Erin McAfee

"Erin... ERIN!" Jowee shook my arm furiously.

"What?" I frowned at her while I resumed mixing the pasta sauce I was making.

"You're zoning out again! Seriously, is this still because of Zac's outburst last week?" she asked and I slowly nod my head.

"Stop thinking about it. He didn't mean what he said you, and to make it bearable for you, he also went to my apartment that night and gave me an earful of curses. Home boy was so scary you know."

I looked at Jowee not believing what she had said.

"He also went to you? What did he tell you?" I asked.

"He was hellbent mad that I let and agreed to Livy to go to Dubai without thinking about the consequences. Seriously, he was so scary!" Jowee shivered and shook her head.

She's right though, Zac was scary that night, if it was legal to kill, I believe he would've killed someone that night. But what I was scared of was not his temper but the mere fact that I hid something from him, something that was very dear to him.

For a week now, I've been sending him messages apologising for I'd done. I didn't say anything more than sorry as I didn't want to push myself because I know he's still angry at me for keeping this a secret from him. Other than that, I kept reminding him also to not tire himself out and to not worry about his sister as she was kinda doing well on her own.

However, he never once replied to any of my texts and it's starting to make me anxious and somewhat annoyed of what he's been acting. I mean, I very well know that Olivia is important to him and he vowed to protect her at all cost. Now, add up the fact the he only knew what happened to his sister from his personal investigator that his sister was hurt and humiliated in a house full of strangers without a back up, of course he be flipping apeshit mad.

But, I believe he should hear me out also. I also wanted to tell him what happened to Olivia but I couldn't because I promised to his sister to not tell it to him. Yes, I am his girlfriend but I was still bound by my friendship to his sister and my loyalty to both of them are different. Not because I am his girlfriend, I am to tell him everything I know about his sister.

I will only tell him if I know if it's something Olivia really couldn't handle on her own.

Nonetheless, even if I was dying to go to his office or apartment, I couldn't because I'm giving him some space to clear his mind.

But it still didn't stop me from feeling a bit dejected because he didn't reply to any of my messages.

"However, I wanted to be in the front seat when he confronted that piece of shit of a man Niccolo, but I guess he had already did it upon learning what happened to his sister. I hope he gave him two black eyes, lots of bruises, and/or broken limbs." I heard Jowee said seriously after I emerged from my deep thoughts.

"Yeah, but knowing Zac, he'll do more than that, he'll surely make him suffer." I said as I placed the cooked pasta onto the plates and drizzle the sauce on it. Jowee then took her plate and we went to my living room.

I know for a fact that Zac would do everything to get back to Niccolo for what he did to Olivia, his eyes that night clearly displayed the anger he has in him and the promise it conveyed when he said he wanted to ruin Niccolo. So, hurting Nick physically with his bare hands isn't what I think he planned to do, because knowing Zac, he won't retaliate in such a petty manner, he'll do a lot worst than that.

I just wish that Niccolo is prepared for what's coming to him.

After an hour, Jowee and I called it the night, when she opened the door, she saw Niccolo who was about to knock on my door.

The latter was shocked to see Jowee but I didn't fail to see the misery in his face especially the black eye underneath his left eye.

He told us that he already knew that truth and even asked --- no, begged us about Livy's whereabouts. But of course, we never told him, he does not deserve to know her whereabouts easily.

The next day, I was busy proofreading the draft that was in front of me when my phone rang, startling me out from my bubble.

When I looked at the caller ID, I saw Zac's name. I automatically smiled because after a week of ignoring my messages, he's now calling me.

"Zac." I answered timidly.

"Why do I need to know everything from Markus, Erin? Why the hell did you not tell me that that son of a bitch went to your apartment last night? What did you tell him?" He roared.

So he called me because of that? He's still mad.

"Zac, are you following me?" I asked in an accused tone.

"Just answer the damn question! I will not ask again, Erin!" he shouted and I quickly took my phone away from my ear and looked at it in disbelief.

