NIRELLE - Chapter 42: Chapter 42

"You heard the woman," Cassian threw spitefully at Theo, who stood there visibly angry. Why was he angry? It made no sense. Of course, I knew that Lucien was not going to sit still for what I had done, but sending Theo here was part of the plan, at least in my head.
"I was not talking to you, and you know that," Theo replied in the same tone that Cassian had used.
"Oh, come on, man, this is just a friendly lunch between two friends. Why are you trying to ruin it?" Cassian's tone changed again. The men were confusing me, but I was not going to chime in again. I wanted to see how this would play out and who would win between Lucien and Cassian.
"A friendly lunch? With Mr. Vexley's wife?" Theo was asking, and Cassian was frowning now. He looked caught, as if he had been doing something no one should have seen. "I can see that you must already be losing your mind slowly."
"Mr. Theo or whatever you are, I am just catching up with my friend I haven't seen in years, so if you could please just get out." Cassian was rude, but it seemed like he was trying to get a reaction from him. "If Mr. Vexley is as worried about his wife as you say he is, why isn't he here to get her? Why did he send his dog?"
Cassian's statement sparked something in me, and before I could respond, Theo was grabbing him by the collar and lifting him just slightly above the ground. Both men do not look so different in weight, but Theo looked like he had so much power in that moment. I see the staff standing by and not intervening, which is strange because they are supposed to do something about it before it gets bigger.
"Did. You. Just. Call. Me. A. Dog?" Theo was stressing each word as he carried him suspended in the air. Theo was holding back from crashing on this man and beating the hell out of him; it was so obvious.
"What are you then? You always do the bidding of a coward hidden in the shadows." I had wanted to provoke Lycien, but not in this manner. I didn't want to drag Theo into it and hurt his feelings. I had to shut this down now.
"A coward that you keep trying to chase but can't even get to his shadows," Theo spat out. He was so loyal to his friend, and it was heartwarming.
I throw the napkin off my lap and tap Theo gently. "Let him go." I don't know if I am supposed to command or be soft with him, but I want this to end now. Theo did not budge, and it was a surprise that Cassian was cool and not fighting back; there was something fishy about this.
"Let him go and we can go," I say again, and this time I see Theo throw him down so that he staggers back before gaining his footing. He pulled down his now dishevelled shirt and threw him a dirty look. "I am sorry, Cassian, I have to go now," I explain, and he nods but tries to get a bit closer, but Theo blocks him.
"I understand; let's continue this another time when we won't be distracted by any animal." Cassian was rude, and I wanted to shut it down, but somehow that felt like Lucien would win even though he was not here.
"Sure," I say, trying to keep the peace. Theo grabs my bag from the table and drags me out of the restaurant without a word. He puts me in the car and turns over to the other side. The car is quiet, not the kind I am used to. It's almost as if there was a ticking bomb with us, and if we breathed too loudly, it would go off.
"Theo..."
"Mrs. Vexley, you are in the wrong," Theo said, cutting me off. He seemed to have a lot to say, so why did he wait till I wanted to speak before he did so?
"Am I in the wrong?" I gasp, and he nods. "Oh my goodness, I guess the world is filled with just narcissistic jerks, or maybe I have bad luck, the worst in the world," I scream at him. He is not the reason I am angry, but I can't help but direct it at him. "You think I am your property to control? I can't do what I want? It has to be your bidding, and why? Because I am a helpless woman who can't help myself? What am I? A toy for you to play with? You all are jerks," I scream again, feeling my chest constrict.
I feel so much anger that I want to cry, but no tears come out. I wasn't angry because of Lucien, Cassian, or Theo. I was angry because I realised I was still a prisoner. And the bars weren’t made of steel anymore—they were made of men.
I turn my head to the side so I can't see him, and the car goes in silence until we are at the mansion. As soon as we stop at the door, I barge out of the car, leaving my bag in Theo's hand, and practically run into the room.
I look around the room, feeling like an alien in it. I sit on the floor in one of the corners and drop my head to my lap before the sobbing begins. I can't even tell why I am crying, but everything feels so bottled up that I want to scream even more, but my body does not allow it. I sit in that position for a while and feel my body shake.
", this shouldn't be your reaction to these mean people," I say after a while of crying. I feel how hoarse my throat is as I look around.
A knock on the door followed by Theo's voice came through. "?"
"Go away. I don't want to eat, I don't want to talk to anybody, and I don't want to see anybody, so just go, please." I scream back, and I hear a shuffle. I sniffle and get up, feeling my legs fumble under me; I had been in that position for so long that they had fallen asleep. I stood for a while to let the blood flow down.
"," he calls again, and I realise he has not gone yet.
"Theo, I respect you too much, so please, can you let me be?"
"Please let me apologise," he says, and he sounds so genuine. Why am I drawn to open the door? I walk cautiously to the door as if one wrong move would blow the entire place up. I unlock the door and pull it, and standing on the other side is Lucien behind Theo. My eyes stay on him, and I know in that moment that my anger toward Theo is misplaced; he is the right person to be mad at.
"What do you want?"