Chapter 119 - 119: Give Me Time

After knowing that Catseye was present during the party, James immediately warned the security personnel in the venue. 

He also instructed to switch on the CCTV cameras of the hotel especially those cameras installed in the venue.

Black Shadow went back to the hall as he was instructed by James to protect Selena and his mother. He also tried to scan the venue once again to search for Catseye.

On the other hand, Selena proceeded to the table where members of the joint task force were sitting.

"Ahem, did you guys see Erick and Elle?" Selena asked them.

"No, you were with Erick just a while ago. We thought both of you will go to Elle." It was Rose who answered her. 

"Hmm, We got separated just a while ago. So I thought they came back here." Selena lied.

Selena was about to leave when Bryan suddenly spoke up.

"Ahem... Miss Selena, I just got a message from Chief Lee. He said they are heading home now." Bryan informed her.

Selena was a little bit disappointed when she heard it.

"Thank you, Sergeant," Selena said as she gave him a forced smile.

"Hmm, as expected to our Chief Lee. After what happened tonight, I know he was very worried about Elle so they decided to go home early." Rose commented.

"He really dotes on his girlfriend, Elle," June said as he chuckled.

"Hmm, Elle is very lucky, a man like Chief Lee is hard to come by. He is smart, very protective, so handsome and very thoughtful. He is a complete package." Rose said with her envious tone.

"I think Chief is really in love with Elle. We can see it the way he looks at her and how he treats her." June also joined the conversation. 

"We can't deny the fact that they are a good match also. And the chemistry between them is so strong. Just looking at them, I thought my eyes would bleed from too much dog food." Carl said which made others burst into laughter.

They all agreed with him. Hearing those comments from Erick's colleagues, Selena could not take it anymore. She was really jealous of Elle.

Now, she wished that Elle and Erick got into a fight because of the scene between James and Elle that Erick saw in the hotel room.

Meanwhile, Chlarice was still waiting for James and the result of checking the CCTV footage. When she saw James entering the banquet hall, she approached him immediately.

"James, did you see it? I am telling the truth right! I am your girl but why are you defending her? Elle is the one at fault here. She should apologize to me."

James's expression darkened when he heard Chlarice's nagging. He could not help himself but compare her to Elle.

With this kind of behavior, James thought that Chlarice was really no match with Elle. She really deserved it. Elle gave her a lesson tonight.

Seeing that James just stayed silent, Chlarice continued to vent her anger and distaste about Elle.

"She is good a pretender and a liar. I wonder how she was able to make Detective Erick Lee fall for her. She doesn't even have a good background. She is just a waitress in a Cafe. I wonder if she even graduated in College."

Chlarice continued spouting negative comments about Elle without noticing the grim expression of James. As James could not listen anymore to her nonsense, he spoke up.

"Can you shut up?!! You know what, she is much better than you. Can't you see? You are nothing compare to her." James said to her with his cold stern voice.

That was the breaking point of James's patience. Hearing the insults which she was throwing towards Elle, James started to hate the girl in front of him.

Chlarice was dumbfounded when she heard James. She could not believe it. 

James did not want to waste his time with Chlarice as he still needed to focus on Catseye tonight.

He was about to leave when he stopped on his track and said another word to Chlarice.

"By the way, we are over. I don't want to see you again." He emphasized every word. Then he walked away after saying that to Chlarice.

Chlarice was left speechless. She looked so devastated. This was not the outcome she had imagined.

She thought everything would go as she plan but it was the opposite. She was gritting her teeth as she was cursing Elle. She blamed all of this to Elle.

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Meanwhile, the person who caused Chlarice's misfortune for tonight just arrived at home together with the person who just confessed his feelings to her.

Elle and Erick remained silent during the entire duration of their journey until they entered the house. Elle had not yet recovered from the shocking confession of Erick.

There was an awkward atmosphere between the two but Erick decided to break the silence.

"Elle..." He called her name

"Huh?" Elle answered absentmindedly.

Erick paused for a moment. He was contemplating whether to tell her what on his mind right now or it was better not to say another word.

In the end, Erick just smiled at her and said "It's nothing. Never mind. Make sure to change your clothes right away okay? Good night Elle."

Erick was about to leave and proceed to his room when Elle grabbed his hand to stop him. Erick stopped and turned to look at her.

