Love Contract

Chapter 64 Then You Marry Me

"What took you so long?" Frank asked as soon as William entered the master bedroom.

"It took me a while to find the medicine box." William carried the box as he approached Frank. NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

A long and horrible wound ran the length of Frank's arm. Dark red blood trickled like ink against his skin.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Kneeling down, William looked up at Frank. "Stretch out your hand."

Frank sat silently on the bed with his arm stretched out. He couldn't help but smile despite William's reprimands.

"You still haven't told me how you got injured," asked William.

"By accident," said Frank.

"What happened? Did Nancy do this?" Without raising his head, William continued, "You argued with her and got injured. You didn't want to go back to the villa, so you followed me home, right?"

"Yeah." Frank smiled, "William, you are still quite impressive." "Yes, I am." William carefully wrapped the bandage around Frank's arm. The thin strips of gauze soaked up the trickle of blood, staining themselves red only to be covered white with each successive loop of cloth. "Are you still very stiff with her?"

"Yeah."

"You..." Hearing that, William opened his mouth to say something, but sighed instead.

With the last loop of the bandage, William tied the ends together and looked up only to find Frank staring at him intensely.

"William," said Frank, putting his left hand on William's shoulder. "What did you say to Mary in the bedroom just now?"

"Nothing." Without any expression on his face, William put down his hand, slowly stood up and walked away with the medicine box.

Escape! Escape!

Frank stared at the silent William and clenched his fists tightly as pain and unwillingness began to cloud his eyes.

"Is this all there is to our life?" Frank burst, his voice shaking, "Or has the thought of living with me for the rest of your life never even crossed your mind?"

William stopped dead on his tracks and felt his body stiffen, the words ringing in his ears. Frank jolted out of bed and spat out, "Why don't you tell me anything? What do you even think of me! Who am I to you?

Did you accept me just because you pitied me? or was it because of the guilt for my dead sister?

How come you never touched me? You never took the chance.

Have you fallen in love with Mary?"

"How is that even possible?" Almost immediately, William denied Frank's 'false accusations'.

"William..." Frank reached out and grabbed the hem of William's clothes, his face downcast.

"Don't act like a child!" But William interrupted harshly.

"Child? What do you mean?" Staring at his back, Frank loosened his grip and sneered in disbelief, "Do you think that what I did was just child's play ?"

"Mary is next door. I don't want her to hear anything."

"Really! That's what concerns you?" Frank bit his lips, tears welled up in his eyes. "Since she knows everything, so what if she heard? What on earth are you afraid of, William? What's holding you back?"

"Frank..." William turned around abruptly, the pained look in his eyes turning into shock and disbelief. He didn't expect that Frank would cry. He cried just like his sister.

"I really hate seeing you cry." William paused for a moment, then placed his hands on Frank's cheeks as he wiped away the tears.

"You're right," said Frank, waving away William's hand. "As you said, men are at their most useless when they cry."

"Yeah." William responded, "But it's different when you cry."

"Hmm?" Frank didn't seem to realize what had happened.

The look in William's eyes was sharp.

He had made his choice, there was no way back, and there could be no reason for him to ever shrink back. 'Besides, ' he thought, 'I haven't fallen in love with any woman for so many years now.'

William sighed. His heart was a labyrinth, full of twists and turns, but at this moment, he thought of Mary. For just an instant, a trace of softness danced through William's eyes but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

Mary was just an accident.

"Frank, you've suffered for so many years." William touched Frank's face. Frank tightened his grip on William's shirt. His eyes were red and sore, as if tears were about to spill out once more.

'That's enough with your words!

All the grievances, hesitations, pain and suspicion over the years suddenly melted away. All the persistence was worth it!'

"William," croaked Frank, "I can't live without you. You're the only one I have in the world."

"I know." William sighed and felt the knot in his chest twist.

"Ding!"

From the darkness, a message rang out from someone's cellphone with a crisp sound.

Almost as if a spell were lifted, William stopped all at once, and the reality of the situation dawned on him. The terrible event that had unfolded in this room began to flash through his mind as regret gnawed inside of him.

It was also on this bed that he crazily hugged Mary. Mary cried and begged him, but he was indifferent.

"William, where are the two hamburgers?" "William! Give me my phone!"

"Run! Run faster! They are about to catch up!" "Then marry me. No contract. Be your real wife. Be Mrs. Lan for real!"

"You are so disgusting! You pervert! I didn't really know you until today, William!"

Several scenes played in his head, there amidst the laughter and tears he saw only one face, a face that bore deeply into his soul, Mary.

William opened his eyes and sighed, "I'm sorry Frank, I can't do this today."

Frank's hand froze. Frustration overcame him as he fell unto the bed chuckling at his misfortune.

"Frank, I'm sorry." William sat up from the bed. Slowly, he wore his shirt again, buttoning it one by one. With his back turned to Frank, he said, "I'm going to drink some water."

Click! Click!

The door of the room was closed quietly. Standing by the door, William couldn't help but gaze at the door of Mary's bedroom.

Mary lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

'The sounds from the other room stopped. What are they doing?'

Mary couldn't tell whether she was more curious or sad.

Or, did she want to cover her sadness with curiosity?