Chapter 10 Guess who is back?

Chapter 10 Guess who is back?

LEO’S HOME, LOS ANGELES

Chloe huffed in frustration as she stepped out of the bathroom, Leo appears engrossed in the book in his hands. She knows it's just a facade, he only does that when he is disinterested in having any conversation with her.

"Can you at least say something, please? You have been mute since lunch and even refused to eat dinner "

He remained quiet blinking slowly at the page of the book. His finger made an attempt to turn a page, but the book got snatched from his hand instead. Leo tilted his mouth to the side. "What are you trying to do, Chloe?"

"Leo!" She sniffed stomping her feet. "What's wrong with you, baby? Did I do something wrong?"

"So you still don't think you did something wrong? Why would you invite our families over without running it by me?"

Moving closer to the foot of the bed, Chloe sat on it reaching for Leo's hand but he snatched it from her. Tears rushed to her eyes at his cold reaction. "I just wanted everyone of us to get more acquainted before we get married. I wanted our families to get by together, that was why I thought it will be best if we invited them for lunch and be a happy family together."

"Why does it sound like you live in some sort of delusional space? What exactly do you mean by a happy family together? Without telling me about it and you threw me under the bus like that! In my own home for that matter!"

"Stop it, Leo!" Chloe yelled standing up angrily and she clenched her fist. "What is wrong with you? Why do you act like you hate it here? It has been a bit fair for months but you have been suddenly colder for days now. What did I do to deserve this from you? I am your wife to be, which means I can always invite our family over and you as my husband to be should be fine with it."

Leo scoffed as he stood up from the bed. He pulled out his robe after checking the time and it's only past eight. He felt foolish for going to bed so early when he should be out living like a young man his age.

"Where are you going?" Chloe asked him with her face creased in worry. "Baby, please. Listen, I didn't mean to raise my voice at you." She said in a shaky voice following him to the closet. “Leo, baby."

"Please, Chloe. I don't want to have a fight with you. Please don't touch me." He warned, pulling out a shirt and short. He got dressed. Satisfied with his look in the mirror, he stepped out of the room without sparing the distraught looking Chloe a glance. He drove out of the compound.

‘Where you at man?’ Leo asked Aaron on the other end. He hoped Aaron would be up for some discussion, that is his only hope.

‘Did you sneak out of the house, man? Because that seems like the only means through which I can get to see you.’ Aaron joked.

‘Shut up, man. I am still sort of single even if I am engaged. I don't need to sneak out of the house. Are you up at your crib? I am on my way.’ He said.

‘Really?’ His friend sounded happy. ‘I would love to have you here, please come soon. I will prepare some nice shots that you would love.’

Leo laughed as his enthusiasm as he disconnected the call. As much as he knows it's wrong of him to leave Chloe all by herself like that, he just can't seem to stand being in the same space as her at the moment. He would hate to lose his cool and say something he might regret. The best thing to do was to walk away to avoid further mess from happening.

Aaron appeared to have thrown a party through the weekend, it seems like the only thing he does lately. And even though he might blatantly deny it, he shows the sign of a lonely person as is only trying his hardest to fill up the hole by throwing meaningless parties. Leo had learnt over time that those kind of things never help. It only ends up causing more depression.

"Do you always have to do this to yourself?" Leo asked when Aaron handed him a drink.

Aaron looked confused. “What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this unhealthy lifestyle of you throwing constant meaningless parties and still crave for attention at the end of it." He replied taking a sip of the tequila. "Shit! This feels good."

"Thought you would say so! It's a good brand."

"Don't skip the discussion."

"What do you want me to say, Leo? You know how hard it was for me going home consistently to an empty four walls. It was fine when you didn't have to deal with your mom being sick, I had you to myself. But as time went by, I had no choice but to rely on the team and this parties. None of those girls feel genuinely for me, they are all after my money. So I get the best of them at my money's worth."

"And those that please you?"

"Don't judge me. At least I am not subjected to a forced marriage." Aaron mocked.

Leo scoffed. “Ouch that hit home. You didn't have to be so cold."

Sitting up on the couch, Aaron stared at his friend with a serious expression. "Tell me something, did you eventually lose your cool and murder your fiancée? Are you on the run?"

Eyeballing his friend in disgust, Leo kissed his teeth. "You have been seeing too much of crime and murder series. Do I look like a murderer to you?"

He let out a fake gasp. “That is what actual murderers say after committing a grievous one."

"Shut up, Aaron! You are creeping me out."

Laughing loudly, Aaron refilled their empty glasses. "So why are you out here at this time of the night when she is at the house?"

Leo inhaled deeply. “I just have too many things on my mind. Guess who is back in town?"

"Who?" He sounded eager.

"Darby and she is back with a child." He announced.

His friend chuckled. “So how is that your business?"

Leo blinked slowly at him. “It’s my business because that child is probably mine. You need to see him, Aaron. Even though she denies it, I know the child is mine."

"Don't you think the mother will know best who got her pregnant? Just because you both share a night together doesn't mean...” He paused, letting out a gasp. "What the fuck?! Was she pregnant then?!”

Holding the back of his neck, Leo exhaled. "Yes, she told me about it but I was hung up on the rumors spread about her then and I just couldn't accept that it was mine. We had sex all through the hours of the night before she left. That is enough for one to fall pregnant."

"Shit! What do you plan to do now?"

"Since I denied the pregnancy, Darby obviously wants nothing to do with me."

"You talk like you have met her."

"Yes, I went to her fashion house yesterday." He mumbled sounding hopeless.

Aaron snorted. “Are you crazy? Do you want the media and your family to come after you?"

"Over what offense?"

"Infidelity I suppose. You are going to get married in next two month."

Waving his hand in dismissal, Leo let out a shaky breath. "You know what, let's stop talking about that and find something interesting to do."

Aaron slapped his knee. “Yes, I think that is the best thing to do right now. Let's head to my game room. This conversation might send me to my early grave if we continue."

The both of them stood up, staggering towards the game room. Leo hoped by morning when he wakes up, his distorted mind would have settled. If not he can't assure himself of not going bonkers.