Chapter 42: Chapter 42

One month later…

"Are you ready to go to Reykjavik?" My tour guide asked me after I opened my hotel door for her.

After traveling to some European cities for the whole month, I finally decided to visit Iceland to achieve my goal for this trip—to see the northern lights.

"Excuse me," I said when my phone rang. I frowned when I saw it was Marcus on the other line.

For the past month, I'd turned off my phone.

"Marcus?"

"Where are you, Claire?"

"I have something important to tell you. Your husband was looking for you, Claire."

I felt like my heart stopped beating when I heard his name.

When I left the country, my lawyer was already processing my divorce papers with Adam.

"He handed me your unsigned divorce papers," Adam said on the other line. "What the hell, Claire? You're filing for divorce?"

I took a deep breath. "Well, because you're wrong, Marcus. Adam didn't love me, okay? He's still in love with his childhood sweetheart, Mary."

"What the hell are you talking about, Claire? I just talked to Adam and he told me he's fucking in love with you."

"Well, he's lying, okay? Maybe he's just saying that because he's afraid that I won't pay him the remaining five million I owe him. But clearly he doesn't love me." I shut my eyes and told Marcus everything I'd learn from Mary.

I heard Marcus cursing from the other line. "Well, you know what, Claire? Adam talked to me and admitted he's in love with you! He's asking me where you are after handing me the five million dollars you'd paid him. He was asking me to return it back to you."

My lips parted. "What? Why would he do that?"

"Adam said he doesn't really need the money, and that's not the reason why he agreed to marry you."

"W-what…"

"Claire, the man was clearly in love with you," Marcus said on the other line. "You two clearly needed to talk."

I bit my lower lip. "I don't want to talk to him."

"Well, good luck on that because he seemed determined to follow you after I told him that you're also in love with him."

My eyes widened. "You what, Marcus?"

"I told him you're in love with him," he said in a casual voice.

"What the hell, Marcus? How could you!"

I heard him chuckle on the other line. "I just wanted to help the two of you, okay? Well, I'm not really sure if he could find you there. I didn't tell him your exact location there."

"Hell, yeah. Because I didn't tell you where I was exactly here in Iceland," I said sarcastically. "Just damn you, Marcus. Thanks for betraying me."

"Come on, Claire. I bet you're going to thank me days from now."

I let out a soft curse at Marcus after I ended the call.

"Claire, are you okay?" My tourist guide asked me.

I managed to smile at her. "Yeah. I'm ready to go now."

My mind was preoccupied with everything Marcus had said to me on the phone. Adam told Marcus that he's in love with me? And why was he trying to send back the five million that I gave him?

What if Marcus was right, Claire? What if Adam really loves you?

I shook my head at myself. No. Adam lied to me. He betrayed me.

Marcus said Adam was trying to follow me here in Iceland. Was that true? Would he really do that just to talk to me?

But even if Adam knew that I was here in Iceland, I doubted if he could find me. He didn't even know my exact location.

"We're here, Claire." My tour guide said when we reached the place an hour later.

For a while, I had suddenly forgotten my talk with Marcus.

"Oh, wow!" My eyes widened at the beautiful view of the aurora in the sky. The northern lights were indeed a hundred times more breathtaking up close. It had been my dream to see the aurora. I couldn't believe it finally happened now.

"It's breathtaking, indeed."

I felt like my heart stopped beating when I heard that familiar voice. I slowly turned my head around.

And there. I saw Adam. He was here. In Iceland. With me.

"W-what are you doing here? H-his did you find me?"

I couldn't believe he was able to find me. How did he do that?

"Remember the first time we met? You said you wanted to see the northern lights," he smiled. "When Marcus said you're here in Iceland, I knew this is where I'd find you."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Why are you here, Adam? Why did you follow me?"

He took a step towards me. "We need to talk, Claire."

He followed me here just to talk to me? "We have nothing to talk about, Adam." I looked away from him. "Leave me alone."

"We have." I was forced to look at him when he held my wrist. "Why did you lie to me, Claire?"

"Lied to you?"

He looked me straight in the eye. His face was serious and accusing. "Yeah. You told me you're not in love with me, but Marcus said otherwise."

I tried to hide the building panic in my system. "Marcus knew nothing, Adam. And please, stop accusing me of being a liar when you're really the one who lied to me."

Adam frowned. "I lied to you?"

