Chapter 94 - Loneliness As A Silent Death

Maverick sat on the carpet and leaned on the bed. He looked at Stacey's photo that Caleb sent to him. Seeing her in tears tortures him. He loved the woman ever since that night when she spoke to him and gave him food. She might be his first crush. He folded his knees, feeling more devastated than before. The words that he said to her were harsh and he could never take it back and said that he loved her. 

I love you. It's what his heart was screaming for the time that she said his name, although she sounded broken. Maverick wanted to clear things out or he might go back to her. And if not, he has to marry someone else to have heirs so the Edward bloodline will continue. He didn't know what to do and he wanted Stacey as his wife. But he loves her and he didn't want her to die. 

Death seemed to be cursed to Edward. It started when the death of the heirs from the Royal Family started. From disease to the assassination. Her mother was the grand-niece of the King's father. Then, she married Belmont and everything started falling apart and he noticed that his father was hurting her mother secretly. 

One day, he tried to stop his father but he was thrown away. After that, his mother acted as nothing happened and she told him one thing. Not to give up and survive. He shouldn't trust anyone and he did. So, every night after his mom said to run off with another man and divorced his father, he met his half-siblings. His father has been having an affair ever since and married his mother to have her wealth. But he failed unless he was there. 

They decided to kill him and have the seal that his mother untrusted to him. If he hadn't escaped the house, he might have been already dead by now. But now, coming back as the heir and a Viscount and at the same time the President of the company, didn't make him happy. He felt lonely and alone. He looked at Stacey's number and hesitated to call her. But put away his phone. He didn't want to mess up in her head again. This is the last time. 

<><><><> 

Kaisley went downstairs wearing her silk pajama dress. She found Caleb who seemed to be done with the cleaning. He's currently sitting on the couch and drinking some beer.

"Can I join you?" She asked as she approached him. 

"Yeah, sure. But I can't offer you a beer." 

"It's fine." She sat beside him one and a half meters away. "Stacey fell asleep. She was so heartbroken." 

"I think Maverick was her great love, even in a short time." 

"Yeah," Kaisley said as she stared at the television and a show was playing. "Tomorrow, I'm going to face them. They can't bail out with millions." 

"Do you want me to come with you?" 

"No." She shook her head. "It'll be bad for my divorce." 

"Then, I'll watch you from a distance." 

"Thank you." She pursed her lips. "Aren't you tired?" She asked and turned to him. The dark circles and eye bags under his eyes were because of sleepless nights and stress. 

"I was. But cleaning up, worked my body. Her kitchen was a mess too." 

She reached the throw pillow and placed it over her lap. 

"Caleb?" 

"Hmm?" He looked at her and her beauty never failed to make his heartbeat like crazy. 

"Can we still be friends?" 

"We are friends. Aren't we?" 

She nodded. Her eyes were full of loneliness and she moved closer to him and placed the pillow over his lap. She lay down and reached his hand to hold it. Her hands were cold while his hands were warm. She couldn't sleep because of her baby. She thought that she could start a new life with her baby. But it was taken from her quickly before she could even start. 

"I was thinking of the names of my baby. I was thinking of starting after I learned that I was pregnant." 

Caleb put the can of beer on the side table as he wiped his hand and then, he gently caressed her hair. 

"I want them to suffer. I don't care about my father anymore. I just want to be selfish and care about myself." 

"That's right." Caleb agreed. "You suffered enough, K." 

She looked up at him. 

"Thank you for being in the worst night of my life." 

He smiled at her and caressed her cheek. 

"I can be your best friend, Kaisley. But don't bully me." 

She giggled and intertwined her hand with him. He stayed with her until she fell asleep. Caleb didn't want to leave the sofa but she needed to sleep in a much more comfortable bed. He gently carried her and to his surprise, she's still light. The bruises on her body haven't healed yet. His heart ached every time he glimpsed it. He gently kissed her forehead and took her upstairs to his room. He lay her down and tucked her in. He watched her for a while and then he bent down and kissed her forehead. Just when he was about to leave, she reached his hand. 

"Stay with me. Just for this night." 

"Are you sure?" Caleb didn't want to take advantage of this moment. But his body has been aching to have this physical contact with her. And so, he lay down and let her pillow on his arms. 

"That's warmer." She whispered. "I've been sleeping in a cold bed for years, Cal." She murmured. 

"I can lend my arms and my hot body." He teased her. She giggled and hugged him. 

"Don't leave." She whispered, full of loneliness and pain.

The loneliness that Caleb has been feeling for years after she left was like his silent death. Now, he felt his heart beating again and it's because he's close to his life, which is her. Caleb wanted to live with her close like this. Even though just as a friend. He can live with that and stay single forever as long as she won't push him away. But he indeed decided to stay single if she wasn't the woman that he'll marry. 

<><><> 

Back in Stacey's room, she suddenly woke up in the middle of the night with stiff eyes. She felt thirsty too and her heart ached. She wanted to stop thinking of him. If there's only a pill that would make her forget him, she would have already drunk it and live in harmony without heartbreak. She'll stop falling in love too. She dragged her body to the table. She reached the bottle and swigged it to her mouth. 

Suddenly, her phone started ringing. Then, she eyed her phone and took it. She was curious as to why Victoria was calling her. But then, she answered it and put up a smile. 

"V?" 

"Stacey, you spoke with Maverick?" 

"I~~I did." She went to her bed and sat down on the floor as she leaned on her bed. "V?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Your husband is rich now. Is there a way that he could provide a pill?" 

"Pill?" Victoria sounds curious. 

"A pill that could erase Maverick in my head." 

Victoria was silent from the other line. 

"V, please help me." Stacey pleaded as she burst into tears. "I love him and I just wished that he wasn't rich. I wished that I didn't fall in love, but I did." 

"Stacey, calm down. Maverick has his reasons." Victoria sighed. "It's to protect you because he loves you." 

"He doesn't love me." Stacey wiped her tears. 

"Don't you want to see him again?" 

Stacey froze as tears kept on rolling down her cheeks. Her heart tightened as she thought of not seeing Maverick again. 

"I want to see him, maybe. For the last time." 

If no pill could erase her memories with Maverick, she has another option to live like before. But she has to at least see him for the last time. 

"Stacey, doll up," Victoria said. "I will always be with you. How about we visit a tailor shop today?" 

"Tailor shop?" Stacey wiped her tears. 

"We will be attending the Marquess's Party in Marduque. I am sure that Maverick will be there as the Viscount and Lord of Edward." 

"Really?" Stacey suddenly felt a big hope. 

"You'll meet him. I promise you." 

"V, I know that this is crazy. But I only want to give my virginity to him. I want to have a baby with him. Can you help me?" 

"Stace," Victoria exhaled from the other line. "Are you sure about that?" 

"It's the only way for me to be happy. At least, I would have someone that would remind me of him?" 

"Alright,"

Stacey suddenly felt happy. All she has to do is seduce him and have a baby with him. It'll be enough for her. 

"Why won't you drink milk?" Victoria said. "I am not there with you now, Stacey. I want you to take care of yourself and stop drinking. If you want to have a baby, start taking care of yourself." 

Stacey chuckled as she wiped her tears. 

"I will. I love you, V." 

"I love you too, Stace."