Chapter 4: Sadness in her eyes
1561 Words
In one of the rooms at the Bale Hotel, all Odella could hear was her own breath and the rhythmic thumping of her heart. After changing out of her work uniform into more casual attire, she entered the room to meet with Caleb.
Odella and Caleb found themselves alone in the room. Caleb's assistant, Ethan Muller, had arranged for the room to facilitate a professional discussion, helping Caleb settle onto the soft bed before leaving. Odella positioned herself in a far corner of the room, maintaining a considerable distance from her formidable employer, yet they could still observe and converse with each other.
Odella felt a hint of nervousness. There was an indescribable aura of nobility about Caleb that made her uncomfortable whenever she faced him. Nevertheless, he represented her sole opportunity.
As she gazed at Caleb, she took a deep breath and felt perplexed. This was because he hadn't uttered a word; he was simply studying her, and they had been in silence for a couple of minutes.
"W-why are we here? Why should we be here?" she couldn't help but ask after growing weary of the prolonged silence.
"Before I proceed, may I inquire if there's a specific reason you've been standing there?" Caleb responded.
"Yes, you're right. We're here to discuss business," Odella acknowledged.
She retrieved a chair from the corner and positioned it a meter away from him before taking a seat. She noticed a faint lift at the corner of Caleb's lips, giving her the impression of a shared amusement.
"To address your question, as one of the shareholders, don't I have the right to partake in what's rightfully mine? Remember, I own twenty percent of this establishment; that's why you sought me out yesterday."
Oh, right! Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"I'll help you if you agree to my terms, but I'm exhausted. I need to sleep," Caleb stated.
Odella was taken aback. He hadn't asked her to be there just to watch him sleep, had he?
"Help me," Caleb requested, seeking her assistance in getting into the right position on the bed.
Odella used her arms to support him, feeling somewhat uncomfortable because of their proximity. She found herself wondering about how he had been over the years. Caleb lived in a large home with maids and a butler, but Odella couldn't shake the feeling that he was lonely. She carefully helped him settle into the correct position.
"Let's meet tomorrow then," Odella suggested, hoping to make her exit.
Before she could retreat, Caleb grabbed her hand, the movement so swift that she couldn't recall what had happened. In the blink of an eye, Odella found herself occupying the vacant space on the bed beside him.
Odella's eyes widened, and she gasped as she felt their bodies pressed closely together. His arms wrapped around her, and the delicate scent from his chest seemed to intoxicate her senses.
'How is he able to do this?' she wondered.
Despite his apparent incapability, he was undeniably strong, and she could feel the power in his arms.
With the dim light providing just enough illumination, she met his intense gaze once more.
"C-Caleb…" Her voice quivered as she glanced at his lips, which were mere inches away from her own.
"I want to know how far you'd go to secure my help, Odella," he whispered.
Their proximity allowed her to sense his warm breath on her skin, and she felt his fingers gently caressing her cheeks. All her thoughts became a jumbled mess as he swiftly captured her lips. Her mouth was parted, and an audacious intrusion followed suit.
Odella's body began to weaken, every part of her surrendering to the overpowering sensations. This man had stolen her senses, and his tongue explored her mouth with an intensity that felt divine. Caleb's lips ignited with increasing passion.
At that moment, Odella recalled the words someone had once said: "If you love someone, let your love surround them like sunlight and set them free." This was precisely how she felt as she exchanged heated breaths with Caleb.
Caleb's hand glided from her neck to her breast, gently caressing it. The sensation made Odella gasp during their intimate kiss.
"Ahhh…" She couldn't suppress her moans any longer, her lips tingling as Caleb's mouth trailed down to her neck, igniting a fiery heat throughout her body.
"Odella…" Caleb moaned in response.
In just a couple of minutes, she found herself completely disoriented.
"Damn it!" His sudden outburst startled her, and he forcefully pushed her away.
