4 The Toxic Relationship.

"Can we have a little talk?"  Alex asked with hopeful eyes.

 Bella didn't give him a chance.  She pretended to be busy and indeed the atmosphere of the pub was very crowded.  "You can see for yourself that I'm at work. I don't have time to talk."  She wanted to leave but Alex did not easy to give up.

 "Just a minute." He said.  Bella understands that sometimes Alex acted like a pushover.

 Alex turned to the two men by his side who looked like his staff.  "Take her to the car and give her medicine. I'll catch up in 30 minutes."  He said as if he had Bella's time. 

 The two of them seemed so obedient to Alex's orders and took the drunken Gracia out of the pub.

 Bella's eyes rolled. She never expected to meet Alex and his girlfriend, Gracia at her workplace.  This is a new pub, how could it be that they met here?

 "I'll pay for your time."  While showing the card in his hand that is clamped between the index and middle fingers.  The card is lowered onto the table.  He seemed to be showing off his money to Bella.

 As she turned her back, Bella looked at Alex's face with cynical eyes.  "That's why I hate you. I was about to cut our ties. But why do you always send them flowers? And You put a birthday gift box there every time."  Her eyes looked so disappointed and annoyed.

 "I didn't know that you hated me. I also didn't understand where the hatred came from. Do I have any faults? But even if you say that I did something bad for you. I'm sure that they're still on my side."  Alex's words were full of confidence.  He also calls a pub crew, Bella's friend.  He handed the card to Bella's friend and said.  "I want to talk to her. How much do I have to pay? Hourly, or per second, whatever as long as your manager doesn't mind!"

Bella's friend smiled and said, "Go on as your money is in our pocket!"

 Bella hissed at Alex's and her friend's words.  "You've never acted like this before. You look arrogant, and I don't like that."

 Alex smirked slightly at Bella's words.  "What's the matter? After all, you already hated me. In 3 years a lot has changed. The 30 minutes I'm talking to you probably won't be enough to tell the whole story. But if I wanted to get more of your time  I'm not sure you'd give it to me.  Shall we chat while we sit?"  Alex asked, pointing to the couch where Gracia lay before.  And Bella still stood at her ground.

 "Your girlfriend is waiting. Would you have the heart to leave a drunken girl alone in the car?"  She quipped.

 Alex shrugged his shoulders and then spoke in a calm tone while taking a seat on the couch, he crossed his legs.  "She's not alone. She's drunk and too much."  He said in a relaxed tone.  "It won't be long chat anyway."

 It was very difficult for Bella to face Alex.  It was inconceivable in her head that now she could chat with Alex even though the conversation between them felt so cold and stiff.  After 3 years they met again, it was lying if the longing didn't exist in their hearts, it's just that they tried to cover up that feeling.

 "You've grown well. You've been able to take care of yourself very well."  Maybe it was a compliment from Alex who had been taking care of Bella before.

 Bella took a seat in front of Alex, there was a table between them.  "I'm an adult, I'm 25 years old. So stop sending birthday gifts to me like you send birthday gifts for a 5 years girl. Putting gifts at funerals is not a good thing."  Bella said, answering Alex's compliment with a slightly trembling voice.

 "It wasn't a present for your birthday. It was a present for your mother for having given birth to you."  Alex said with his trademark crisp laugh.

 Bella knew it was just an excuse.  It was obvious that all those gifts were for her that he left at her parents' graves.

 "You didn't finish your studies. You also moved out of your house. You just disappeared into the earth. All that's left is the graves of your parents. It's so lucky that the graveyard couldn't be moved or I'll lose track of you."

 Bella nodded slightly.  "Yeah. Looks like it's been 30 minutes. It's fine if you can pay for my time but the problem is that I don't want to give you my time."  Bella got up from the chair and prepared to turn around to get back to work.

 Alex watched Bella back away, in his head there were so many stories he wanted to tell Bella but their relationship was not the same as before so he tried to restrain himself.  He took a deep breath that felt heavy and stifled in his chest, he tilted his head and tried to keep his hot eyes from crying.  