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Stop acting so innocent, Adam. I knew you talked to Mary. You've told her about our setup, right? That you'd only married me because I asked for your help. And that we weren't really in a relationship in the first place! That you only got me pregnant!"

"Claire…" Adam held my hand. "Please, let me explain."

I shook my head. "You have nothing to explain, Adam. It was clear that you lied to me. You betrayed me." I scoffed. "And now you're telling me that you're in love with me when it was clear that you're still in love with her?"

"What?" His frown deepened. "You think I'm in love with Mary? No, Claire. Mary and I were just friends. It was you I'm in love with, sweetheart."

"Then why did you tell her about our setup? Mary said it was because you wanted to assure her that nothing was going on between us."

Marcus hastily shook his head. "I only told her because she asked me how the two of us happened, and I don't want to lie to her. I trust Mary and I know that she won't tell anyone about it." He sighed. "I'm sorry if I told Mary about our setup. I'm sorry, sweetheart. But what she said isn't true. I didn't tell her that to assure her or anything. I'm not in love with her, Claire. There's only one woman I'm in love with. And that is you, sweetheart."

I couldn't feel the corner of my eyes heating up. Adam was in love with me? For real?

"Now, sweetheart," he said in his most gentle voice. "Answer me. Is that the reason you lied to me? Because you thought I was in love with Mary?"

I bit my lower lip to prevent my tears from falling. But I failed. Hot tears escaped my eyes. "I got hurt, Adam. You betrayed me by telling her our setup. I thought... I thought you're still in love with her until now."

"Oh." Adam cupped my face and gently wiped the tears from my cheek. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't mean that," he whispered. “I'm in love with you, Claire. I fell in love with you the moment I laid my eyes on you at the bar four months ago. I won't forget that night we met, for it was the biggest turn around of my life...”

He lovingly gazed at me. "I fell in love with you the first time I saw you, Claire. I just failed to realize that."

My lips parted. “Adam…”

A smile appeared on his lips. "Why do you think I agreed to marry you?"

I frowned. "Because of the money. I offered you ten million dollars, Adam. You agreed to marry me because of the money, right?"

He shook his head. "I have something to admit, Claire. Remember the island where I brought you six months ago? That place was mine."

"Huh?"

"I inherited that island from my grandmother, together with the engagement ring I gave you." He swallowed. "I grew up never short of money, Claire. I had several businesses around the state. That Aston Martin car that I drive? That was really mine. When I was eighteen, my mother's lawyer talked to me. She gave me half of her assets. And I declined it, Claire. Because I didn't need money from other people."

"Why did you lie to me about this?"

"Because I wanted to have a reason why I accepted your offer. I wanted to make you believe that I accepted your offer because of money. Because I was scared for you to find out the real reason I married you…"

"The real reason is…?"

“Because I want you mine, sweetheart.”

“I know you've never been in love before and I don't want to scare you with my feelings. That’s why I want to take everything slow. My plan is to make you fall for me slowly… until you drown deep.”

I blinked when a realization hit me. "Marcus said you handed him the five million dollars that I'd paid you…"

"Yeah. Because I didn't need your money, Claire. What I need is your heart." His thumb grazed my parted lips. “I love you, Claire. I don’t say things I didn’t mean. When I say I love you, it means I am madly, completely and irrevocably in love with you…”

“Adam…”

“I don't believe in long lasting love. I don't believe in marriage. I'm not a fan of commitment. But then, you came and everything in me changed.

“You made me fall for you. Hard and deep-rooted. You proved to me that there’s love that could last a lifetime. You proved to me that forever is real. Right now, all I want is a forever with you. Please, stay married to me, sweetheart. I will take care of you. I will be everything you need. I promise to love you every day, every night, every moment of your life.”

Another tear fell from me. "I love you, Adam. I didn't know when it started. I just woke up one day realizing my feelings for you are more than just a physical attraction." I stared at him with all my heart. "I'm sorry if I lied to you about my feelings. I'm sorry for hurting you with the things I've said. I'm sorry for leaving."

"Shh…" He placed his finger in my lips. "Stop apologizing, sweetheart. Just promise me not to leave again. Promise me you'll stay with me… forever."

I smiled despite the tears in my eyes. "I promise, Adam. I'll never leave again."

He returned my smile. "Good. Because I'll never let you."

He lowered his head and gently kissed away the tears from my eyes before his lips finally captured mine.