OVERWHELMED

He is probably saying that to soothe me, but, alright, I will take it. Maybe someday I will have a chance to remind him of all this.


"Thanks," I mumble, holding onto his arms as he caresses my cheeks.

Still a wonder, though. What is it that he sees in my eyes? They aren't as deep as his to attract someone this way.

"Don't you think it is time to iron things out with your parents? Maybe at least listen to them calmly and try to reason together." I plead, and his hands plunge to my thighs.


He averts his gaze from me for a while. Why? He can't do that? Can't he see the prize that I am paying for my stubbornness?

"It is impossible to reason with people who only want to use you to their own advantage, Ellie. I am sorry to say this, but the case with my parents is almost lost."


He might be pissed off to the core, but I know he is hurting. I can sense the pain in his tone. But still, he can't just let things drag on this path. Issues like these don't end well, and I am a living testimony to that. He should learn from me. He has the eyes and brains to see and understand what is happening in my life right now. I hope he uses that well.

"They are your parents, Damian. They are bound to listen to you at some point. And you? You are their son, the only child they have. If they can't lower their pride as your parents, then you will have to lower yours as their son. I am sure you guys can solve this." I solace him, but he shakes his head.

"I doubt they will, Ellie."

"What is the problem anyway? I thought that with my plan, the issue of our marriage would be solved. That was the only reason why you fought with your parents, right?" I ask.

"Yes." He nods his head to emphasize his answer.

"So then, what is the problem?" I enquire.

If that was the only issue, then there shouldn't be any problem anymore, right? I mean, we are together now. We both conceded to this. They should be happy, conceivably pushing him for the wedding dates.

"It is complicated. I will tell you all about it when the right time comes. At least when all this is over."

Here we go again. He just doesn't learn, doesn't he? I am sure that is what he used to tell himself every passing day after he discovered my identity—that he would tell me who he really was when the right time came. Look where that left us.

"Do you know something that life has taught me?" He arches an eyebrow, urging me to speak. "It is that there is actually no right moment for certain things. If it is not going to kill you, do it as soon as you can. The more we drag issues, the more things get messy, and the more pain we will bring to the people who will get caught up in the web as the issue drags. So, Damian, whatever it is, get it over and done with asap."

"Wow, I didn't know that you were..."

"A philosopher?" I cut him off. "Look at me, Damian. I am a perfect, bittersweet walking lesson. I will forever be haunted by the consequences of the wrong choices I made. Don't wait to learn from your own mistakes. It is a quagmire that you don't want to ever find yourself in, trust me."

"Copy that."

I ignore the sensation of his soothing thumbs on my thighs as he dives into thoughts. He doesn't know what he is doing, nor is he aware that he is doing anything at all.

"Can you now tell me what the issue is? I might be able to help." I push my luck once again, and he puffs out a heavy sigh.

This is huge!

"They want me—us—to get married ASAP, so that I can take over my father's businesses. I bet they have exhausted all the cards, and this is their only way of tying me down here."

Ouch! I pity this poor soul. But wait, is the issue about him taking on their family businesses or that he doesn't want to, you know, marry me? I am just curious, though.

"Don't you want to..."

"Marry you?" He cuts me off with a bittersweet smirk that doesn't last long. 'Come on, Ellie! I can do that right this minute if I can, because among everything that I told you, my feelings were all true. All that I showed you wasn't a lie. My love wasn't a lie, Ellie. I love you, and"

"Damian..."

"I know, Ellie. I know you don't want to hear it. I know that you hate me for concealing our identities from you, and I know I have no proper justification for my actions. I am sorry, and I am not asking you to forgive me right now, but I hope you can give me a chance to correct my mistakes someday."

"Someday, Damian, but not now. We have so much to deal with. Both of us," I say with a downcast heart. I am both burdened by what we are both going through separately and by what we are denying ourselves. I can feel it even in my bones that he misses me just as much as I do.

He nods his head, averting his miserable gaze from me for a while. "I understand. And I respect that."

"Thank you," I mumble.

"At least you now understand why I can't give in to their demands. I have my own business to take care of—two, actually. Then my father wants me to run his empire while managing his shares in Ricca's empire. Your father's shocking transfer of shares to me is still yet to sink in. It is like he has put the whole empire under me, Ellie. Everything is just so overwhelming!"