Chapter 4 Not Finding A Solution

"Are you there?" Henry spoke again as he received no answer from Andrea. The other line was empty and silent.

Andrea sat down, stood up, paced, sat down, stood again. "Yes." Andrea finally answered.

"Andrea..." Henry exhaled a quiet relief when he finally heard her voice, "I need to talk to you about this morning. I wish we didn't have to do this on the phone, but I can't meet you right now because I'm in Sunfield." Henry explained. Sunfield was three hours away by plane. It's the neighbor country where Ava lived.

"Okay." Andrea answered, short. She found her way to the couch, curling her body into the cushions like she could disappear into them.

"I met Ava this afternoon. Ava is the daughter of L Group. We talked about the marriage agreement that our parents have made, obviously without our consent." Henry started his explanation.

Andrea was feeling so tensed that she chose not to say anything yet. "Much like myself, Ava cannot reject this agreement." his voice trailed off. Henry then stopped talking. Another pause. The silence was not awkward. It was careful. Like they were both stepping around something fragile.

"So...uhm, are you saying...we are done?" Andrea's voice very soft that Henry almost couldn't hear it.

"It depends on you, Andrea." Henry answered. "Depends on me- How?" Andrea raised her voice just a little bit. "So...actually Ava doesn't want this marriage either. Ava and I have never been in romantic relationship, we are just old friends." Henry's voice deep and firm.

"I still don't understand, Henry." Andrea said again.

"Ava and I have agreed to pretend as a couple, just in front of our parents and of course in...public." Henry said it hesitantly. The relationship between two billionares, of course that would make it to the news. The news definitely going to be so big that surely appears on TV, internet, newspaper, and social media.

"But..." Henry quickly continued. "In real life, I want to be with you, Andrea Evans. Only you."

"What exactly do you want me to do, Henry?" Andrea still could not grasp what Henry wanted.

"Can we just be like this? Let the public thinks that I'm with Ava. But actually-" Henry could not finish his sentences. He knew she was tired of hiding, tired of being kept a secret although she never said it out loud. Sometimes he could see it in her eyes.

"So...are you suggesting we hide this relationship forever?" Andrea cut Henry's words.

"I hope you can understand this situation, Andrea." Henry answered shortly. He guessed right, Andrea would object his request right away.

"Henry...I'm sorry, I just- give me time to think about this. I didn't sleep at all last night, I cannot think straight right now." Andrea said.

"No, Andrea! You must understand, you are mine!" Henry said loud and firm, Andrea startled for a moment, but then she felt her chest filled with emotion.

"Henry, have you ever think about me? Am I gonna be somone you hide forever?!"Andrea yelled. She knew him very well. Henry Allen always get what he wanted. As a billionare, no one said no to him. He could not deal with rejection.

Henry was alone in his suite hotel room, still in his navy suit he wore that morning. His shirt collar was messy, he pulled his tie and threw it to the floor. His mind felt so crowded, so dizzy, so confused. "Don't you love me, Andrea? Ava and I will be nothing, it's just a show! Why you make things more complicated?! I love you, isn't that enough?!" Henry raised his voice, yelled to the phone.

"Love me? Are you sure?! Cause if you really love me, you won't hide this relationship for so long!" Andrea felt so frustated.

"Don't ever think of doubting me, Andrea! Don't you dare!" his voice was getting louder. Henry has never been this angry before.

"Henry, just get some sleep for now. You didn't sleep too last night." Andrea tried to calm Henry down. She felt that this problem couldn't be solved that easily, not that night when both of them were exhausted.

"Good night, Henry." Andrea said and ended the call directly. "Don't you dare-" Henry couldn't finish his sentences cause Andrea ended the call already. He then slammed his phone to the floor.