Husband With Benefits-Chapter 866: Again

Arabelle lay still on the couch, staring at the entrance to the kitchen. She hated how he had ruined it for her. Now, she couldn’t even step inside without thinking about what had happened there yesterday. The memories made her shudder, her body betraying her with a faint ache that wouldn’t go away. Damn it! Rafael Ignis was impossible. He had turned her life upside down in just a few hours.

Good thing she had sent him away so quickly. She couldn’t imagine what would have happened if she had let him stay the night. Her kitchen, her bathroom, even her bedroom—they all felt ruined now. She couldn’t be in those places without seeing flashes of him, of them, and everything they’d done. She could not even be in these place without imagining him and herself naked. And they had not even done anything in that bedroom... which was a shame really... She shook her head. Nope. Not going to digress there.

This was for the best, she told herself firmly. Letting things escalate with Rafael would only lead to disaster—for her career, and for her carefully constructed life. Rafael was a storm, unpredictable and consuming, and she couldn’t afford to be swept up in it. Not when some things from her own past could end up ruining him and her.

But no matter how many times she repeated those words, they didn’t make her feel better. Instead, her chest felt heavy, like something was missing.

She had felt something last night, something real and different. It wasn’t just about how amazing he was with her physically, though that part was unforgettable. No, it was deeper than that. He made her feel seen, like he understood a part of her that she tried to keep hidden. And that scared her. It had been so easy to let him in, to let her guard down around him. Too easy.

"Stop thinking about it," she muttered, running her hands through her hair. "You told him to leave. You told him to forget everything. Now you need to do the same."

Still, his voice stayed in her head, as if he were standing right behind her. She hated how much she missed it, how much she missed him, even though she barely knew him.

With a sigh, she stood up and began pacing the room. She had come to Petrovia for work, not for distractions. Rafael was a distraction, nothing more. She had a life to focus on, plans to make, and goals to reach. She couldn’t let herself get pulled off track because of one night—even if that night had been... incredible.

She paused, shaking her head as if to clear it. "This is ridiculous," she whispered. "I need to move on. I need to invite people over for the charity dinner, make plans, and focus on why I’m here."

And just as she started to feel a little more in control, a knock came at the door.

She froze, her heart skipping a beat. Who could be here at this hour?

Her first thought, as much as she hated to admit it, was that it might be him. Her pulse quickened at the idea, but she quickly pushed it aside. Rafael was gone, and she wasn’t going to let him back into her life. And he wouldn’t. She’s seen the anger in his eyes when she had told him to not return.

Still, as she made her way to the door, a small, traitorous part of her couldn’t help but hope or fear. She didn’t know for sure what it was.

Her hand hesitated on the doorknob. Arabelle told herself not to open it, but curiosity—or maybe something more—pushed her forward. She twisted the knob and pulled the door open, her breath catching when she saw him.

Rafael stood there, his tall frame leaning casually against the doorframe as if he belonged there. His sharp eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, neither of them said a word. He looked as calm as ever, but there was something in his expression that made her feel scared.

"Rafe," she said, her voice coming out steadier than she felt. "What are you doing here?"

His lips curved into the faintest smile, but his gaze was serious. "I need to talk to you. Can I come in? What I need to discuss, I don’t think can be done here."

Her instincts screamed at her to say no, to close the door and end this. But instead, she found herself stepping aside, her body betraying her willpower yet again. She watched as he stepped inside, his presence filling the space.

They stood in silence for a moment, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife. He looked around, his eyes briefly scanning the living room before settling back on her.

"About last night..." he began...

She immediately shook her head, " I thought we agreed to forget about it. There really is nothing to discuss..."

But Rafael didn’t back down. He never did. He tilted his head, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. "We need to."

"No, we don’t." Her heart pounded in her chest. "I told you to leave. You shouldn’t even be here."

"I’m here because we didn’t take protection."

The words hit her like a slap. Arabelle froze, the air around her seeming to vanish. For a moment, all she could hear was the pounding of her heartbeat.

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, she stared at him, the weight of his statement sinking in.

"I didn’t think about it at the time," Rafael continued, his voice still calm, though his jaw was tight. "But I realized afterward. And I thought... you should know."

"I..." she started, then stopped. What was she even supposed to say?

"You don’t have to say anything," Rafael said, stepping closer. "I’m not here to pressure you or make this harder. I just wanted to be honest. Also, I am clean. I have never had unprotected se* and I am tested every six months so you don’t have to worry about any diseases..."