Chapter 8 At. All. Cost.

Luke walked down the corridor, but Arabella couldn't part her eyes from him. Tears, hot and heavy, brimmed, a bad omen she couldn’t silence.

Luke’s heart skipped a beat, he felt the intense gaze. He stopped and glanced over his shoulder, locking eyes with her. He knew she was still scared.

“I love you, Arabella…” He grinned, voice echoing in the corridor, “I love you so much!”

Taken aback, it was the first time since their relationship where he expressed love openly and grinning, she replied ecstatically.

“I love you too, Luke!”

All the tension reduced to nothingness and chuckling from relief, Luke finally left.

‘We will marry and then he won’t be able to do anything,’

Thinking with determination, she beamed and went inside when her apprehension was diminished.

Luke knew he couldn’t leave peacefully until his beloved would be at ease and for that, he did what he actually planned to do when he would send a proposal.

“Ah, this woman,”

Running his hand through his soft locks, laughing when Arabella was finally at peace, he left for London.

After gathering her composure, Arabella returned to her work at the Estate agency as her Boss’ executive assistant.

Returning to her nonchalant self, she considered working to shift her mind from William, only to find her colleagues managing files vigorously.

“Hey, Amy. Is our new boss here yet? What’s with the rush?” She asked with a nervous chuckle.

“You haven’t read your mail?”

“No, I was enjoying the wedding. Did I miss something?”

“They have already sold four properties, we are finishing the paperwork and he demanded the records of the previous unsold lands,” Amy replied, gesturing to her to help and arrange the file.

“Oh that explains this hectic schedule. I wonder how our new Boss is going to be like,” She trailed off playfully, stacking the files for their new Boss.

Noticing the meetings were higher than usual along with delegating tasks for brokers, finance department and managers.

“You are acting as if you don’t know, Arabella, you must be going to start your most prestigious time,” Her friend stopped, smirking at her.

She knitted her brows, “I-I seriously don’t understand. What are you talking about?”

“Your best friend’s brother, William, is the owner of Greenwood Real Estate. He has assigned his subordinate, Warren, as our investor!” She beamed in a whisper-like tone.

Her heart sank.

“What?” She prayed she heard wrong or some horrible prank.

“Although I hope he will be our Boss,” Another friend joined them.

Separating the current records from the past ones as Arabella stood stunned with her heartbeats doubling by each passing second.

“Don’t be silly, he is the most successful business man, he owns a variety of businesses and now real estate. He doesn’t have time for us,” Amy scoffed.

Doubting William himself would bother to step on their workplace only to get cut off by the irresistible billionaire’s playful resonance.

“Actually, I do,”

‘What the fuck! What is he doing here!?’

Arabella’s whole being was stiff, her back facing him. Trembling slightly in fear to spend a second in his proximity. Contrary to her discontent, her friends gasped at his unforeseen arrival.

“S-Sir?!”

Smirking impishly, William stepped forth.

“Since this is my first step in real estate, I would love to stay and contemplate the functionings of this market personally,”

Not sparing a glance at Arabella yet she moved away, holding her shirt with words purloined from her tongue.

Slyly taking the file from Amy’s hand, bringing a blush on her cheeks, he replied in his renowned tender tone.

“Before deciding whether I would like to invest further in this chain or not. Are you getting me, Miss..?”

“Amy,”

“Miss Amy,”

Ending in his persuasive smile, she swayed along his charms and nodded shyly.

“Ah, I see. Welcome, Sir, we hope this brings you success,”

“Thank you,”

“Now that you ladies are done discussing, kindly go back to your work. Warren, your new boss, is extremely strict." He spoke pesuaviely.

"Yes, Sir,"

"And send these files to the office, Miss Dew, your Boss will be here any time,”

Snapping his fingers dominantly, he gestured to her to follow, dragging her out of her scary perceptions.

Stopping outside the cabin, he glanced over his shoulder with a hysterical smirk, eliciting a dreadful tremble, afraid to be alone in the room with him.

Yet left with no choice but to obey, she picked the files and followed his trail unwillingly until they were all alone in the cabin.

She placed the files down, her hands shaking. William was already behind her, a strand of her hair between his fingers to inhale her scent.

“Why are you doing this? What is it that you are trying to prove?” She whimpered, holding the hem of her shirt, taking a step back cautiously.

“What happened to you, William? What have you become?”

He stood dangerously closer, softening his gaze, praying his in-depth emotions would reach her core.

“I am merely expressing my desire for you, Arabella,”

He brought his hand to touch her to which she tensed her shoulders, not allowing him, piercing his heart.

Curling his hand in a powerless fist, he swallowed hard.

“That for you, I could reach any extent, for that one day, one moment, my feelings will reach you,”

Her jaw clenched, pushing him away furiously for crossing such a thought about his brother’s girlfriend.

“Perish with those mindless desires, William!” She growled, filled with pure revulsion.

“I love Luke, and I am all his!” She turned to leave, but his patience at the brink shattered, grabbing her elbow firmly, eyes darted into her soul.

“We both know that I have spoiled Luke. He is a brat, He is a child. He can barely handle himself, let alone stand up for you against me.”

“You have lost your mind. How can you even think like this?”

Glaring, she struggled to leave but he twisted her elbow, pressing her back against his chest, surging his heat into the close contact. She gasped, stiff when his lips nibbled on her ears.

“Oh, Darling, I have thought beyond your imagination so let’s just not go there,” He smirked heartlessly, locking his hand in front of her, pressing her harder into him.

She ended up panting upon sensing his bulge, how his intimidating body chained her, indulging in soft whimpering.

His hand traveled down inside her shirt to feel her burning skin on his fingertips, striking her breaths.

She desperately held his wrist to stop his hand from exploring her body further.

“No-! Please,”

“Hmmm? Why not?”

Lifting her gaze to greet his uncaring gaze, his wet tongue rolled over her neck, placing a dominant kiss there. Releasing a tear of helplessness, she cried.

“Why are you doing this? What do you want, William?”

“You.” He stated, his voice ringing with cold, absolute certainty.

He didn't just want her; he was declaring ownership.

“What?”

Securing his other hand around her throat, labelling her breaths as his, a dangerous growl marked the start of his journey to make her all his.

“I want you, Arabella Dew, At. All. Cost,”