Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 541

Elysia gathered her thoughts, her expression turning more serious. "Have you ever considered that what you feel for Elijah's mom might not be love? Maybe you just want to make amends, and making amends isn't the same as loving someone."

Tarquin furrowed his brow. "Elijah told you about his mom and me?"

"…Yeah."

With a furrowed brow and a craving for a cigarette - which he resisted due to Elysia's presence - he fell silent for a moment before looking at her again to repeat his earlier question, "Whether it's about making amends or love towards Elijah's mom, that's my issue. Why don't you want me to pursue her?"

Elysia was straightforward, "Because I hate seeing you torment yourself. I want you to be better, to stop dwelling on the past. We should look forward, don't you think?"

Tarquin was silent.

Elysia continued, "I think you're trapping yourself in a dead end and torturing yourself. You think you're in love with Elijah's mom, but if you think about it, you don't even know who she is. How can you love someone you've never met? Love appears in two forms: it either grows over time, or it's love at first sight. You've neither met her nor spent time with her. How could you possibly be in love?"

Tarquin's face darkened as Elysia went on, "What you feel for her isn't love; it's just a sense of responsibility, and it's all coming from you. Maybe she doesn't want you to take responsibility. Maybe she's moved on, forgotten about the past, and started a new chapter in her life. Your relentless search for her might not be a blessing but a burden to her."

Tarquin scowled, "You're not her. How do you know she doesn't want me to take responsibility?"

"…Women understand women. Plus, didn't I tell you? I've been through something similar. I wanted to avoid him at all costs, not be found by him."

Tarquin looked skeptical, "The man who wronged you is looking for you?"

Elysia was taken aback, quickly clarifying, "I don't know if he's looking for me. I'm talking about how I feel. I just don't want him to find me."

Tarquin stared at her for a long moment before saying, "Your experience sounds a lot like Elijah's mom's."