Chapter 48: Chapter 48

Again, I hurt Adrian with my words and I was not proud of that. When I was hurt, I couldn't deal with the feelings I had. I was usually good at hiding what I felt inside to myself, but after Rainy happened, then Adrian, I felt a change in me. I was sorry for hurting him, but he should also know how he had turned my heart cold.

Even though what I said hurt, Adrian was still able to smile. His gaze on me was still as gentle as the first time he confessed his love to me. It scared me that I would never get to see that smile again. Why does he make me feel afraid of losing him when I really intend to disappear from his life?

"It's okay, Mabel. I still love you until my last breath," Adrian said softly and his eyes looked at me as if he had memorized everything from me.

Adrian's words made me look at him deeply, my heart vibrated feeling something that made me uncomfortable and afraid.

"Stop it, Adrian. You're exaggerating," I tried to shake off whatever I was feeling by saying that. I really betrayed my heart many times.

Adrian was about to respond to me when his phone rang. He quickly took his phone and picked up the call. I thought it was my chance to escape from him, but when I noticed his expression stiffen, I felt the need to stay by his side.

"Is everything all right?" I asked, looking down as I wiped away the last of my tears.

Adrian lowered his phone from his ear, looking at me with a look that said everything was far from all right. "I wish I could predict the future, but we all know we can't do that. I don't want to lose you, Mabel."

I didn't understand what he meant when Daniel ran up to us. "Have you heard the news?"

Adrian nodded slowly. "Give me some time, Dan. I need to talk to Mabel about this,"

Daniel nodded in understanding then gave me a brief smile. Seeing him irritated me with the fact he could trick me into being Danny. Stupidly I believed him.

"I know you're not going to want to listen to me, or even trust me again after what I did to you. But Mabel, I beg you to believe me just this one time."

I didn't immediately cut Adrian off. I stared at him while waiting for what exactly he wanted to tell.

"This is about Rainy and Anthonio. They have bigger plans than ever, and your life is in danger."

Mentioning Rainy and Anthonio's names made me furious, not at them, but at Adrian. If he knew they had other sinister plans, then he knew where they were, and as before he did nothing when he actually had such a high chance of catching them both. I was sure he knew the two of them were in police pursuit.

"You know where they are and you just let them be?" I asked with a dazed look. "You have the power to stop their plan, but you instead chose to warn me like this rather than prevent the plan from happening."

I really didn't understand Adrian's way of thinking.

"I could do that, or even kill them both. But that's not about it, Mabel. Don't you think about Sarah? It will affect your family. So I'm thinking of letting Rainy and Anthonio face the law,"

I gulped at how true Adrian's words were. I was too angry over the whole thing to realize I couldn't be that reckless and mean to think of killing Rainy. What is wrong with me? I wasn't like this before.

Adrian was still staring at me, waiting for my response after his explanation, but all he got was me frozen in my place.

"Tomorrow Rainy will come to your residence and will apologize to you; that was one of her plans," Adrian paused to take a deep breath. "And then she will-"

"She's going to kill me," I continued after finding Adrian looking hard to tell. I then smirked. "Why should I trust you, Adrian? You even used me as bait for your own gain. So why should I listen to you this time? There is a possibility that you may join their sinister plan to hurt Ashton as well,"

"You know my love for you is real, Mabel." Adrian was clearly disappointed with my answer.

"Is it?"

I could see how affected Adrian was by my words. It hurt him.

"After all, if I die, what do you care?"

Adrian didn't blink and immediately hugged me. "Don't talk like that, Mabel! I won't let anything bad happen to you. I want you to live and enjoy the beauty of the world,"

In Adrian's arms, I still felt the feelings I used to feel. I felt comfortable, safe, and the smell of his body made me feel relieved as if my life had never had any problems. I never wanted to let go, but this was our destiny. This was how our story ended. He had to hurt me and I had to be hurt by him.

I started to shed tears again. Why does everything have to hurt? Life was so unfair to me. I should have pushed Adrian, but instead I hugged him back.

"I want to give everything for you, even my life." Adrian whispered. I should have been annoyed, I should have hated him, I should have stopped loving him, but I couldn't do that. I believed what he said even if it was bullshit as long as it came out of his mouth. Call me stupid and hypocritical, I didn't care anymore, at least until the moment between me and him ended.

