Chapter 55: Chapter 55

MY shoulder-length hair was blown by the wind as I stood in front of the Henry mausoleum.

I ran my fingers through my hair before I crouched in front of my daughter's tombstone.

"Hi," I whispered as I caressed the marble tomb. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit you often." A sad smile appeared on my lips.

"I came here to apologize, baby."

I remembered what Helen and I talked about last night on the phone when I called her.

"You're right, Helen. I'm in love with Gideon…" I shut my eyes. "Charlie and I met yesterday…and I finally realized my feelings for Gideon. I… I'm in love with him."

"Finally, Bianca," her answered from the other line. "But I'm guessing you haven't talked to Gideon yet."

Helen could really read me, huh? I let out a loud sigh. "I don't know if I'd act on it, Helen. Yes, I'm in love with him. But he's the person who ruined my relationship with Charlie. He made me suffer, Helen. He hurt me. He made my life a living hell."

"He's a different person now, Bianca. He's no longer the Gideon who hurt you. I witnessed it, Bianca. I witnessed how he treats you now, how he takes care of you. I witnessed his love for you, Bianca. And I could tell you, it was real."

I bit my lower lip. "But what if… his memory came back? What if he realized he's not really in love with me?"

"The doctor said that he would no longer recover the memory he lost. Even if he remembers, I don't think he would go back to his old self. What I saw in his eyes was real, Bianca. The man certainly loves you."

"I…" I sighed. "I don't want to get hurt again, Helen." I swallowed. "I'm scared."

I'm scared to give my love to someone again. After all the pain that I've been through, I don't think I could handle another pain again.

"You know what's the problem, Bianca? You're still living with the past! Living in the past means not giving yourself a chance to be happy again."

Was Helen right? Was I still living in the past?

"Love is taking risks, Bianca. If you don't take risks, then you don't have a chance at happiness. Do you want that for yourself? You, of all people, deserve to be happy the most."

"But the person who could make me happy now is the same man who caused me pain."

"Are you willing to give him a second chance and be happy with him? Or are you going to continue living in the past? Your choice, Bianca."

Helen was right. I was still living in the past. But I shouldn't stay that way. I needed to move forward. Or else I could never be happy again.

"I wanted to apologize, baby," I said, as I stared at the tomb in front of me. "I'm sorry that I fell out of love with your father. I'm sorry for hurting him again." Tears sprung from my eyes. "I'm sorry for loving the man that ruined my relationship with your father. I'm so sorry, baby. I hope you forgive me." I bit my lower lip.

"I hope you forgive me if I try to move on with my life. I just can't continue living in the past. I wanted to be happy again. And your father couldn't give that to me anymore." I tried to wipe away my tears using my fingers. "I wanted to start a new life with the person I love right now. But please know that I love you so much. You will forever be in my heart."

I stayed there for another hour before I finally decided to leave.

I felt something hard was lifted off my chest. I felt lighter.

Now, I wanted to talk to Gideon. I'm ready to talk to him now. And besides, I already missed him.

It's been three days since we last saw each other, and I couldn't deny that I was already longing for him.

I missed his smile, his laugh. I missed the way he looked at me. I missed how he fetched me at work. I missed how he cooked for me. I missed his presence in our home.

Yeah. I didn't realize I referred to that house as our home now.

I missed everything about him.

"Good morning, Miss."

The security person greeted me when I entered the Henry Corporations building.

This was the first time I'd been here. I had only been in their office in New York.

I looked around the whole lobby. This building was way bigger than their office in New York.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Miss?"

The lady in the reception asked me. I pursed my lips. Of course, she didn't know that I'm Gideon's wife.

Gideon never brought me here before.

"Hi," I smiled at her. "I wonder if I could talk to Gideon."

The receptionist's eyes went wide. "Mr. Gideon Henry, the CEO of this company?"

I pursed my lips and nodded. I don't blame her for having that kind of reaction.

"Do you have any appointment with him, Miss?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't have one. But you can phone her secretary and tell her I'm his wife."

"You're Mr. Henry's wife?" she asked, looking really shocked. Again, I don't blame her.

"Yeah." I pursed my lips. "Do I need to show you my ID?"

She shook her head vehemently. "No need, Mrs. Henry. I'll just… call Mr. Henry's secretary."

The lady continued to stare at me as she picked up the telephone.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Henry," the woman said when she put down the phone. "According to Miss Thalia, Mr. Gideon Henry isn't in the office right now. In fact, he didn't go to work."

"Oh…  I didn't know that." I blinked. I realized the woman was looking at me now with suspicion.

