This chapter ia dedicated to @_Basia_! Thank you so much for the supergift!

"But… you loved her, didn't you?" Iryz's soft question came.

She swallowed because her voice came out not as neutral as she had wanted it to be. Surely, he had noticed it and that was why he had looked at her with that now concerned expression. She should have held in her emotions a little better.

"I… I think I did but..." He suddenly sounded a little shaken. "She's an important person to me. And I do like her. I care for her. I really thought I loved her. But… thinking back right now, I've… after all of the thinking I did last night as well, I found out that I am not quite sure if that was me truly in love or was I just actually in pain. Maybe I've just been too damaged that I can't even figure myself out anymore. Maybe because I've been in too much pain for far longer than I could remember… more than I could bear and had been so starved for love that I just fall in love with anyone who shows me the least bit of kindness and warmth. I feel like I can't even trust my own heart anymore." He sighed out heavily as he ran his fingers through his hair and looked at her with a smile tinged with bitterness. "I hope that you will still want me even after you see how truly messed up my life is, Iryz. How messed up I am, as a person…" then he lifted his eyes and just stared at her, waiting for the verdict. His gaze was so filled with despair and a sense of lost that Iryz could not endure it.

Iryz walked around the table and stood at his side. He faced her immediately and when their eyes held each other's, Iryz bent over and just hugged him silently, just embracing him in her arms and giving him the comfort that he needed – that they both needed right now. She honestly did not know what to say. But right now, she just wanted to hold him like this. It was enough just to be able to be with him.

She did not know everything that he had went through. But just staring into those pain-filled eyes of his was enough for her to realize that he must have had gone through unimaginable sufferings. Things that would be better off not said and recalled for the peace of both speaker and listener's mind. Thus, she did not probe.

"I don't want to cause you any more trouble, Iryz. And that's why I am being honest with you. If you are troubled that I might leave and go back to Alicia or anyone else… please don't worry about that anymore." he added in a soft but decisive tone after a long while of them just embracing each other. "When I saw her with him last night… I was a little surprised that I wasn't that hurt. Maybe I've become numb. It's… I don't know, but after I saw them together last night, all I thought about after that was go back home and finally take a rest. Then I found myself coming back in your doorstep before I even realized what I had done. I want to believe that that was a sign telling me that I am meant to be here." He explained wholeheartedly.

Iryz' hold on him tightened after listening to him. Her heart was melting like a butter under the hot sun. The corners of her eyes could not help but sting. Her initial impression of him was right… he was a beautiful but broken man.

"That's right. I believe you're meant to be here too, with me, Zeres." She declared, then she pulled away and stared into his eyes. "Don't worry. Soon enough, you will fall in love with me. I will make you fall in love with me and this time I will make sure that you will have no chance to even doubt it." there was a promise in her voice as she said those words with so much confidence. "I believe that the universe must have given me a second chance. So this time, I'm not going to let you slip away like in the past. I will make you fall head over heels in love with me, just you wait." Her eyes sparkled so brilliantly as she stared into his silvery gaze.

He smiled. He was speechless, and to be truthful, even a bit overwhelmed after hearing what she had claimed so assuredly. He was not used to this – him being the one who was chased. Usually, he was the one doing the chasing. But… he could feel his heart being moved. And he did not know how to explain it, but he felt like the world was starting to brighten up. Like the sun was finally shining into that damp, dark and dreary place in his heart after years of gloominess. Finally, spring seemed to be arriving.

He wondered if it was because he had finally let all of his feelings out and talked it all out with someone for the first time. He wondered if it was because he had finally decided to let go of Alicia or because of this girl who always seemed to be so full of life. Or was it because of the way she looked at him. Like he was everything that she had ever asked for. Like he was her whole world.

The way she looked at him had his heart shuddering. He was not used to anyone looking at him like that. No one had ever looked at him like that. Never once in the many long years of him being alive.

"Alright! First things first, Zeres. I think… you deserve a kiss for being so honest with me." she suddenly said, causing Zeres to blink. What…?!

"O-okay," he stammered a little, never seeing that one coming. She said it as though it was her rewarding him. But why did he feel as though it was the other way around?

And then way too soon, she crashed her lips against his.

Her heart was pounding wildly at the touch of their lips. He seemed to stiffen up, but he did not pull away from their kiss.

Iryz continued kissing his lips until his hands moved closer and were about to land on her waist when a series of knocks jolted them both out of their fun activity.

Iryz jumped away from him almost violently and ran towards the door with a face that was flaming red.

Zeres saw that it was one of his men, and he immediately walked over with a slightly darkened face.

"What is it, Mike?" he growled out slightly, and the man immediately rattled off his report.

"Alexander wanted me to deliver you an urgent message. He said, you and…" he looked at Iryz, "you and Miss Iryz are invited to his children's baby shower tomorrow. He insisted that you both must fly over there tonight itself. Also, he said excuses will not be entertained. Okay, I'm leaving -"

"Wait!"

"I still need to find one more pair." The man said and immediately left.