I could feel the goodbye from the feeling our hug gave us this time and also all the words Adrian said. I hoped there would be no regrets later.

"I'm really sorry for all the mess I caused in your life," Adrian hugged me really tight, like he didn't want the moment to end. I felt like I was under his influence and could only nod. "Can I ask you a favor, Mabel? I promise after that I'm completely out of your life,"

"And what is that?" I asked for a moment I felt Adrian loosen his embrace. I looked up and we stared at each other.

"Spend your day with me. I promise only for today," asked Adrian, which was somehow hard for me to refuse. The few days I spent without him were fine, but I felt like a part of me was missing. My heart felt empty.

Later that day Adrian took me with him. We went around the city on his motorbike like the day that had passed, but what I felt was still the same. I felt happy and didn't want the day to end. If things weren't that difficult, I would still be with him as before. And my life was definitely still as fun as it used to be.

I didn't want the clock arrows to keep turning, I wanted time to stop so that the time we had would never come to an end.

Adrian took me to a hill we had visited. Being there brought a lot of flashbacks in my mind. I couldn't believe that day had passed so far behind. The air up there was cool. I took a deep breath and exhaled with a relieved smile.

"I came here after we didn't talk to each other, but it doesn't feel the same anymore. This hill isn't as comfortable as it used to be without you," Adrian stood next to me and looked straight ahead. "And now with you here, it feels like this hill is my most comfortable place."

I sighed then chose to sit down. Adrian sat down a moment later.

"I miss us,"

I was still silent, letting Adrian express everything he felt. The sun was about to set, the moment I had been waiting for had finally arrived. I really enjoyed being on that hill.

"Do you remember how we behaved towards each other when we were here?"

Adrian's question made my mind go back to that day and also the conversation we had at that time.

"And the question you gave me, do you still remember it?" Adrian asked again. He really got carried away.

"Have you ever fell in love?" I replied. "That's what I asked you then,"

"And my answer was no. I lied," Adrian smiled, still keeping his eyes on the view of the city. "I didn't want to open my old wounds by telling you about Selena. I used to feel like I needed to know a lot about you, but I was selfish and didn't want to share about me with you."

"If I were in your shoes, I probably wouldn't tell about myself either. You're not an ordinary man and you hadn't healed from what happened to Selena. It haunted you,"

Adrian stared in awe at my explanation. He didn't seem to expect me to understand how he felt.

"I don't regret having known you, Adrian. You were there for me even though in the end you were the one who hurt me the most," I continued while staring at how the light of the setting sun reflected beautifully on Adrian's face, making his amber eyes even more stunning. Why does he have to be that handsome?

I could tell Adrian was both happy and saddened by what I said.

"But you're not completely wrong. I was so naive that your plan worked," I added. "I mean what woman wouldn't fall in love with you? You came at the right time when I was so down, when the man I liked slowly had a world of his own. You lifted me up after I almost fell. Plus, you totally understand how to treat a woman."

"Actually there is one fact that you don't know, Mabel. Even though at first it was just a plan to disturb Ashton's life, I had felt the feeling of jealousy that I felt when you constantly flatter him from the start. I was just ashamed to admit it,"

I chuckled at Adrian's confession. When was the last time we chatted like this? I missed everything. What happened the other day felt good to be recalled. It was all the memories of my life and Adrian being a part of that journey.

"At that time I was also jealous of how Ashton was able to steal your heart for so many years,"

"Maybe because I only knew him, and no other man had ever approached me besides him until you came." I replied, remembering Ashton used to be very overprotective of me. I used to think he did that just because I was his close friend, but after knowing that he also harbored the same feelings, I could tell he didn't want me to fall into the arms of any other man besides him. "Putting that aside, seriously Andre? You used Andre's name as your pseudonym?"

"That was Daniel's idea," answered Adrian as the sunlight began to dim. He was now fully facing me. Our eyes met. I could feel my heart beat erratically. He slowly took my hand and kissed the back of it gently. I just let him, because the truth was he still had an effect on me. Our faces were getting closer, and I knew what would happen next if this continued. I honestly wanted it to happen, but a flash of memory of how disappointed I was a few days ago stopped me. I quickly pulled away from him and stood up. "I'd better go home, it's getting dark."

I could see Adrian still wanted to say something, but he didn't and just nodded. He helped me down the hill, unlike the first time I was there. Maybe he didn't want my foot to slip a second time.