"No. We need to face the problem and fix it. I don't like us staying skeptical about each other. There's going to be a conflict between us and I don't want that happen." It was better to fix their problem the soonest. It should never be left behind because it might accumulate into a something bigger, just like a snowball. That was the last thing Belinda would like to see.
"Okay. Let me ask you this, why didn't you tell me that Rachel Qin talked to you once? Why didn't you show her who you really are and why did you let her insult you with money?" Duke finally spoke out his thoughts. He was not the type of man who did things carelessly and he liked being straightforward. It was only with things related to Belinda that he became overcautious and indecisive.
"Did she tell you that? Oh, I should have expected it. But does it really matter?" The reason why Belinda decided not to tell him about the dinner-meeting was that she did not want him to have a bad impression of her. If she told him, he might think that she was a narrow-minded woman who liked being unreasonably fussy over unimportant things. She never thought of that situation as something important and took care of it easily. There was no need to bother him. But what Duke said just now made her begin doubting herself. Did she do it wrong?
"Does it matter? I am the reason for this fuss, right? You are allowed to reason-out to me, talk to me and even find faults with me as long as there's one second at least that you are still considering me as your husband. But take a look at you. You act as if nothing happened. I haven't even seen a sign of sadness or anger from you. Why is that? I must be a nobody and there's probably no space for me in your life. You just simply don't care about me, Belinda."
Duke said with his eyes closed. Many said that women were the more sensitive ones when it came to relationships. That was not their story though. His heart choked painfully when he heard Rachel said that Belinda only married him for his money. Although he knew that Rachel was just bluffing and that was not true, he could not control himself from feeling bitter. Rachel might just be right and Belinda must have never opened her heart for him from the beginning at all.
"I don't care about you? I don't care about you! What a bastard you are, Duke Leng! How I wish I really never care about you so I won't be so sad now." Belinda threw off his hand heavily, two big teardrops rolling down her cheeks slowly. What great grievance she had! She finally overcame her fear and spoke out everything she had refrained in her heart for a long time. Now that all her feelings and thoughts were known to Duke, she felt like that she would utterly lose herself from now on.
She did not want herself to struggle with whether she should tell him she cared about him, so she cried out it. What the consequences might be? She did not know, and did not want to know. She was unwilling to face Duke's reaction towards her words, so she decided to walk into the room to avoid the embarrassment. But Duke did not allow it. He grasped her quickly and dragged her hard. Belinda was dragged into his arm easily.
What did you say? Say it again. I want to hear it again." A sudden thrill crept in Duke's heart. He was just like a teenage boy who suddenly met the girl he was crushing on. Did she really just say that she cared for him? Was she serious? Did she mean it?
"No, I won't say it. Let go of me, you bastard." Belinda felt shy. She beat his chest and tried to conceal her true feelings for him. She was relieved after she shouted those words. It turned out that it was not that difficult to express her feelings to him. Many people were afraid to take the risk and then felt burdened.
"No, I won't let you go unless you say it again." Duke was holding her by her slim waist. He felt like he just gained her back. A touch of excitement and happiness gleamed in his eyes.
"Say what? I didn't say anything." Belinda struggled in his arms. She really did not know what he was thinking about in his mind now. Women were always like this, they kept silent and shy despite how they were desperate to know answers. They wanted to make men crazy about them.
"You said it, you love me, right? Duke locked his glance on her as he expected for some positive response. He was staring at her with his eyes filled with love that he had never shown.
"When did I say the word of love? Don't you ever try to change my word." Belinda lost her courage as soon as she calmed down. She became awkward. How shameless this man was! She merely said she cared about him. How could he take it as she loved him?
"But that's what you mean, isn't it? You fell in love with me." Duke did not allow any chance for her to avoid the question. He would not let her go and kept asking anxiously. He was desperate to find a home for the growing emotions and love inside his heart. He wanted to hear something from Belinda.
If you want to make fun of me, then do it. Laugh as you like! I can bear it. I mean it, really. You don't need to care about my feeling." Belinda sniffed. Fine! Let it break in all its fury! She was ready for it. And she really did not care.
Duke stood still and looked at her for a few seconds. Then without any word, he held the back side of her head and kissed her on the lips. Pity? Love? Or deep affection? It did not matter for Belinda. There was nothing but Duke and him alone inside her heart and mind. His passionate touch on her made her thrilled. Was this his answer? "I love you." Duke's panting and sexy voice sounded in Belinda's ears, as if a gentle faint breeze brushed through her heart. A great shock emerged in her mind and she almost was about to lose her consciousness. Tears poured out of her eyes. Belinda stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips back without any technique. She wanted him to feel her pain and grievance she had all these days through the kiss.
God blessed her love by making her act abnormally. Duke did not stop her crazy action. He just accepted all her kisses in silent and responded to her passion despite the pain from her heavy kiss. Well, well, well. He should not go out tomorrow because he really had no idea how to explain the hurt on his lips to others. It was going to be extremely awkward.