Chapter four

"Please, I want to leave this place, take me back to your house. Get me out of here.” I was frantic now. I could not believe they had the nerve to look so happy, when my life was crumbling before my eyes.

I felt sick to the bone, they had no care for me. I understood now, that they never cared for me.

“Calm down! Selena, you are shaking. Look at me, do not look at them. Jesus! you are scaring me.” Max said trying to calm me down.

“You! Is Trina safe in the car? We are going back home." I could hear Max's commanding voice but all I could do was cry. I was crying, oh God I was crying again because of them. 

“Let's go home Selena, I'll make sure they suffer." I felt Max's hands on me, holding me. We were in the car, going back to his place.

“Daddy, is something wrong with Selena?"

Trina asked in a small voice, her forehead crushed in sadness and confusion.

"She is fine baby, Selena is just sad at the moment.” Max replied.

“Can I hug her? You said hugging helps when someone is sad.” Trina said, looking at her father with hopeful eyes.

“You can, she needs it."

Trina came closer to me, and wrapped her tiny hands around me. I cried some more. I was alone, utterly alone, I have no friends, no parents, although my parents were alive, they never cared deeply for me. 

I swallowed thickly, willing my emotions under control then I said, “Thank you Trina, I'm Okay. You are sweet girl." 

"Do not be sad, Selena.” Trina told her, patting her little hands on my cheek. Then she went back to her drawings.

I turned to Max and said, "I'm so sorry you had to see me like that and I'm sorry we had to cut the shopping trip short."

Max lips thinned, “I don't care about that. You don't have to apologize, I understand.”

I lowered my eyes, I felt embarrassed. How could I loose my emotions like that. I was so stupid.

Before I could open my mouth to say something else, like apologizing again, the car stopped. We were back at Max's house. 

“Are you okay? Do you need a minute to yourself?” Max asked me. 

"I'm better now, this won't happen again, I can assure you of that, I'm sorry.” I said.

Max kept looking at me, although the concern on his face had been replaced with anger, then he said to me. “Will you stop saying sorry, it's not your fault, you were surrounded by people who did not nothing but hurt you all your life."

I nodded absentmindedly, my mind going back to how I could have missed the signs, they were right in front of me.

I remember now, how Daniel was always so happy anytime Jane came along with them, how Jane always included herself to Daniel and her outing. How they always had secret jokes and words.

At that time I was just so happy her best friend and fiance were getting along. How naive I was, they were getting along so well. Pathetic, that what I was.

“Thank you again." I raised my head to meet Max's piercing gaze. “Let's go inside, I'm good."

They all went inside, Trina by my right hand side and Max by my left. I noticed they were both stealing glances at me.

I almost laughed out loud, at how ridiculous they looked, looking at me as if I was going to collapse at any moment. 

“I'll go to my room now." I said to Max.

“Okay, I'll come check on you later."

I went up to my room, changed my clothes and jumped on the bed. It was strange how Max was paying so much attention on me. He was so soft and caring earlier.

After rolling on the bed, I drifted off to sleep. 

I opened my eyes. My room was so dark, it was night time. I had slept for hours. I left my bed, went to the bathroom, I really needed to freshen up.

I later decided I needed a bath. After filling the bathtub, I relaxed into it, my mind going back to Max and his strange behavior towards me. 

Max is a strange character, I had come to that conclusion the moment we had met.

As I closed my eyes, I heard a sound coming from my room. “Who's there?"

“It's me Max, you have been sleeping for over five hours, are you good?"

I could hear his voice clearly, that meant he was in my bedroom.

“I just woke up, then I decided to take a bath." I rose up from the tub, wrapped a towel around my body, and went into my room.

I saw him immediately, his commanding presence filling my room. He was putting on normal clothing, no suit and tie in sight.

We stood there just staring at each other, Max's gaze shifted down my body, sending a shiver through my body.

“Could you give me a minute, I'll dress up and meet you downstairs." I said breathlessly.

Max continued standing, as if he didn't hear me, then his eyes snapped to my face and he said, “Okay, I'll be waiting."

Immediately he left, I realize I had been holding my breath.

Oh my God that was something, I thought.

I immediately put on my clothes and went downstairs. I asked Mrs Rolly about Trina, and was told she was in bed already. 

I was glad I had the good sense to ask for her name earlier before they went for the shopping that never took place. 

So it was just me and Max, I sat at the table and started eating my food, when Max came in and he sat down too.

“I had to take a call." He said to me. 

“No problem, I just got here. I was told Trina was already in bed, you did not have to wait for me before having dinner."

“It was no problem waiting and we have something to talk about." He replied back.

"I just got off the phone with my secretary, He said Daniel was given a job at Jane family company, he was given the job of a manager.” He continued.

"Well that was something I could not give him, and now he has gotten it, I know he always hated the fact that I was the one with a job.” I said. “He said he always wanted to work at either my place of work or Jane's company."

“Your place of work is out of the question." Max said with a anger in his voice.

“Why do you say that, it's not as if its your company, if they find him capable he will be able to have the job." I said, confusion written in my face.

“Trust me, he is never getting a job at that place.”

I shrugged, maybe he knows the owner. 

“Anyway, there is something else. I need you to listen, they never were your people, no matter what I tell you now, you have to trust me that they are going to get what's coming for them.” Max continued, looking at me with concern all over his face.

What was he going to tell me, did something happen to my parents or Jane, or even Daniel. I was scared, this is bad, the way he talked, I knew something bad had happened, but I just saw them today, what could possibly be the problem.

“Tell me please, is something wrong?"

"Take it easy Selena, it's not a life threatening situation.”

"just tell me Max.” my voice grew louder.

"Well, I was told Daniel and Jane are getting married and…” Max said and slowly stopped.

“And what?" I asked anxiously. 

"And they are expecting a baby. Selena look at me, don't blame yourself, don't belittle yourself in that mind of yours.”

I could not breathe. Jane is pregnant, she is pregnant, those were the only words in my head. They were not only getting married but having a baby together.

Those were my plans. Daniel and I were going to have a family, a big family. And now it was all gone. My best friend had betrayed me, my parents had abandoned me and Daniel who I had thought would never leave was the cause of my grief right now.

I could feel Max touching me, asking me if I was Okay. I was not okay, I had tried to look past it. But my resolve was crashing.

“Oh! Selena, I wish I could take all your pain away, I'm so sorry.” Max was saying to me. “If only I was not too late, if only you had never met him.”

I looked at him, my mind going over his words, what did he mean by that, we had just met two day ago, so how could he know me and was hoping I had never met Daniel.

"What do you mean by that?” I asked through tears.

“What do you mean?" Max asked back.

"What you just said, if only you were not late. What are you trying to say.”

Max's eyes widened. I had never seen that expression on his face. But it only lasted for a few seconds, before his face was back to normal.

“Oh, I mean nothing, I was just saying I could have helped you if we had met sooner." He replied avoiding my gaze.

"Well, we are together now, Max, thank you for telling me.” I cleaned my face, Max hands were on my face, cleaning my tears and touching my face, so softly.

“I'm here for you Selena."

We were staring at each other, I could see the want in Max's face.

I did not know who moved first, Max or me, before our lips met.