"You came." Jilly smiled as she opened the door for him to let him into her house. She had told the receptionist that she was expecting a guest to come, so he should be passed without questioning.
"Of course, I made a promise." Marco stepped into her house. He came with only himself and the clothes he was wearing. That should not be a problem, because he could always buy a new pair of clothes or if he preferred, he could walk around naked.
"Will you go so soon?" Jilly asked. She was closer to Marco than she was to Kook, her sibling by blood.
"We will have to see about that later. I am staying, but I can't promise to stay for long. Is that okay?" Marco ruffled the top of her head. He gave her a loving smile and strode towards the guest room where he usually stayed whenever he visited Jilly.
"That's fine," Jilly replied.
She followed him to the guest room and watched him plop on the bed. He made an inviting gesture to Jilly and she complied. She lay beside him and stared at the ceiling.
"Are we going to mourn together? Is that why you wanted me down here?" Marco suddenly asked as he turned his head to look at her.
"Don't be silly, I'm not going to mourn over him," Jilly said, but her heart betrayed her in the worst way possible. She couldn't just be okay even if she wished to. Four years she spent together with him, from time to time she knew where he went. She spared his and his brother's life once, she would stop now.
"It's okay to feel hurt, Jilly. I'll be here for you, so I won't let you slip. I've always got you." Marco said, then he brought his hand to move her loose hair from her face so that he could see her face.
He cared for her because she was a family. But that doesn't mean he couldn't love her as a lover does.
The ringing of the house phone could be heard throughout the whole house. Jilly got up from the bed and walked to the living room where she put the house phone. She sat down on the couch next to the table and picked up the handle.
"Speaking," Jilly commanded. The house phone only had one purpose which was to connect her with the receptionist in the lobby.
"Miss. Bakerhubb, your brother is here to visit you." He spoke, informing her.
"I told you I don't accept any guests today. Why the bother?" Jilly said in a hard tone.
Did kook come back?
"I'm sorry, Miss. I have tried to tell him, but he said it's important." He replied in an apologetic tone.
"Did you not understand my order, Seth?" Jilly asked her employee.
"I do, Miss. I am so sorry to bother you with the call." Seth apologized and waited for Jilly to end the call first which she did. She even put the handle down harshly.
"I ordered some food for dinner. Who called?" Marco asked as he walked out of the room.
"My brother," Jilly replied. She looked dazed and Marco frowned.
"What's wrong? Is he coming up?" Jilly shook her head. "Do you not want to see him?"
"Not today. I just got back today, I don't want to see anyone." Jilly said and looked at him blankly.
"Okay." Marco never put his hands into her life, he was not controlling her, never had been. He was just being by her side to support her when she needed it.
A knock on the door made her sigh. She got up and walked to her room to get the documents handed to her earlier. Then, she walked up to the front door knowing who knocked already.
She opened the door and found Katherine standing politely.
"Here. Don't try to help them get in the building, don't even try to cross me again." Jilly warned her as she handed her the documents. Katherine knew who Jilly was referring to, so she didn't ask for furthermore.
Katherine nodded and excused herself to leave.
"You're being hard on yourself, Jilly. You can hate her, but don't let yourself get carried away with the hurt. Let's move on." Marco tried to ease her pain.
-
Jilly and Marco came down to get breakfast. As they reached the lobby and the elevator doors opened, Jilly walked out first and followed by Marco. She walked casually until she stopped when she saw him.
Cayne stood up straight when he saw her walk out of the elevator. He knew he would get to see her even if that means he had to wait in the lobby all night long. Cayne saw a man walking behind her, he hoped that he was just another resident in the building. But he was wrong, when she stopped, he did too.
Marco examined Cayne in a way of judging him from head to toe.
"What are you doing here, Isaiah?" Jilly asked, facing him straightaway.
He grabbed her hand instead, but she pulled her hand away just as they touched. She felt the invisible burning as his hand touched hers. She didn't want to show it, but her face failed to.
Seeing the hurt on her face, he remembered what Katherine said to him. Jilly had never been hurt like this.
"Get the car, Marco." Jilly handed her car keys to him.
"Will you be okay?" He whispered into her ear, getting so close to her knowing he would be pissed off. When he saw her nod, he left her side. But not just walked away like that, he kissed her deeply on her cheek.
"Marco? Are you seeing him now?" Cayne felt like being punched in the gut seeing Marco. He was a level above Cayne, that was because he was Italian.
"Don't bother me, Isaiah. Stop coming to my house if that is why you're here." Jilly said.
"Of course, I'm here to see you, Jilly. What else would I be here for?" He regretted it as soon as he said it, he just dug a hole for himself.
"It wouldn't be my first time seeing you coming out from her house. Have I not told you about the new regulations I set? If you are too concerned about that, I can kick her out. Then, you two can see each other freely or you can even have her in your house. Just like old times, wouldn't it be?" Jilly made fun of his past relationship with Katherine. It was all to cover the pain she felt. If she acknowledged it and keep thinking about it, she wouldn't be able to put them past her.
"How could you say that? I love you, Jilly. Everyone can tell that I am in love with you." Cayne said, strongly believing that everyone knew. Of course, everyone around them knew.
"Then how could you do it?!" Jilly yelled out, letting out her feelings that she tried to push away.
"Can you even count how many times you've been sleeping with her? If anyone knows, they would think that I am the poor one in the relationship. I was the one who couldn't satisfy her man, so he ended up in another woman's bed. I would be the one that people pity for because I was so bad at keeping my relationship."
Cayne was shocked, hit by the facts that Jilly listed. Did she think that way?
"Stop it. Stop... stop." Cayne put his forefinger on her lips and silenced her. He almost choked and his voice trembled. He didn't realize he cried.
He looked at her pleadingly. He wanted her to stop saying those horrible things about herself in front of him.
"You are an amazing woman. You're like a superhero to me, I admire you and your potential, Jilly." He had a point. A superhero was meant to be admired.
"So, is that what I am to you all his time? A superhero, who always helped you get out of trouble and shit you've done? Who thought she have done those dangerous things to save the man she loved, but he only thinks of her as his superhero? What a shame on her, she was used like a toy."