Richard's POV
The ringing sound of my phone cuts my laughter short as I dig my hand into my pants pocket to fish out the phone with my gaze still fixed on Daisy watering the flowers.
I glance at my screen and see that it is Amy, my secretary.
She was employed after Ashley resigned. She is nowhere near as excellent as Ashley, but she is okay.
Having been away from work for about a month, I wouldn't be this concerned if Ashley was still my secretary.
Amy calls me for every single thing.
I get that she is still new, but some of her calls are totally unnecessary. I'm thinking of asking Ashley to help me put her through some things while I'm here in London.
“Amy?” As soon as I answer the call, Daisy turns to face me. I signal to her to continue watering the flowers before I move away.
“Good morning, sir,” she says politely. “Are you back in New York?”
“No, Amy. I told you I would be back next week, didn't I?” I remember telling her this a week ago, and two weeks ago, too.
“The appointment scheduled for today is still on because I thought…”
“You thought what?!” I bark furiously at her. I clearly told her I was going to be away for a month. I asked her to reschedule all my meetings and appointments until next month, and here she is spewing rubbish. “You had yesterday to call and ask if I was back, did you call? Cancel the appointment right away!”
“I'm sorry.” Her voice is breaking as she apologizes, making guilt stir inside of me. “You told me not to call you if it was not important. I’m so sorry.”
“I told you to cancel all my appointments,” I remind her, trying desperately to calm my raging nerves.
“Yeah, you did, but Mrs. Gracela insisted. She wouldn't…”
“It doesn't matter.” I cut her short. “If she can't adhere to my decision, then let her go. I will be back next week, and that's it, ok?”
"Yes, sir,” she mutters quickly before disconnecting the call.
I let out a sigh, knowing full well that I had just lost Gracela. She would never succumb to having our appointment rescheduled for the second time.
Making a mental note to give her a call once I am back in New York, I spin around, dropping my phone back into my pocket so I can go back to Daisy when I see Arabel standing behind me.
Her worried gaze searches my face, making me flash her a smile.
“You are up,” I say, moving close to her.
“Yes,” she replies firmly before shifting her gaze to my pants pocket. “Was that a call from work?”
I nod without saying a word.
“You should go back home,” she says with a determined tone to convince me. We have had this conversation on several occasions. And I told her I was not leaving until she was fine.
In a week's time, her cast will be off, and then I can go back to work. I can't go back, knowing she is struggling to do her usual chores with just her left hand.
Even though she doesn't allow anyone to assist her in the bathroom, I feed her most of the time. She has tried several times to make use of her left hand while eating, all to no avail.
At first, she was stubborn about me feeding her. But after a while, she gave up and she allows me to feed her now. She is now accustomed to having me feed her.
“Your appointment is in a week,” I inform her instead. I want to be here till you are better.”
She shakes her head. “I am better, Richard, and you know it. Leaving now doesn't make any difference. In a week's time, everything will be back to normal, hopefully. You can't keep being complacent with your work because you feel some sense of duty towards me since I did the same to you…”
“No!” I interrupt sharply. “You know I am not here because you were there for me during my accident. I am her because I want to be here, and I am not leaving until the cast is off.”
She gazes at me briefly before saying. “The doctor told us I would have to come back with another cast if the injury isn't healed. If that happens, what will you do then?”
It feels like a challenge instead of a question.
“I will be here till the cast is off, Arabel. I mean what I said,” I say with a tone of determination.
I am going nowhere.
I have been absent from her life for nearly five years now. I am trying to make up for all of that, starting with this. I can't abandon her now, knowing that she needs me. If not for any physical support, I will be here for the emotional support she needs.
Being somewhere else and knowing she is in this state will hurt me and make me feel miserable for not being useful, at least once in my life.
I know she doesn't need me. She has Natty and the others, but I want to be here, and I don't care how long it is going to take.
“Richard…”
"I've made up my mind, Arabel." I interrupt her before she can continue. “Unless you want to kick me out.”
“What?!” She exclaims in surprise, and I smile inwardly.
“I just don't feel good knowing you are skipping work because of me.” She looks vulnerable right now. It makes me want to move closer to her and pull her into my arms.
“I'm doing that because I want to.”
She nods, and silence ensues again. I wish I can know what is currently going through her mind.
Suddenly, she looks pale. As if trying to hide that from me, she whips around to leave when I grab her uninjured arm.
“Are you okay?” I ask with concern, my gaze fixed on her face.
She shakes her head, avoiding my gaze. “I don't know. I suddenly feel dizzy.”
“Dizzy?” I ask back in surprise. “Have you been feeling this way for a while? Is this the first time or…”
“Yesterday. I felt this way yesterday too, and also…” She trails off, her mouth hanging open. "The day I was kidnapped, I felt dizzy and…”
“Bella?” I rush forward as she closes her eyes. I tap her, and she flutters her eyes open.
Before I can say anything else, her eyes automatically closes and she collapses into my arms.