Billionaire's Solace
By July
Date: June 4, 2023
Ch. 10Did He Enjoy Being Alone More Than Being With Me?


Helena woke up at the same time as she used to, with no more noise to break her sleep. Finding food on the table wasn't surprising, but a note beside it excited her. "What could it be this time?" she muttered.

It was with anticipation that he had to flip open the note saying, "Good morning, beautiful," her heart became erratic reading the first line. "I won't be home tonight because I am in the forest. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you last night, as I was exhausted," her eyes narrowed in confusion, staring at the note for a while.

"Anyway, it will be a great day and night to write since I won't have any guests or disturbances. He can enjoy the forest all he can," she said finally.

But she sounded like she was trying to convince herself it was okay. It was strange for her to feel that way. She knew she shouldn't feel what she was feeling. She slapped her head; she was mad at herself.

Meanwhile, in the woods, Arthur continued building the campsite he started two days before Helena asked her to create an outdoor shower. He went to the town and bought all the needed materials for the campsite building, including the tent, tools and equipment, solar panel, LED lights, table, and chairs.

He had to clean up the place where he was eyeing to put two big tents. One for him and the other one for Helena. Like he did to the outdoor shower, he puts all his passion into his work of building the big tents.

Instead of torturing himself on how and what he would say to convince Helena to visit his campsite, he plans to the place worthy of Helena. A sanctuary of tranquility.

He needed to finish the camp for him to stay at night and then go back to the town to get all the required food while staying there whenever he wanted to. Currently, he only gets a butane stove for him to cook his food. He doubled his time completing the site to have a place to sleep that he could call his.

Arthur worked steadily, the hours passing like seconds with each manful action. A sense of pride filled him for building a campsite by his hands to be later shown to Helena.

At Helena's beach house, she didn't write for a long time that day as she needed more motivation, and the writing atmosphere wasn't there. Her writing drive used to improve, but it wasn't the case anymore. She's been staring at the laptop screen for hours and has not written even a hundred words.

She even drank her third coffee of the day to keep her awake but of no use. Her inability to continue the flow of her novel was stressing her. She gave up. She thought of cleaning the house to kill time, making herself some bread and cookies, and stocking them for future consumption.

As Arthur completed the tents later in the afternoon, he sat on the chair with a satisfied smile as he imagined Helena in the other tent peacefully sleeping. He knows she would appreciate such a place, with its serene atmosphere filled with nature's music and the gentle rustling of tree branches swaying in the wind. The smells of fresh foliage and blooming flowers fill the air, creating a tranquil sanctuary perfect for any novelist.

A few walks from the campsite he made was a waterfall perfect for him to take a bath butt naked without anyone seeing him. The place was a hidden paradise for him. From the ideal amount of trees, waterfall, and river, different birds and butterflies accompany and bring color to the sanctuary.

He removed all his clothes before he dipped in the water and swam in the river. He then went to the waterfall to clean up himself thoroughly before letting his body dry as he walked back to his tent bare naked. If someone passed by, they would be blessed to see his body. Arthur was carefree, enjoying the freedom of being naked in nature.

Before the sunset, Helena chose to walk on the shore until sunset while occasionally looking at the road. She couldn't understand why she was waiting for Arthur to come home when he clearly wrote in the note that he won't be home for the night.

She continued walking, feeling the sand between her toes and the salty air in her lungs. She couldn't help but think about Arthur and what he could be doing in the woods. "Did he enjoy being alone more than being with me?" She asked herself.

These thoughts consumed her until she reached the end of the beach. She turned back, watching the sunset as the sky turned a deep shade of orange and purple. It was beautiful, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"What is he thinking? What if the forest was infested with wild animals and insects that brought viruses? I was expecting him to be a smart man, but it shows he isn't," she said while pacing back and forth on the sandy coast like someone would answer all her questions.

Helena shook her head to dismiss her thoughts about Arthur. "Why do I think about him? I'm sure he is fine. He is old enough to take care of himself," she muttered.

She embraced herself home at dusk; the wind was too cold to bear. She had dinner later than usual and then settled on her sofa to read a book she had brought when she relocated. Hoping it would help her find the writing atmosphere she badly needed, but it didn't.

As Arthur freshened up and changed his clothes, he lighted wood to warm his night. He then cooked eggs he brought from Helena's pantry, partnered with sandwiches. Only the crackles of the bonfire and the crack of the trees were there to accompany him at night.

He was full enough for his simple meal for the night. He thought of calling Helena but realized he had been staying with her but still failed to ask for her number. He was excited to let Helena know about his secret hiding place.

After dinner, he watched the star sitting in his camp chair. Imagining himself watching it with Helena beside him brought a smile to his face. He longs to have it one day soon. The glitters of the stars are enough to light his night beside the fire he made to keep him warm. He slept with a smile, knowing he had done something great for the day, hoping Helena would feel the same way as he did about his work.



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