Chapter 72: Chapter 72

"Where are we?" I immediately asked him when I opened my eyes.

When I looked around, I was stunned when I saw that I was inside a hotel casa. I looked at the hanging curtain on the other side. The door was open there, which I was sure was the source of the wind. My eyes focused on Hector. I just noticed that he was talking to someone on the phone.

"Just don't tell them where we are. I don't want to be disturbed. If he calls again, don't answer," I heard him say to the other person.

I shrugged and stood up. I went straight to the door I saw earlier. When I got out of there, the vast ocean was revealed to me. At the bottom are some trees and white sand. The room where I am is in the upper part.

"Do you like the view?"

I jumped in shock when I felt a hand on my waist. I tilted my head to see him.

"Where are we?"

"I decided to bring you here before we migrated to Las Vegas the day after tomorrow. Do you like the view then?” He asked again so I snorted.

I looked back at the ocean. The sun is high but the wind is still strong. This is our first time going on vacation just the two of us. I don't know what he's thinking but I want to stop thinking because I'm tired too.

Ever since his dad went to jail and his stepmother left, we've been living like this for a few weeks now—no worries about anything. I've been wanting to experience this for a long time. I have longed to feel peace. For a long time, I wished to feel true happiness and now that it is here in front of me, I don't know how I will feel.

"I honestly have a phobia in a place like this," I teased him. I saw him turn to me so I grinned. The truth is that I remember the island that Ares brought me to when he imprisoned me.

But I want to erase that from my memory and change it to a new one. I'm glad he did it.

"You mean you don't like it here? I can book a staycation somewhere if you don't—”

"I like it here, Hector. I just don't want the events after us here. Thank you for bringing me here. How do you know this place?” I asked him.

"This is where I stayed when I first got back here from Las Vegas. And last night we got married," he said and winked at me.

I remember that night. I will never forget that. I smiled involuntarily. Somehow, I want to thank him for marrying me that night because otherwise, I'm sure I would still be a martyr to Ares. He has saved me many times without me asking him for help. He always found me during my darkest days. I don't know why and how but he always finds me.

"Hey..." he called to me in his hoarse voice.

He made me face him. At the same time as I faced him, a strong wind blew again so I closed my eyes for a moment.

When I opened my eyes I saw Hector's soft expression and his eyes. His eyes... just like the ocean near us, it is calming and soothing. His eyes were ocean-strong, swimming with warm sun-lit currents—those eyes of his fixed me in all the best ways.

Oh, Hector... why are you so dreamy?

"You know what I love about second chances?" He asked me. I automatically smiled when I remembered about second chances.

"I'm not sure," I answered and held his hand. I kept looking into his eyes. The wind will continue to blow.

“It brought me back to you. Even though the people around me stopped me several times, my heart knows how to come back to you. As if it knows the way back to you. It's because... my heart is beating only for you, Solei. That when you're gone, I'm gone too. That by the time your heart stops beating, I will die," he said seriously. I just kept looking at him.

I didn't speak because I knew he had something else to say. Instead, I turned to him and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned my head on his chest and closed my eyes, feeling his heartbeat, and hearing his raspy voice.

"Ares was right about you. He told me you're different than the other women out there. And I know he regrets that he used you in all his plans. What happened to us after that night, it wasn't the first time I saw you—the first time was when I rushed you to the hospital that day your father was shot by Ares. I knew I had to protect you because his group was also aiming for you. And then I never saw you again. I just found out that you are with Ares. That's when I found out everything he was planning and I had to rescue you again. And it pains me to see you hurting despite your genuine kindness. So when I saw Matthew hurt you, I almost destroyed his face after warning him about you. But he didn't listen. Your half-brother underestimated me, so I had to give him a lesson...”

I felt surprised when I heard that. I suddenly remembered Matthew's broken face that was not done by Ares. So, that was him. Why is he only telling me this now? Why does he know more about me than I know about my life? Why did he just say that he has known me for a long time? I couldn't even remember his face that day...

