Chapter 283 A Strained Relationship
I looked at Michael apprehensively, clueless of how I could convince him that everything between Justin and I was over.
He gave me a cold stare, uttering no words, and stepped on the gas.
I screamed at the top of my lungs as I gripped the handles, fearing that the car would skid off the road at high speed.
My face turned ashen as I stared in front of me anxiously. Michael turned to glance at me and slowed down a bit, probably because he sensed how terrified I was. Even so, he still looked grim, paying no heed to me after that.
I kept my head lowered as though I was a kid feeling guilty of a wrongful deed. After all, Justin was my ex-boyfriend. It was normal for Michael to be infuriated, although Justin was the one bothering me. Nonetheless, I was clueless as to why Justin would contact me again all of a sudden.
I trailed behind Michael when we reached home. He turned and left after opening the door.
Astounded by the abruptness, I had wanted to call out to him to hold him back, but he had walked far away.
Knowing that he was still feeling annoyed, I was down in the dumps as I racked my brain about how I could convince him to believe me.
I sat on the couch in the living room and waited for Michael to be home. He had promised to marry me and form a sweet family with me. Hence, I was sure as hell that he would be back again.
As time elapsed, I could not resist feeling anxious. There was still no sign of him.
I took out my phone, wanting to call Michael. But it was then it rang abruptly. At the sight of Justin’s name blinking on the screen, I felt like hanging up at once.
Thinking of how his pestering days ago had landed me in hot water today, I was irritated and my heart was filled with hatred.
If not for his sudden appearance, others would not have taken the photo and sent it to Michael.
At that thought, I changed my mind to answer his call.
“Anna, what are you doing?” Justin’s gentle voice sounded on the other end of the line. I was boiling with anger again the moment I heard his voice.
“Justin, I’ve made myself clear the other day. Please don’t call me up or appear in front of me ever again. I don’t love you anymore, and I’m in love with someone else. So please stop meddling in my life again!” I snapped at him, turning a deaf ear to Justin’s gentleness.
I must make myself clear today. I must not let him continue to be a hand grenade between Michael and me that will go off at any moment.
“Anna, what’s the matter with you?” Justin asked in bafflement.
“That’s none of your business! Just don’t appear in front of me ever again. Goodbye!” I wrapped up the conversation and hung up right away, sick of my entanglement with him earlier that day.
Taking a deep breath, I tried my best to tamp down the simmering fury within myself. Even though I had vented my frustration at Justin, my heart sank when I thought about the strained relationship between Michael and me.
After hesitating for quite a while, I searched for Michael’s number and gave him a call.
The connecting tone sent me into a tizzy. I could barely wait for him to pick up the call.
However, things did not turn out as expected. The line on the other end went dead almost in an instant. He had hung up on me right away.
My heart thumped in utter helplessness. I felt even more restless as I started making wild guesses as to why he refused to answer my call.
Now that we did not have to keep mum about our relationship anymore, I was worried sick that he would abandon me due to a misunderstanding. He and our baby were my everything, so I could not lose him.
I tried to call him again, but the line went dead as he hung up on me again.
Deep down, I could not explain why I was getting more desperate. If Michael were to hang up on me previously, I would not be bothered to make a second attempt. However, at that moment, I could not control myself from trying to reach him.
Since he refused to answer my call, I sent him a text message instead, telling him that everything between Justin and me had ended long ago. Apart from that, I emphasized that he was the only person I was deeply in love with.
After sending the text message, I waited for a long time. Even so, there was no response from him, not even a simple text message.
As Michael was rather impatient, I knew he would be enraged if I bombarded him with phone calls and text messages. Hence, I tried my best to cool my head off and refrain myself from interrupting him.
Leaning against the back of the couch, I told myself to wait patiently, but I was gradually overcome by sleepiness when there were still no signs of him. I ended up dozing off on the couch and had a dream.
In my dream, Michael wanted to break up with me. Undoubtedly, Justin was the cause of everything. Regardless of how hard I tried to explain to Michael that I only loved him, he would not believe me. He shrugged off my hand coldly and strode away without even sparing me another glance.
I freaked out as he was moving further away from me. By the time I opened my eyes abruptly and scanned around the living room, only then did I realize it was just a dream.
I wiped off the cold sweat on my forehead and was still rattled by the dream, fearing that the scene would turn into a reality.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. It’s almost midnight and Michael is still not back… Is he really not going to come back?
I picked up my phone. There were neither missed calls nor text messages from him. I put down my phone in despair, my heart aching.
Suddenly, I heard the door open and turned in anticipation. My eyes lit up at once as Michael’s figure came into sight.
I put on my slippers hastily and made a dart toward him. When I was alongside him, I smelled a strong scent of alcohol.
“Did you drink?” I asked in great concern.
He seemed to have drunk a lot more than usual. As a mature and staid man, he seldom drank so much.
I tried to hold him, but he shoved me away instantaneously and stared at me coldly.
The usual gentleness and affection in his eyes were completely gone. My heart thumped. I knew he was still mad at me.
“Michael, I don’t have the slightest feeling for Justin anymore. You have to trust me.” I enunciated every word solemnly, looking into his eyes.
That was my very first time trying to clarify something in such an apprehensive way. I can’t let Michael misunderstand me again! I must eliminate any petty matters that will ruin our relationship!