What the hell?!

"Which one do you want me to answer then?" I asked him in irritation because I'm starting to get fed up by his attitude.

I heard him groan and clicked his tongue.

"I am not playing games with you, Erin. What did you tell him?" he asked angrily again.

Who told him I'm joking? Seriously, I know what happened to Olivia was a big deal but he didn't have to make this a huge deal or turn this to himself.

"Why don't you asked Marcus since you have us followed!" I hung up on him and threw my phone on the table.

Now, I didn't know why I snapped at him but this whole 'I knew from Marcus thing' was already getting its toll on me. Seriously, does he really have to spy on us and conclude everything he'd read on Markus' report? Shouldn't he asked us first rather than think of the worse?

My God, Zachary, why do you have to be so controlling?

My phone rang again and when I saw that it was him, I rejected it and put my phone on silent mode. I don't think I have the energy to deal with him especially now that I'm fed up by his attitude. It's been a week, Jesus! Why can't he get over it and asked for my explanation?!

I tossed the draft that I was holding, I don't think I could finish proofreading it as my mood was already dropped.

Before I could do anything, I heard a knock on my office door and Chloe's head popped in.

"Hi, Erin. Brenda wants you in her office." she informed me and I stood up.

As the day went by, I never received any calls from Zac again which was a bummer because I was kinda hoping that he will try and call me again because he realized that he also misses me.

But he didn't.

I sighed and shook my head. I miss him so bad, I miss his kisses, his touches, and his cuddles. Until whem he's going to get mad at me?

Should I go to him and force him to listen to my explanations? Or I should wait for him to cool down?

Ugh! I don't know anymore!

I leaned my back on the lift and closed my eyes.

Why do these kind of complicated stuff kept happening to me? Is it because I'm in relationship with someone who's complicated?

Well, for months in getting to know Zac, I came to realize that he really is a complicated and high maintenance person. Complicated in terms of not letting you see through him. He only shows you what he wanted you to see and up until now, I still don't fucking know why he is like that?

That's when him being a high maintenance comes in. Sometimes when he's out of his own bubble, he acts like a kid that wants your undivided attention. But if you ignore him, he'll throw a tantrum by staying silent until of course you give the attention he wanted.

He may sound like a spoiled brat kid but he's not always like that. Often times, he's usually the one showering me all the attention by cuddling me, giving me gifts, and even came to the point ditching his meetings just to come see me.

And that was what I've been missing. The surprise visits whether in my apartment or office, his handsome face, his playful side, his possessive side, his toe curling kisses, and most of all, his whole being.

As the lift announced my apartment floor, I went out of it and walked towards my unit.

I halted halfway when I saw the very person I've been missing standing in front of my door in his white dress shirt that was rolled up on the sleeves and was tucked in his dark blue pants.

My heart beat faster in seeing him stood immaculately handsome outside my door. I tried to calm myself so that my excitement won't be that obvious. I mean, not just lomg ago, I hung up on him because I was irritated by him.

After calming myself down, I walked towards him and unlocked my door. Neither of us spoke, as I entered I opened the door widely for him to get inside.

I went directly to my kitchem and poured myself a glass of water to brace myself for a very very very long conversation I'm going to have tonight.

As I went back to my living room, I saw him still standing in the middle of the room staring blankly at the picture of us three bestfriends.

"Have you eaten already?" I asked him silently.

Geez, the atmosphere in this room is thick as hell! Awkward and uncomfortable.

Oh God, please make it bearable tonight. I want us to be back to normal.

"I'm not hungry." He answered in a monotonous tone and faced me.

There were no emotions displayed in his eyes and I swear to God I wanted to get mad because he's making everything so difficult.

"Do you want anything else? Coffee perhaps?" I asked again.

"What did you tell to that bastard?!" He asked right away still containing his anger.

Seriously?! We're still on that?

"I thought Markus has already told you that?" I replied in nonchalance even though I wanted to scream at him to stop whatever he's battling about.

