My Boss Is Secretly A Softie - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: John (2)
“Is there a problem, miss?” The ticket seller lady, with a professional smile, mumbled lowly to the hearing of only Elara.

She had observed a pale-looking female with dazed eyes followed by a broody male who looked very suspicious and couldn’t help but worry, especially with how disoriented the pretty lady seemed.

Looking at the hazel-eyed lady with a guarded look, obviously worried for her, Elara felt gratified. Of course, nothing was wrong with her, but she couldn’t help appreciating the lady’s kindness.

Smiling calmly, she replied, “Oh, nothing, just a little under the weather.”

The ticket seller lady’s suspecting eyes met the tired-looking ones behind Elara before she confirmed once more, “I’m serious, thank you for caring, haha.”

The ticket seller lady flushed a bright red in embarrassment. Damn, she was jumping to conclusions yet again.

“I’m sorry, very sorry, miss, here are your tickets.”

Elara took the tickets and with a warm smile and soft nod, left with a tall figure trailing behind her.

They arrived at the almost empty theater, which had only a couple of people within, and after finding a relatively remote area, took their seats there.

“This?” John asked coldly, as they sat in the theater with loud volume from the screen permeating through the whole place.

“Perfect place for a discussion…” Elara replied before facing the menacing man, “John.”

***

Elara, worried about making a scene, decided to go to a more secluded area—a theater. She made sure to pick one with especially loud music in place so whatever discussion they had would be done comfortably.

“It’s been a long time,” John chuckled softly, “Since you fucked me up.”

Elara flinched before laughing awkwardly, “That’s an odd way to put it. I just did what I had to…”

“I don’t hate you for that,” John replied, slowly moving towards Elara

before he snatched her wrist, bringing their faces very close, “But what about later? Why did you pretend like you didn’t know me? Why, Lara? No, you even lied about your name.”

He let go of the disoriented-looking lady and laughed scornfully, “Nothing, everything about you, about us, it was all lies.”

Elara was speechless, she stared at the screen with a bunch of moving images. It had never felt as unappetizing as it did now. Fuck, how would she handle this goddamn situation? Was this idiot really asking her why? Was she supposed to give a shit about some guy who’s father nearly screwed up hers? She did what she had to, what was he yapping about?

But she had to keep cool. She mustn’t let this situation escalate. Not now. At least not here.

Elara sneered secretly before donning a saddened look, “John, you speak like we were an item or something. We were just acquaintances. We needed something from each other and got it, as simple as can be.”

Their eyes clashed, and despite having a sad look, John saw it. No regrets—Elara didn’t care. She never did and never would.

He laughed cynically, causing Elara to cover his mouth due to the stares he garnered.

“Elara,” he spoke, prying off the panicked lady’s hands before squeezing them in his, “Don’t pretend. You don’t give a flying fuck. I’ve known that for a long time now.”

Elara blanked out as the pair of chilling black eyes stared at her, causing her panicked look to fade into an annoyed one. She snatched away her hands effortlessly before glaring at John, infuriated.

“So what the fuck are you back for?”

She tsked in annoyance before continuing, not waiting for the male’s answer, “I have better things to do than entertain you, John.”

“Like seducing a CEO? I never knew you were a gold-digging hoe. Elara. Guess I wasn’t enough, huh?” John sneered.

Elara rolled her eyes, “Yeah, John. I have standards. Besides, you’re not even 1% as good as Terrence.”

John stared at the unapologetically free woman for a long while who blatantly ignored him, placing all her attention on the screenplay before her.

Her cute looks and calm eyes held an allure to them that was undeniable and even more attractive was her character, which beguiled you to trust and believe and give your very all to her. Yet she wouldn’t hesitate for even a second to cast you away if needed.

He had been reluctant to visit until a certain someone called him. She asked if he wanted to visit and told him all he needed to know about her, including her new person—Terrence.

He was jealous. Very jealous of the male but, on researching, was stunned beyond words. Was her charm so powerful enough to hold down even a man of such caliber?

Even he had to admit—he couldn’t compare to the male’s brilliance.

“Does he know?” John asked calmly, facing the screen, “That you are like this?”

“You never really showed this side of yours until… ” he laughed almost self-deprecatingly, “…It’s too late.”

“He doesn’t need to know and he’s not you,” Elara replied curtly, refusing to elaborate further.

John gritted his face before facing the nonchalant lady with a glare but was met with a pair of amusing eyes whose owner stared at him with a teasing smile dancing on her lips.

“What exactly do you want from this poor guy?” John asked in defeat.

“I thought I was just a gold-digging hoe, John?” Elara chuckled softly before blowing off into cheerful laughter. And then stopping. Light tears trickled down her slightly reddened eyes from the intensity of the laugh.

“Don’t worry,” Elara replied coolly, a passionate light flooding her eyes, “Like I said he’s not you. He’s… different. I just want to love him.”

John clenched his fists till they bled from his fingers piercing through his palm. Yes, he was different. From Day 1 and even till now. Elara never saw him.

He had investigated this woman and learned the harsh truth. Every ‘friend’ she ever had was cut off ruthlessly whenever she wanted.

She left a track of people wanting her yet never getting back to them, but when she loved, she did fiercely, giving her all while asking for the barest minimum.

And he. He was merely a tool she used for her family. For the ones she truly loved. He thought it was fine—as long as she had no one else.

But after he left she allowed more and more people into her life and even had a special someone. He was unresigned. Why them and not him? Why? Why? Why?

Turning lightly, he was caught off guard when his eyes met with the lady’s shimmering ones. So lovely. So… Beautiful.

Elara smiled mischievously, “What are you looking at? Have fun with me while you can; after this, you’re gone.”

Her words were like a bucket of ice dousing the fiery flames within him and reminding him of the cold biting facts that remained—he was just another passerby to Elara.

“You know…” he started with a pained smile, tears dripping down his eyes, “You’re a fucking sociopath.”

Elara merely scoffed, heartlessly ignoring the male’s misery, “You should have known better John. You fucking should have.”

“Ha. Let’s get out of here.”

Without waiting for the lady’s reply he swiftly wiped off his tears before grabbing her wrist and leaving the theater with Elara laughing heartily behind him.

“You should get therapy and forget me, John.”

“Fuck you.”

“Lol, okay.”

***

In a bright and neatly tidied office, Terrence sat on his chair, staring at the picture before him.

The picture held the image of a smartly dressed lady with kinky hair in a bun and bangs, which fell lightly across her forehead, and a broody, good-looking male sitting face to face with her as they stared at each other with friendly smiles.

Terrence frowned heavily as he swiped forward; the next picture had the male dragging the female, who had on a wide smile, out of a theater.

This was the man whose father, Elara’s father, had won a settlement against. From his investigation, these two shouldn’t know each other. So why were they meeting?

Terrence’s eyes darkened. Yeah. He was infuriated.