Chapter 515

515 It’s Your Choice

Those words were like a knife stabbing Elijah in the chest and he couldn’t breathe. Arianna was his dream – one that was slowly fleeting away. No, he can’t give up on her. If she could fall for Marcel, perhaps, he could make her love him again.

He grabbed her arm, “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Arianna! You have clearly been bewitched by Marcel!”

“Don’t treat me like a child, Elijah! I’m an adult and I know feelings!” She scolded him, trying to pull her arm free all to no avail.

“You can’t be with Marcel,” He commanded her

“Yeah, why not?” Arianna scoffed at the authority in his tone. She was not his sister or girlfriend – not anymore.

“Absolutely not, Marcel!” He refused to let the both be together. Marcel was not worthy of Arianna. He would only make Arianna miserable just the same way his father Daniel ruined his Aunt Natalie’s life.

Arianna was merely blinded by Marcel’s charms and the motherfucker has had no problems deceiving many women in the past. Just like Clara who he just dumped, Arianna would no doubt meet the same fate and he couldn’t let that happen. He would rather die than see the both of them together.

Elijah would rather have Arianna hate him for the cruel choices he would make and the both be together than let her spend the rest of her life with Marcel in suffering. Just like his father Daniel, Marcel would never make her happy. A monster only begets a monster. Arianna just hasn’t seen what Marcel is capable of and he would make sure to show her that.

He pulled Arianna to him by that arm so that their bodies were pressing together and the alarm went off in her head once again. They were crossing into dangerous territory and Arianna couldn’t let anything happen between them. The first time might have been a mistake, but not the second one. The second time would be a choice made by her.

.....

“Let me go!” Arianna struggled all to no avail and all Elijah did was lock her arm behind her so she couldn’t move. With his free hand, he lifted her chin but Arianna glared at him defiantly, daring him to kiss her again and see if she wouldn’t bite his lip off.

As if Elijah knew what was best for him, he didn’t touch her and said instead, “It’s quite funny, Arianna, you call me your ex but the both of us know that we never broke up. You were the one that made that decision on your own and I never gave consent.” He pointed out and all blood drained from Arianna’s face.

“Yeah, you thought, right,” Elijah smirked wickedly, “As far as I know, you are still my woman and I don’t acknowledge anything going on between you and Marcel.”

Arianna tried to speak up but Elijah pressed his finger against her lips, hushing her.

“However,” Elijah continued, “I’m no saint either, which means your sins are forgiven. But then, you should prepare yourself, I’m taking you out of here, and there’s nothing you can’t do about it.”

Arianna’s heart sank, but at the same time, anger filled her. She shook her hand and was able to pull out of his grip. Glaring up at him, she said, “You have no right to make decisions for me. I told you that I’m happy here, why can’t you respect that for Christ fucking sake?!”

“Happy as a prisoner?” Elijah found it laughable, “He went on to say,” Fine, let’s admit that the both of you are indeed together, what happens when the both of you break up? Would you remain there as his prisoner or would he toss you to the street like a rag?”

Arianna groaned in annoyance when she thought of how to explain it to him,

“Marcel would never do that, okay? He’s not as cruel as you think he is. He takes good care of me -”

“Yeah, by keeping you caged?” He sneered, “Could you hear yourself, Arianna? Would your past self think like that?”

Arianna’s brows furrowed together as she found out that indeed that there was truth in what he said. Being together with Marcel had changed her thinking somehow. Or was it Stockholm syndrome speaking? No, Arianna pushed the thoughts to the back of her head. She has gone over this issue already and this was the choice she made.

“It’s my decision, Elijah. Even if I decide to stay away from him, I’ve been exposed to Marcel and his enemies would come after me. Staying with him is the best solution,” nor would she be penniless if he decides he doesn’t want her anymore, Arianna added in her mind.

She has been stealing more of Marcel’s money and keeping them in a place he wouldn’t be able to find it, nor was he wasn’t complaining. If anything, Marcels seems to be dropping more for her to find as if it was fun to do.

“Does it look like I’m giving you a choice, Arianna?” Elijah asked her coldly.

“And I’m not leaving,” Arianna stood her ground even though her heart was pounding in her chest. She was afraid that Elijah would do something extreme, but she couldn’t give in to his demands either.

Seeing her blunt refusal, Elijah’s face darkened and though he let go of Arianna’s hands, the hollow and cold look in his eyes told her that she just successfully provoked him.

“It seems that you have forgotten who I am,” He said with a sense of foreboding.

Arianna released a shaky breath, “You would not hurt me.” She was sure.

“No, not you. I would never hurt you, Arianna, ” He admitted, “But not Marcel.”

Her gaze shifted to him instantly, “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Push me and we’d see.”

“I would hate you,”

“I wouldn’t care as far as I saved you from Marcel,” Elijah wasn’t moved by her threat.

Arianna shivered, she was in deep waters and she didn’t know how to navigate around it.

“I’ll take my leave now, but I’ll be in touch.” He informed her, “You know my real face now, hence, it’s left to you to inform Marcel about it and get me killed or keep your mouth shut about it and I’ll rescue you. It’s your choice, Arianna.” Elijah told her, moments before he dived out through the window and left her alone with her thoughts.