"Erick, about what happened between me and Chlarice. Actually it was really my fault that she tripped. I intentionally blocked her way." Elle told him the truth.

Erick was a little bit surprised by her revelation but he did not mind it. 

"Do you hate me for doing that?" Elle asked him with anticipation. 

"No. You knew what you did is wrong. But since you already reflected and admitted to me your fault then I won't scold you."Erick chuckled as he teased her.

"Besides, I know you have your reason for doing that. I think it was just a catfight between two women so we don't need to be involved," he added

"But I admit, I was unhappy when I learned that she splashed some lady's drink to you." Erick frowned as he remembered what happened to Elle.

Elle also remembered the moment when Erick suddenly walked out in the hotel. She wanted also to clear that misunderstanding.

"Ahem, Erick... about James and I, what you have seen that moment, it is just nothing." Elle started to explain.

After Erick's confession, she learned the reason why Erick just left and walked away while looking so mad. He was jealous of James.

"You don't need to be jealous of him. He just asked me if we could be friends and I agree. I did not expect him that he would hug me suddenly."

Hearing her explanation, Erick could not help himself but smile. He believed her. He would always believe her.

He admitted that when it comes to Elle, sometimes he could not control his emotions. He would lose control and act on impulse.

"I understand. Besides, any guy will really like to be close to you. I can't blame you for being so beautiful that you can attract a lot of men." Erick said as he pinched her nose.

"Ouch! Hey, why it is my nose again?" Elle complained to him.

"Hmm, I shall target your lips then." Erick gave her a peck on the lips.

Elle's eyes widened with his sudden advances.

"Hey... you are always doing this to me, snatching a kiss," Elle said as she punched him on the stomach.

Erick grunted but he chuckled as soon as he recovered from that punch. 

"Haha... I am sorry Elle. I think I got addicted to your lips already." Erick said as he smiled sheepishly.

Elle looked at him seriously. Erick stopped teasing her as soon as he saw her serious expression.

"What's wrong?" Erick asked her softly with a concerned voice.

"Erick, are you sure about your feelings towards me? Maybe you are just confused right now since we are pretending like a couple."

"Maybe you just got carried away with our acts that you mistook it as affection towards me."

Erick held her shoulders and turned her around so that she was now facing him. He gazed at her intensely.

"No Elle, I am not confused. I am a hundred percent sure about my feelings about you." His eyes were full of determination as he said those words to her.

"But how can you say that? You still don't know me, my true self." Elle frowned. 

'Erick... please. Don't do this. You will just be hurt in the end. Stop now.' Elle was silently wishing to herself.

"I know what you are worried about," Erick said.

'No Erick, you don't know what I am thinking right now.'

"I already thought those possibilities so many times Elle."

"Before you lose your memory, what if you already have someone in your heart? What if you are already married? What should I do? Should I stop my feelings towards you?"

"These were the questions that came into my mind. I know, if that is the case, it would be unfair to him. But I can't stop this feeling anymore Elle. As time goes by, it is becoming stronger and stronger." 

'No Erick, the truth is much worse than that. I am an assassin and I know you can't fall to someone like me.'

Erick grabbed her hand and he placed it on his chest. She could feel the fast beating of his heart.

"Can you feel it? This is your doing. This is how you are affecting me, Elle." A light flashed on Erick's eyes as he looked at her intently.

Elle couldn't look straight at his eyes. She wanted to run away from him right now. She had conflicting emotions.

The way Erick's heart was acting right now was the same thing happening to Elle's heart.

Her heart was racing so fast in her chest, pounding with so much joy. However, her mind was telling her the opposite of what her heart was feeling right now.

'I have to stop this before I end up regretting something.' Elle reminded herself.

She already made up her mind but the moment she looked up and met Erick's intense gaze the words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat. She couldn't utter a word.

'D*mn you Elle!' she cursed herself. She was annoyed at herself.

Elle sighed deeply and so instead of rejecting Erick's feelings, Elle threw herself to Erick's warm chest.

She wrapped her arms around Erick and hugged him tightly. She felt helpless right now. Her thoughts and feelings were in chaos.

"Erick, please give me time. I need to think this out first and sort my feelings." Elle said to him in low voice.

Erick's lips curved into a smile. He hugged her back.

He ran her fingers down her spine as he said "I know, I understand. I already told you that I am willing to wait for your answer when you are ready. No need to rush."