"Everyone was stopping me to take you back and I had to destroy them. I thought of giving up that time when I found out you were gone. That you left and didn't wait for me anymore. But then I found out about your pregnancy. Your stepmother told me everything and asked me to take care of you and her granddaughter for her. He said he can't do that anymore for you and our future child, so he only asked me. She wanted to take care of you two during your pregnancy, but the situation stopped her. I guess, herself, too.”

I gasped when I heard that. I feel a strange pain in my chest for some unknown reason. I don't know why I was hurt more by that. Many times I dreamed of taking care of him... why is it so painful to get it? That until the end it also hurts to know that he could have done that to me but he chose to make me suffer.

"I knew it from the start that you were pregnant. That's why I went to Cagayan de Oro to confirm it, and I was right.”

My eyes widened when I heard that. I looked up at him. "Why didn't you fight for it then? Why did you pretend you didn't know we had a child?"

He smiled bitterly. He looked down at me and stared at me for a moment. He looked back at the ocean.

"Because I thought maybe you were hiding her from me before because you knew I wouldn't be a good father for her which is I don't want it myself. Maybe you could hide him from me before because you knew I would only hurt him. That's why I chose not to fight for you anymore back then... because I've also made my choice then that maybe... I really deserve it. Maybe you hid him from me because you wanted to punish me so I accepted it because I knew it had to happen. And I know you needed time to think. It's fine because I know you can't get away from me."

I felt my heart calm down. Just like how a strong wind suddenly calms down. Just like how everything calmed down with Hector. I've been waiting for this for a long time.

"And I also promised to myself that night of our wedding."

"What is it you promised yourself?" I asked him while still holding his hands. I felt the corner of my eyes gradually gets warmer at that time.

"That I will continue loving you until my last breath. I tried to forget you so many times because I kept saying in my mind that I didn't do anything good for you. But look where I am now... still longing for you. I'm sorry for everything, baby...” he whispered to me.

I felt his soft kiss on my head and we remained in that position for a few more moments.

I smiled when I heard him hum again. I simply wiped the tears that flowed from my eyes. I feel like my heart is going to explode with so much love for him. I don't know what to say... Hector, I'm so in love with you.

"Why are you telling me that now?" I asked him in the middle of his serious tone.

He separated from me so I looked at him. He grinned and took something from his pocket. A ring with a big diamond in the middle was revealed to me so I started crying.

"I want to marry you again, Solei. You were sober when I married you that night and I know that until now you still don't remember what happened before we got married. So, I want to give you a memorable wedding. Will you marry me... again?”

I closed my mouth and repeatedly nodded to him. He put it on my finger and greeted me with a tight hug.

"I'm in love with you, Hector. Everyone knows that. Everyone knows how crazy I am about you. And no matter how many times you ask me to marry you, I will never refuse you," I said to him laughing while also crying because of too much joy.

He didn't speak. He just greeted me with a passionate kiss that almost took my breath away. When we parted he grinned.

"I forgot to mention to you that I want 5 children, so... let's start making them now?"

I was stunned. Before he could speak again, I kicked him in the arm.

"You're impossible. I think you want me to be the size of a whale," I said and turned his head.

He just laughed at it. "That will never happen, Solei. You're the most beautiful woman in the world no matter what happens."

"Still no. I'm hungry. Let's eat," I immediately told him and left him there.

When we went inside, I saw the light on my cell phone. I opened it and saw Vera's texts.

VERA

When are you coming back?

VERA

Maybe when you come back you will be pregnant, ah! You left a child here, Ana!

VERA

FINE. ENJOY!

I just laughed when I read that. There were still text messages from my cousins and even my Uncle but I didn't pay attention to that. Only one text immediately caught my attention.

Unknown Number

I hope you're happy now. I hope yes to make the most of the destruction of my life. I'll see you when I see you