'What just happened?' After experiencing the intense passion between them, the fear that had briefly retreated now surged back into her consciousness. Caleb was slowly catching his breath, his narrowed eyes fixed on her. Odella could feel his fingers tightly gripping her arms.
"Leave!"
On the second day of their reunion, Odella once again faced rejection from this man.
He turned his body away from her.
"Leave now, Odella!" His fierce command sent shivers down her spine.
Trembling, she reluctantly followed him, leaving the bed. It had all happened too abruptly, and she struggled to comprehend what had transpired. As she made her way out of the room, she stole a final glance at him. His clenched jaws, balled fists, and the way he gripped the sheets told a story of his inner turmoil.
A pervasive sadness enveloped Odella, a feeling that had lingered since the previous night. She couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her face. Once again, Caleb had left her feeling played, drained, and wounded as if he had rekindled the pain from her past.
Ten years! She had patiently waited for his return for a decade, and yet all she had received was heartache.
***
Upon returning to her villa, Odella felt disheartened and isolated. She could have stayed at the hotel, but she preferred the familiarity of her own room, even though she anticipated another night of sleeplessness. She was also reluctant to let the events of the evening reach her auntie and Livia.
Odella examined herself in the rearview mirror, checking if her eyes were swollen from crying. She knew that Auntie Aurelia would mock her upon seeing her puffy eyes. Her aunt had an uncanny knack for uncovering the latest news and gossip, and it was an integral part of her daily life.
As Odella gazed at her reflection, she couldn't help but touch her lips. Her recent kisses with Caleb were still vivid in her memory. She could recall the sensation of his nibbling and the taste of their shared moments. The exchange of breath, his gasps, and the way he called her name while kissing were etched in her mind.
"Ah!" Odella was startled when someone knocked on her car window.
Confused, Auntie Aurelia looked at her from outside.
Odella composed herself and then stepped out of her blue car.
"What is it?" Odella asked nonchalantly.
"Tss! We haven't paid for the electricity. The billing note was here," Auntie Aurelia said as she handed Odella the bill on a folded piece of paper.
"Weren't you supposed to pay them monthly?"
"I don't have the money! I had just paid Livia's college fees. She said her dad didn't send any support this month!" Livia was twenty and still in college; she was a brat, frequently truant and lazy.
"Regarding Livia, I think you should also keep an eye on the friends she's hanging out with."
"Why do you care about her friends? My Livia differed from you! She would be a celebrity one day!" snickered Auntie Aurelia.
Odella was not in the mood to argue with this woman despite her question about how Olivia would pay the restaurant bill if her father did not send any support that month. She shook her head. It is none of her business. If Auntie Aurelia believed her daughter, she would not be nosy about them.
"Fine! I'll pay this bill tomorrow." She was tired of exchanging words with her aunt.
"Tss! You should have said it sooner. Why would you have made me get annoyed?!"
Odella paid no further attention to Aunt Aurelia. She pressed on, leaving her aunt behind with her arms still crossed. Even as she entered the villa, she could sense her aunt's scornful gaze lingering.
Upon entering her room, Odella settled onto her bed for a moment, massaging her weary legs as she contemplated the exhaustion that had permeated her day. Her gaze then fixated on a box resting in the top corner of her dresser, and she released a heavy sigh.
With renewed determination, Odella rose and retrieved the medium pink box she hadn't laid eyes on in ten years. She gently dusted off the box's cover before placing it on her table.
She opened it to reveal several neatly folded letters. She selected one with baby blue paper, and her fingertip trailed the name written on it.
Caleb.
As she read his name, her memories of him flooded back, and due to the recent events, tears welled up in her eyes as she reminisced about their past.
"Odella, meet me at the school front yard later. I have something to say."
"Goodbye, Odella!" a seventeen-year-old Caleb had said, flashing a smile as he waved at her younger self.
Little did she know that it would be the last smile she ever received from him.
- Writer
