When We Were Young

Chapter 41

Warning: Sensitive case of violence ahead.

"You have a new secretary?," Paula asked,wondering where his previous bubbly secretary went to.

"Rafael stole her from me!," Leandro gritted out.

Her mouth gaped open in astonishment then she closed it because she didn't know what to say. So instead she continued massaging his wound with an ice pack.

"Are you back with him?," he suddenly asked, causing her to look up with widened eyes.

Paula swallowed visibly.

"I saw lots of articles with you two parading this week," he went on.

"Leandro, can we please not do this now," she pleaded.

He lowered her hand from his face,his brown eyes glowering at her.

"I deserve to know the truth and you damn know why!" he hissed at her.

She heaved out a defeated sigh. She had to agree with him. After everything he did for her, she at least owed him the truth.

"We still love each other, Leandro. We decided to give it another go," she confessed to him in a small nervous voice feeling guilty for hurting his feelings.

He stared at her in silence, his face hardening by every second and his breathing escalating. Suddenly he grabbed a mug from the coffee table and threw it on the nearest wall. Paula let out a shriek as the coffee mug collided with the wall producing a deafening sound.

She removed her hands from her ears and glanced at him in astonished. Leandro had stood up and was pacing the floor growling like some caged up animal.

His hands were curled into tight fists and his eyes were flaming with rage. She felt a cold trickle run down her back as she watched his murderous face.

How could one switch characters so fast!

She had never seen him so angry. It was like he had transformed into a stranger. She couldn't recognise this new Leandro.

He came back to her and grabbed her hand,forcing her to her feet.

"I waited almost six years for you. I stayed by your side and did everything for you to love me but you never once looked at me. Then the moment that bastard showed up again,you throw yourself at him yet again. He doesn't deserve you!," he yelled in her face.

Paula closed her eyes, trembling with fear.

"Leandro is not who you think he is!"

She recalled Rafael's words and her stomach tightened in more fear.

"How can you not see my love for you after all this time!," he screamed in her face again.

His finger nails were digging into her forearm and she winced in pain.

"Calm down, Leandro. You are hurting me!," she cried,tears soaking her face.

Leandro stared at the red marks on her arm and he seemed to snap out of whatever he was in.

"I am sorry,Paula. I shouldn't have got angry with you," he said,releasing her.

She stared at him as he rubbed a weary hand over his face. His sudden transformation again confused and frightened her at the same time. One minute it was like he was possessed by a dark force and the next minute he was back to being the sweet and caring Leandro she knew.