Beautifully Disturbed | ✓

[57]

Laila's POV

I play the clip but this time I fast forward to one specific part.

I see myself passing out but then I see something I didn't expect.

Alex just hovering over my unconscious body, his head down and his hair covering his eyes. He doesn't touch me. In fact, he backs away from me.

He didn't hurt me... he didn't do it. He was able to pull himself together, snap out of his dark mindset just in time.

"I fucking hate this. I hate this! I can't stand how you make me feel! It makes me want to rip my insides out!" He's yelling.

He drops to his knees, his head on his hands. "I wish I was capable of loving without all this baggage. I wish I didn't have to carry around the heavy burden of my miserable scars. I wish I met you when I was still sane. Maybe, just maybe, we might have had a chance at a life together."

I scrunch a handful of my shirt because my heart is clenching in pain. Tears forming in my eyes because he sounds so... broken.

In the footage, he looks so vulnerable. He looks so damaged. The intimidating, fierce Alexander Romano looks like a small, frightened child.

"I can't hurt you. I can't bring myself to ever do this. I thought this whole fucking time that if I just slept with you, everything I was feeling would be over. But I could never do this to you." He looks up at my motionless body and walks towards it.

I tense up in my seat, waiting to see what he does.

He grabs his shirt from the floor and puts it on me. He, then, proceeds to brush away my hair from my face and places a soft kiss on my forehead. I see my body twitch slightly from the touch of his lips.

Watching this is making my heart melt into pure liquid. The butterflies in my stomach fluttering like they've just been freed from a cage.

"The first time I saw you at James' clinic, it wasn't lust, like I thought at first. It was something I never thought I would feel. I was attracted to you in the most innocent way, but I denied it. I replaced the feeling with pure lustful desire because at least that way, I could convince myself that there's no strings attached when I pursue you." He continues caressing my cheek.

"Oh, man, was I wrong... I was so fucking wrong. I should've left you when I realized it was becoming too real between us, I should have. I would've loved you if I could, but I can't. I'm a loathsome person, Laila. You're too good for me. You don't deserve this, but I can't seem to let you go. I fucking hate myself."

Suddenly, he stands up and it's almost as if beast takes over his mind. He grabs anything and everything nearby and smashes it to the floor.

This makes me flinch in my seat but the unconscious me, doesn't move a muscle. I was seriously knocked out.

"I'm so fucked up! I'm as vile as a person can get. I didn't deserve anything that's happened to me! I should've died, they should've killed me when they had the chance." Alex looks directly at the camera and grabs a book from the floor.

His direct gaze even startles me, even though it's through the screen. There's this vicious look in his eyes, frightening me.

"They should've ended my miserable life." He throws at fiercely at the camera, making the screen go black.

Oh my God, Alex never touched me. He didn't assault me, he didn't take away any part of me. I suddenly start to feel whole again.

Everything within me begins to put itself back together as my mindset breaks out of the dark state I was in for the past few weeks.

Just as I was about to call James back in out of sheer panic, I get a call on my phone. The number looks familiar...

"Hello?"

"Hello? This is Ms. Laila?" It's Alex's father.

"Yes? Are you okay, Mr. Romano?" I ask.

"Yes, I'm quite fine. I heard that my son has completely lost his mind." He says. There's not a bit of sympathy in his tone.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." I pick my words carefully. Something seems odd about this guy.

"I think I should do a proper young lady like you a favour and keep you away from my psychotic son." He says. "He killed his uncle in cold blood."

"He—what?" I'm not sure if I heard correctly.

"Yes, his uncle—my brother—is dead because Alex killed him. Alex murdered my brother. That man is deranged... disturbed." There's disgust in his voice. "I knew he would never tell you so I did. Stay away from him. He's never up to any good."

"W-Why?" Is all I can choke out.

There's silence. It takes me a few extra seconds to realize that he hung up.

There's a knock on the theatre room door.

"Laila? You okay in there?" James asks.

I don't answer. I just had such a heavy information thrown at me that I feel weak. My knees turn into jelly and I drop onto the chair.

James slightly peaks his head through the door, making sure nothing was playing on the projector.

When he sees me blankly staring at the screen, he panics.

"W-was I wrong? Did I just force you to watch something traumatic? Oh my God, I'm so sorry—" James was about to begin to profoundly apologize but I stop him.

"No, you were right. The footage cleared everything up. The footage saved my mental well-being." I confirm.

He sighs a breath of relief but then raises a brow. "Then, why do you look like, uh..."

"Alex's father called a few minutes before you walked in." I start.

He tilts his head in confusion. "And?"

"Alex allegedly killed his own uncle." I say.

James' facial expression drops. I can't exactly tell if it's because the news is true or because he didn't know about it.

"I can't believe this!" James says.

- - -

A/N: holy shit, it was so hard to keep this part of the plot hidden from you guys. Y'all were catching up & asking questions if he did it to Laila or not. AND I DIDN'T WANT TO SPOIL IT, SO THATS WHY I NEVER REPLIED TO SO MANY OF YOUR COMMENTS IN THE PAST FEW CHAPTERS. SORRY. LMAOOO!

Next Update: Friday @ 12:00 PM (EST/Toronto, Canada time). *I might update earlier than Friday, depending on how my week is going*

Please vote and comment and let me know how y'all feel!!