Third person's pov
"Do you even trust me, Meera?"
asked Elijah with contempt. He knew she didn't and her silence proved it. Shaking his head in disbelief, he continued,
"You won't believe me even if I tell you about my past. Why do you bother then?"
Meera bit her lips in thought. Elijah was right she doesn't trust him. Not entirely but slightly. Over these past few days, she saw a completely different side of him. He is passionate and so loving toward his loved ones. He treated her like a queen. He is protective and encouraging. Yes, he is overbearingly commanding and dominating but that's what makes him Elijah Ian Mancini.
"I want to trust you, Eli"
Meera said sincerely from her heart. She truly wants to. She wants to know him. Real him. All this time she has argued to herself that she didn't need to know him as she thought they are going to separate. But now, everything made her question herself. Was she doing right? Should she know the full story? Yes! Her subconscious told her firmly. Agreeing, she determined herself.
"I want that too, Meera"
said Elijah, his voice softening slightly.
"Doe. Call me doe"
demanded Meera not liking him calling her by name. She has grown to his endearment for her. And now him calling by her name irks her.
"And why is that, Meera? "
asks Elijah, amusement dancing in his eyes and voice. Meera swallowed down, feeling embarrassed. Softly looking down she muttered,
"I like it"
"What? I didn't hear you"
teases Elijah even though he heard her loud and clear, but secretly he wanted to hear it again. His heart bloomed with happiness after such a dreadful hour of his life. This is what she does to him. Her presence enough can soothe him, sane him, console him.
"I love it when you call me doe!"
slightly yelled Meera feeling irritated seeing him amused and teasing her. Both stared at each other for seconds. Slowly blush coated her cheeks red. Ducking her head down, she smiled shyly. Oh god! I said it out loud, she thought to herself. She felt a gentle finger under her chin which was then lifted upward. Her midnight black orbs collided with green eyes filled with happiness. Talk about mood change, she wondered.
"I love your blush, doe "
there, he called her doe. She smiled at him happily making Elijah's breath stuck in his throat in wonder. Her beauty always amazes him making him stare at her in wonderment. Leaning in, Elijah softly kissed her forehead lingering for seconds.
"You frustrate me to no end, doe"
"You do too"
both look each other in the eye and seconds later hug each other tightly.
"But I love you far, far more than you confuse and frustrate me doe"
confesses Elijah in a breathy voice. Sighing in contentment, Meera snuggles more into his embrace enjoying the moment and how her racing heart is thudding against her ribcage and the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach.
Savoring the moment, Elijah kisses her hair and closes his eyes, arms tightening around her.
They stood holding each other for a while silently. Meera knew it was wrong of her to accept his feelings seeing she is planning against him. But her heart wanted him. It lived the moment he confessed to her. Her heart was never been happier before. What were these feelings? Has she forgiven him for the things he has done? Is it why she doesn't feel revoked but instead happy with him? It all is confusing her. Right now it was time to tackle the big elephant in the room, not her jumbled thoughts, and feelings.
Pulling back, Meera looked into his eyes and firmly stated,
"I promise you, I will trust everything you say to me about your past. Please tell me"
Somewhere in her heart, she knew Elijah can't lie to her. He is sincere about his love for her. Elijah hesitantly looked at Meera thinking through his decision. The sincerity shining in her eyes with the encouraging smile pushed him. Sighing in defeat, he tugged her along to the bed and sat beside her on it. Holding her hands in his, he asked,
"No matter what others say, you will believe me?"
