“I’ve recovered the moment I saw you.” I could hear him chuckling.
He buried his head against my neck. “Scarlett, love shouldn’t be a burden. In the last four years, I’ve imagined myself pampering you countless times. I was overjoyed when fate brought us together again in R Province. I’m dying to hold you dearly and never let go, but I know this is too much.
“I don’t want to scare you away. How many four years do we have in life that we can afford to live recklessly? I had to play hard to get. I didn’t expect much when Joseph went to look for you. I thought to myself, if you came, it means that you still love me. Scarlett, I don’t want to go through another four years repeating the same mistake.”
I let him hug me. My heart wrenched as I listened to him. I know I’m standing on quicksand. I buried everything safely in my heart for the past four years, thinking this too shall pass as long as I don’t ever revisit the old memories.
I’ve thought about our meeting again and he would treat me like how he used to.
Never have I expected the changes in him. He’s become very sensitive and thoughtful. He now cares for my feelings and the way he shows affection is very different.
He didn’t join me as I fall apart. On the contrary, he remains objective and gently pulls me out of this pit I’m in. He does it step by step so that I won’t get hurt.
“Your life might be complete if you’ve never met me.” He was supposed to marry Rebecca seven years ago. If he did, he’s probably enjoying a blissful marriage, a successful career, and building a happy family now.
He held my hands. “If I hadn’t met you, I’d probably not know what love is, let alone feeling happy.”
Joseph told me that the skies in R Province stay very calm. Even the clouds move at an extremely slow pace. Love and affection take its own sweet time to develop, but they are genuine and real.
“Why did Rebecca and I swap in the first place?” I’ve always wanted to ask this question since the day I discovered I was Cameron’s daughter. I was a coward four years ago and didn’t have the courage to find out his answer, so I chose not to know.
Now, I believe I’m strong enough to bear the consequence. As long as I know I have a place in his heart, the answer doesn’t matter anymore.
He tightened his embrace. “If you went back to the Moore family back then, would you have divorced me without hesitation?”
I was ready to separate with him, even in the absence of the Moore family.
Moments later, I spoke, “It’s got nothing to do with the Moores. Without them, I’d still go ahead with the divorce.”
He jeered at me, “Divorcing me isn’t easy without the backing of the Moore family.”
That’s true, moreover, I was pregnant then.
He sighed and smiled wryly. “All of this happened because I was as stubborn as a mule.”
“How did John get involved?” I know John cares for me, but why didn’t he want me to return to the Moores?
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