"Erin for God's sake, don't be so fucking difficult. I ditched my meeting tonight just to come here to ask you!" He said in agitagion, while he failed to mask his annoyance.

"Oh. What a waste of time... Why don't you go to your trusted PI and asked him yourself?! You trust him more than anyone, right?!" I said in anger and crossed my arms on my chest.

He scoffed and shook his head.

"So you're the one who's being mad right now? Why? Was it because he told me that Nick came here last night?! You've been sending me stupid text messages and now the most important thing you didn't tell me? Why? You want to play cupid between Olivia and Niccolo?" He accused me.

What the actual fuck?

Stupid messages and play cupid?

I admit, I was so shocked to hear those words from him.

My God! So all of my apologies were just stupid messages for him!!! And what did he say? I'm playing cupid between Nick and Olivia?!

"What?! Stupid messages? Stupid. Messages. Those were just stupid messages?" I scoffed still in disbelief.

"Stupid fucking messages. Oh I'm sorry if I annoyed you with those stupid messages. Don't worry, I won't send you anymore of my stupid messages." I pointed my index finger at him.

"Now get out and go to your meeting." I was going to walk pass him when he held my arm and faced me to him.

"If I knew that you told him where my sister is, I swear to God we're through, Erin. Olivia is more important to me than this relationship." He said without batting an eyelash to me.

Shit! It's as if I was slapped in the face.

I am nothing to him.

I couldn't form any words to say to him. I just stayed still and repeated his words.

"Now you better tell me the truth. Did you tell Niccolo where my sister is?" He asked in authoritative manner.

"Even if I say something, you will still verify it to Markus, won't you?" I asked him to confirm what I was thinking.

"What did you tell to---"

"Of course you will. You don't trust me anymore, don't you? Because if you do you won't make this a big fucking deal!"

"That's why I came here, Erin! To hear it from you directly."

"Fuck you! You came here to see if I will lie to you or not! You know Zac, that's your problem, you conclude everything you read from Markus' report! You don't even asked for someone's explanation!" I pushed him lightly and crossed my arm on my chest.

"Did you even asked me why the fuck did I lie to you that day? Did you even asked me why I agreed to your sister to go to Dubai? NO YOU DIDN'T. Because you thought you knew everything! You thought that you can always control everything! Zac, stop controlling your sister's life! Not every aspect of her life you should know! Let her be." I said and it made him angrier even more.

Now I don't fucking care, I'm also angry.

"You don't know anything, Erin! Just because I opened up a tiny bit of myself to you doesn't mean you know everything. You know nothing!" He growled and his ocean blue eyes became darker color, just like the color of his pants.

"Yes, of course I know nothing because unlike you, I don't hire people to spy on you or on people. You know Zac, you have issues to yourself not to the people surrounding you." I said clamly, there, I said it.

I've been itching to tell this to him since I realized it but I was afraid what would his reaction be. But I think now's the time to tell him this.

He chuckled darkly.

"Wow. For the little amount of time we're together you derived that? So tell me, what are my issues, huh? I thought you're smart and have a wide range of logic, Erin but you're just as shallow as other women are." He said and walked away.

I swear to God, I am speechless on the words he's enunciated. So instead of uttering something, I just watched him walk away from me.

But then he halted when he's by the door.

"And remembrr this, my sister will always be my priority over anything or anyone." He said then exited my apartment.

I stood there not knowing what to do. When his words sink in to me, I slowly sat on my couch and a lone tear escaped my eye. I wiped it with the back of my hand but it was too late because tears were now uncontrollably streaming down my face.

He just told me that I pratically meant nothing to him when it comes to his sister.

Hello loves,

I'm sorry I didn't get to upload last week. Huhu. Anyway, I hate how Zac rubbed it in Erin's face that she meant nothing to him. 🙄

I hate how overprotective he is to Olivia. If only I could bitch slap his face, I would.

If you liked this chapter, please give it a vote!!! 💜

xo,

kimmypatata