Well, I told her I'm Gideon's wife, and yet I didn't know where he was. That really sounded suspicious.

"Did Thalia tell you why Gideon didn't come to work?"

What happened? Was he sick? Was he not feeling well?

"Miss Thalia didn't tell anything aside from that, Mrs. Henry. But you can talk to her if you want. Her office's on the 41st floor."

I gave the woman a grateful smile. "Thank you, Miss."

"Mrs. Henry," Thalia greeted me when I went to her office.

She was a brunette woman in her early forties, with some grey hair and a kind smile. She'd been Darwin's secretary before she worked for Gideon.

"Did you know why my husband didn't go to work today?"

I could go straight to Darwin, for sure he knew the answer to my question.

But I'm sure the old man was busy, especially now that Gideon wasn't in the office.

"Oh. Gideon went to Napa Valley, Bianca."

My brows furrowed a bit. "Napa Valley?" What was he doing there?

"Did Gideon have a business there?"

"No, Bianca. Gideon went there to visit the property he bought last month."

Gideon bought a property in Napa Valley. I didn't know that.

"Did he go there alone?"

"Yeah. But he brought his driver with him."

"Do you know the exact address of the property?"

Thalia scribbled the address on a piece of paper and handed it to me.

"Thanks, Thalia."

I took a taxi and asked the driver to take me to the address Thalia scribbled on the paper.

Napa Valley was a five-hour drive from LA.

I looked at the huge vineyard in front of me. Apparently, Gideon bought an entire vineyard here in Napa Valley.

Was he planning a wine business? I asked myself as I continued to look around. I see green everywhere. This place was beautiful. The view was breathtaking.

After driving past the vineyards lies a small beautiful house made of wood.

I looked around the yard but I didn't see a familiar Aston Martin.

Wait. Was I in the right place?

Before I could decide to knock on the door, it already opened.

I saw Gideon. He was wearing a white shirt, khaki pants and brown caterpillar boots.

"Bianca…" Gideon looked shocked to see me. His lips parted, his eyes slightly wide. "What are you doing here? How did you find out I'm here?"

I swallowed, meeting his stares. "I'm… I'm already ready, Gideon."

He licked his lower lips. "Well… I hope you're not here to break my heart," he said, his voice almost a whisper.

I could see the fear in his eyes. I wanted to reach for him and washed those fears away. While looking at him, I finally realized that I had long forgiven him. What I feel for him right now, is just pure love.

"Gideon…" I tilted my chin and looked him straight in the eyes.

I wanted him to read my face. I wanted him to know what I feel for him.

This time, no more denying. No more pretending.

"You're right…" I said. "You're right when you said that I'm in love with you. Because I am…"

I watched how his lips parted. I continued.

"I'm in love with you, Gideon. I didn't know how it started. I didn't know when I started to feel something for you." I swallowed. "I just woke up one day that all the hatred that I had for you had already been replaced by something else. That something else… is love."

I tried to blink away the tears that were starting to form in the corner of my eyes.

My knees felt weak. My chest was hammering. My heart was hurting so good.

"I'm in love with you, Gideon Henry," I said, looking at him lovingly.

"I'm sorry if it took me too long to admit that. I had a hard time accepting my feelings for you. I just… couldn't believe I'd fallen in love with the person I hated the most.

"But I guess, that's how love works, right? You'll fall for the person you never expected to fall in love with. Just like what happened to me… to us."

"I… can't believe this." Gideon finally managed to say. I could clearly see the tears forming in his eyes.

He licked his lower lip and blinked. "I was already bracing myself from heartbreak." He shut his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, a tear fell from them.

"I'm in love with you, Bianca," he declared.

He cupped my face and gently caressed my cheeks. His fingers lingered on mine.

"Thank you for giving me a second chance. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for falling in love with me despite all the pain I've caused in the past." He gently caressed my cheek. "I promise I'll make you happy. I promise I'll never do something to hurt you again. I'll take care of you, my wife."

I slowly nodded as tears finally escaped my eyes. This time, I knew it was tears of happiness.

I never knew being this happy could make my heart hurt so good.

"I believe you, Gideon. I'm sorry it took me so long before I could finally be brave to accept the truth."

"Hush…" Gideon whispered as he gently wiped the tears off my face. "You have nothing to be sorry about, sweetheart. I'm willing to wait for you. I can wait for you, Bianca."

"Even if it took me so long?" I asked.

He smiled. "Even if it takes months or years, sweetheart." He planted a soft kiss on my forehead. "But I'm glad I wouldn't have to wait."