During these three years, a lot of things had happened to him and he was sure if Bella was with him maybe this wouldn't be this hard but he had to come to his senses.  On the other hand, it was a good thing that he and Bella had not met and communicated for the past three years or Bella would also be in trouble.

 Bella didn't go back to work right away, she ran to the bathroom and hit the sink, she washed her gloomy-looking face.  The coldness of the tap water did not refresh her skin, her eyes looked red.

 "Damn it. Why does it have to be like this!"  She grabbed her hair roughly.

 ***

 Gracia clutched her cramping stomach when Alex got into the car.  The woman turned and hissed softly when she saw her x-boyfriend was next to her.

 Alex's face was flat with his legs crossed.  "Let's go!"  He said to the driver.

 The car drove while Gracia looked away from Alex's face, Gracia's beautiful face looked confused.  "What are you doing? We have broken up, so what do you want now, don't act as if you care about me? Doesn't your father dislike you being close to me... because I am not a capable woman who can give you a baby? Bullshit! is this ancient time, do old-fashioned things like that still exist."  Tears were running down Gracia's cheeks, she tried to wipe those quickly and hide her sadness.

 "Do you know who that woman in the pub was? The one who was waiting for you when you nearly knocked yourself out from a bottle of a diva?"  Alex asked Gracia without turning his head.

 Gracia furrowed her brows, from the car window she turned to face Alex.  "Who's she?"  She asked nonchalantly.

 "She is Bella,"  Alex said in a different voice.

 Gracia's jaw dropped.  She was shocked.  "No way. She's your childhood friend who disappeared?"  Her face looked disbelieving.  

She is the one who is most responsible for the reasons Bella hated Alex so much and she broke the relationship that has existed since their childhood but her face which is good at manipulating looks so smooth acting innocently.

 "So she was in the pub?"  Pointing behind where they had left the pub quite a distance, Gracia still couldn't believe that they could meet Bella even though she had worked hard to get all traces of Bella away from Alex.

 "Yes. She works at the pub."  Alex explained.

 "Hah!"  Gracia's surprise grew even more.  She bit the tip of her fingernails, her surprised face instantly turned into delight.  Alex noticed the sudden change in her facial expression.  The man turned to Gracia with a question mark visible on his face.

 "Alex, we can get married. How about Bella doing a series of medical tests for me. Aren't you very close and friends always helping each other in every way?"  This was the best scenario that suddenly appeared in Gracia's mind.  

They had to break up because of the lack of Gracia who could not give birth, she was infertile and the results of premarital health tests made their relationship end.

 "What do you mean?"  Alex did not understand what Gracia said.  Maybe he understands but he feels this is not something a woman should say, where the motto of women supports women.  

"Stop it, Gracia. There are many ways to have offspring but the problem is that my father doesn't like our relationship."

 Gracia hissed angrily at Alex's answer.  "Oh because your dad doesn't like me, because I can't get pregnant and then you break up with me!"  She screamed hysterically.

 Alex shook his head and massaged the bridge of his nose.  They had discussed this topic so many times and he was tired of it.  

"I can marry you and accept you as you are, but will you accept me who doesn't get a penny of my family inheritance? I've asked you many times and given you a choice. It might be difficult at first but let's work together and work hard if you  want to marry me!"

 Gracia raised her hand and slapped Alex. She made the red cheek and he used to retain it.  

"Do you think this is a joke, Alex? You have to marry me with all your family money! I don't want to be poor!"  Said Gracia angrily.

 "I'm going to see Bella and tell her all of this!"  Gracia looked serious and it showed on her face.

 Alex was tired of Gracia's attitude.  They have broken up several times but Gracia's character is very difficult to deal with, her temperamental attitude toward OCD disorder makes Alex trapped in this toxic relationship.  

His father disapproves of their relationship and he will expel Alex if his son continues to have a relationship with Gracia.  Everything was so difficult for Alex and he was also depressed.

 "Isn't all she needs is money? We'll give her a lot of money as long as she's willing to replace me!"  said Gracia smiling broadly while Alex massaged his forehead.

 "Stop it, Gracia!"