Ruined By My Brother's Best Friend (by Silverwriter) novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5
I felt a shiver run down my spine at the sound of his voice, but I didn’t dare look back. My heart raced, and I spoke before I could think twice.
“It’s fine, you don’t have to! My friend will take me.” I tapped William’s hand to prove I wasn’t lying.
Archie frowned, raising his brows. “Arabella, if I remember correctly, he just got here. And now you’re dragging him out along with Sierra?” His voice was laced with anger, even though he tried to contain it. “If you don’t want to spend time with me today, you don’t have to take everyone else with you, do you?”
His words pierced my heart, and I had to fight back tears as I watched my brother walk away before I could respond. He thinks I don’t want to be with him, but how do I explain that his fiancée basically ruined my life?
Before I could wallow in self-pity any longer, I turned to Sierra and William, who were both looking confused. “Don’t worry, guys. Just stay…”
“But you’re sick.” Sierra rushed over and grabbed my hand, her eyes silently telling me she didn’t want to leave me alone. “I’ll go with you.”
I shook my head and forced a smile. “It’s fine. I don’t want to upset Archie any more than I already have. Stay back. Please.”
Before she could say anything else, I rushed out, making my way through the VIP section before wiping away the lone tear that escaped.
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind as I stood outside, inhaling the cool breeze and watching cars drive by. I felt pathetic and weak… the kind of sister who couldn’t even bear to be happy for her brother.
“I don’t have all day.”
I jerked back with a yelp at the sound of the voice, suddenly aware that I was not alone.
Turning around, I felt my heart skip a beat as my eyes clashed with those feral blue ones. I had no idea Alvise had followed me down here. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious and exposed. “What do you mean?”
He glanced at his watch before shoving a hand into his pocket. He simply stared at me and said nothing. I raised my brows, then gasped when I remembered him saying he’d take me home.
“No,” I blurted. “I’ll just book a cab.” I mumbled and started walking away, suddenly desperate to put some distance between us. I couldn’t think around him… it was just too much.
“And why would you want to call a cab?” he asked, stopping me in my tracks.
I didn’t turn around. “You don’t have all day,” I responded, trying my best to sound cool.
No response.
Then– “You plan on staying out here all day?”
I frowned and turned to face him. His expression gave no indication that he was joking. If anything, he looked irritated. “Of course not…”
He tilted his head toward the black Mercedes parked a few feet away. “Then go get in the car.”
I shook my head immediately. The last place I wanted to be was alone in a car with him. I didn’t trust myself enough not to make a fool of myself. “It’s fine. You can just go. I want to see a friend.”
Apart from the slight raise of his brow, there wasn’t even a flicker of emotion on his face. “I thought you were sick.”
“I—I am. I just…”
“Arabella.” He cut me off. Then he shook his head once and nodded toward the Mercedes again. “The car. Now.”
I didn’t like people telling me what to do. Never had. But somehow, I found myself walking toward the car, unsure whether it was because he gave the order or because of how serious—and slightly pissed off—he looked.
I stood awkwardly beside the car before quickly slipping into the passenger seat.
The car smelled like him, and the realization assaulted me as I took in the dark interior. But before I could get carried away, something struck me again.
He had a fiancée.
Should I have gotten in the back seat? Did he want me to sit beside him? Could I even survive this? My spiralling thoughts were interrupted when he finally got into the car and, without sparing me a glance, turned on the engine.
“Would you prefer I sit in the back instead?” I blurted.
He glanced at me briefly before looking away, a muscle twitching in his jaw. Then the car started moving before I could even blink.
Sighing, I fastened my seatbelt and leaned back into the comfortable leather seat, trying to ignore how consuming his presence was. From the corner of my eye, I noticed everything. How his fingers flexed on the steering wheel, the sharp focus in his eyes as he watched the road, his scent. Everything. It all made me want to remember that night again.
The first night I was completely alone with him. So close. His scent everywhere, clouding my senses. But I couldn’t. Back then, I had no idea that the next time I’d be around him again, he’d be bound to another woman. I could feel jealousy creeping in, mixed with something sharper. Hurt. So, he had been dating someone for years while I couldn’t even bring myself to kiss someone else. I was upset, but I also knew I had no right to be. Not after what I did.
His phone suddenly rang, breaking the thick silence in the car. I glanced at the screen, and my breathing nearly stopped.
My hands clenched against my knee as I exhaled slowly.
Caller ID: Tatiana
I quickly looked away just as Alvise rejected the call.
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t sit here and consciously torture myself. “Stop the car,” I mumbled.
He acted as though he hadn’t heard me.
“Please stop the car,” I said again, louder this time.
Silence.
He kept driving without so much as a glance in my direction.
“Alvise…”
“Don’t.” He snapped, his eyes still fixed on the road.
I frowned. “Don’t what?”
He ignored me, staring ahead as if I were talking to a brick wall.
“Alvise, stop the car,” I snapped, suddenly overwhelmed and agitated. The car came to an abrupt stop, and I flinched in surprise.
Letting out a tense breath, I unfastened my seatbelt and turned to get out, only to realise the door was still locked. I turned to him with a frown, but he spoke first, sending a chilling shiver through me.
“Don’t ever think you can tell me what to do again.” His voice was low and terrifyingly calm. “Never.”
He didn’t turn to look at me. Not even when he unlocked the door and I rushed out of the car. Not even when he started the engine and drove away, leaving me standing there, watching him disappear.
My vision blurred as tears gathered in my eyes. But as I turned around, the sadness was slowly replaced with confusion. I realised I was standing outside my apartment building.
But… I don’t remember telling him my address.