to her. But now, she no longer feels secure in their relationship. She also found that she really wanted to be marked by him. She wanted to feel like there is someone she can rely on and they both belong to each other. That sense of belonging she never had.

She wants to confirm that he really didn’t want to marry or mate anyone at all, and not that he just doesn’t want to be mates with her.

He rolled his eyes and went to the couch to pick up the jacket he left there the night before.

“Believe whatever you want, I’m heading home.”

“No, Laxton…”

Christabel cried out weakly. She held out her hand to hold the hem of his shirt. But he turned his head half an inch to push her hand away before he continued his stride to the door without a word. By the time he banged the door closed, Christabel’s face was already wet with tears, her head tilted back as she tried to breathe and stop crying but she couldn’t. Her heart felt like it was pummelled multiple times and his cold aura, his cold face, and the throbbing pain on her shoulders chilled her to the bones.

Her sobs filled the condo as the sun rose and bathed the room with its warm rays.

**********

Ring ring

Ring ring

Christabel’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing for the past hour. This time, she was sitting in a corner of her darkened room. She stared at the phone in front of her. Vivian’s name was imprinted in her pupils. She leaned back on the wall and looked up at the ceiling. Then she picked up the call.

“Christabel! I finally got through to you! Where have you been, dear! We are all so worried!”

“How’s Dylan?” Christabel asked, bulldozing through Vivian’s admonishments.

“You’re lucky he’s fine, Christabel, what were you thinking smashing the glass on him like that? He isn’t one of us, he’s human. His life could be in danger.”

Christabel sighed in relief when she heard that Dylan was fine. She admits that she was a little rash at that time and she didn’t want to bring trouble to the Ross family even if she didn't want to marry him.

“I’m relieved, Aunt Vivian. I got to go.”

“Christabel, we only have your best interest at heart. Dylan is already the director of Owain’s subsidiary company and I have done a background check on him, he is very clean with regards to love interests. Why don’t you marry him, hmm? Christabel?”

Christabel started knocking the wall lightly with the back of her head as Vivian spoke.

“Hmm… Aunt Vivian, I barely know him. This is highly inappropriate in this day and age, besides, I already have a boyfriend…”

“Do you mean Laxton? Christabel, I don’t mean to pry but I am truly doing this to protect you. That guy goes around town hugging a starlet one day and a supermodel the next, and they are photographed at all highly inappropriate places like clubs and hotel entrances. Don’t delude yourself anymore. He doesn’t love you, why don’t you just let him go? Dylan would be a much better match” Sierra viciously poked at Christabel’s sore spots one after another.

Christabel couldn’t find anything to rebut her because as of now, she is truly heartbroken too.

“Are you seriously trying to arrange my marriage, Aunt Vivian?"

Vivian was silent but she was intrigued. This was the first time Christabel was curt with her and her words were full of resistance as opposed to her usual docile and submissive ways. Vivian frowned, she wouldn’t believe that the little girl she raised who is usually innocent and gentle like a bunny will suddenly become a wolf - even Christabel’s wolf is smaller than the rest with white fur and has a submissive nature!

"How short-sighted are you to not see the benefits of securing your future? What could possibly dissatisfy you about the Owain family?" Vivian asked in a hard tone.

“Is this for my future or for yours?”

“Of course it is for you!”

“Then I refuse since it doesn’t make sense for me to marry someone I don’t even know. It would ruin my future.”

“Love can be fostered and nurtured, we’re not saying marry at this second, you can get engaged first and date, you can get married later.”

“Can I still break the engagement later?” Christabel’s eyes were hard and her tone was so calm, it was scary.

For the first time, Vivian was unsure of how to deal with her. Vivian turned around and shared a wordless understanding with Darric. Darric shook his head in disappointment.