"Yes, I will"
replied Meera in a heartbeat while looking honestly at Elijah who took a deep breath. Exhaling softly, he started telling her,
"Angelina and I were college sweethearts. When I saw her for the first time in my first year of college, she looked so beautiful and I was instantly attracted to her. She was in my class and we started talking. Gradually from being friends we started dating. I found myself madly in love with her. Whatever she asked I gave it to her sometimes without asking, showering her with gifts. She was my everything. I was blinded with love to see her flirting with other guys or one guy in particular. I was too late to realize that she was only after me for money to fulfill the needs of her and her secret boyfriend behind my back. We never had sex, she never asked for it and I was glad, I believed to have it only when I marry her. I felt blessed to have such an understanding girlfriend. I was such a fool. This continued for years, I formed my own company, and it flourished. And I decided to propose to her for marriage. I took her to dine out in a seven-star restaurant and proposed to which she said yes. I was over the moon. I didn't notice the change in her I was that happy. That night she asked me to have sex. I refused obviously but she persisted. I still refused. She started crying that I didn't love her truly and that we were marrying so it won't break my belief. I couldn't see her cry so I gave in. She got me drunk. But I have a high tolerance for alcohol so remembered everything though she thought otherwise. It was my first time having sex, I was so happy to have it with the one I love. I still wanted to use protection but she refused, saying she started having pills already anticipating my proposal. I trusted her blindly so I believed her. We started preparing for our wedding, the date was fixed. Everything was going perfectly. A week before our wedding she told me that she was pregnant. At first, I was shocked but then I was so happy to become a father. We told our families. Evelyn introduced her boyfriend to us at the practice wedding dinner. I was reluctant at first, then agreed to see her happy. Her boyfriend Mark Alfonso, looked shady to me, I didn't like his vibe but I let it go in midst of the wedding. On the wedding day, I still remember how happy and excited I was that I couldn't wait and went to meet her in her room. And I still remember the agonizing pain and heartache I felt seeing her having sex with Mark and how they were making fun of me confessing their plan of fooling me, taking my money, and running away before marriage. I stood there frozen and continued watching them through the crack-open door. They were oblivious to my presence. The next thing she said was my undoing to intolerable pain, the baby for whom I built so many dreams was not even mine, it was Mark's and how she forced me to have sex so it would look as mine. I was shattered completely. After the pain, came the searing rage, I was so livid that I barged inside the room and beat the shit out of Mark. Angelina screamed at me and tried to push me away but I was uncontrollable in the loss of my supposed child, relationship, and love. The commotion alerted people but I didn't stop. I saw from the corner of my eyes Angelina picked up a vase to hit me. Just when she was about to hit I stopped to duck the attack but Mark seeing the opening punched and pushed me and I fell over Angelina and the vase broke on her stomach accidentally. Evelyn screamed standing at the door in shock eyes wide. I still vividly can feel how my heart stopped beating seeing the pain and horror in my princess's eyes. Suddenly Mark shouted at me for hitting him and Angelina and accused me of doubting him and hurting them both. He broke up with Evelyn and left. Angelina was announced to have a miscarriage in the hospital. Evelyn blamed me for everything, she saw only me falling over Angelina. Everybody thought Angelina pulled the wedding off. I told my family everything. They believed me, and eventually Evelyn too. She was so heartbroken. And after that, I became commanding, powerful, dominating, and possessive which I was never before with Angelina. I thought I have to be that way to have things to me if not I will lose everything like I lost love and the child even though it was not mine I still loved it. I am this way with you doe because I don't want to lose you, never. I need to have you, I must have you. You are my salvation in life, doe, only you"
Tears fell from Elijah's eyes, and pain filled in them. Meera too was crying for him. Her heart ached for him, for how much he has gone through. She was so wrong about him. So so wrong. Pulling him to her chest, she hugged him tightly, crying.
"Don't pity me, doe, I hate it. I have seen it in everyone's eyes. Please don't"
says Elijah in the crook of her neck, voice hoarse. Kissing his hair, Meera replies,
"I am not. I am hurt for you. I want to take away all your pain. Eli, I am just so sad at what happened to you"
"Then take away my pain"
demands Elijah pulling away from her embrace and staring straight into her eyes. Confused, she asks him,
"How?"
"Don't leave me, not now, not ever. Promise me"
asks Elijah in a whisper vulnerability visible in his eyes. Meera gulps, now completely understanding him, why he is the way he is but still it doesn't change the things he did to her. Her heart tugs at her to agree to him, promise him. The confused feelings became clearer to her. She realized her feelings from the hurt and pain for him that she is falling for him, fast, for his caring and protective self, how he cherishes her.
"I promise I won't leave you"
says Meera looking into his eyes, from the bottom of her heart. She chose to accept him, and her feelings, to give them a chance. The last chance to see why her fate brought him to her. At that moment she forgot everything, her plan, pain, and the things he did, only mattered the two of them and their feelings. She decided to follow her heart and subconscious which told her every time that he is not a bad person and to give him a chance.
A wide smile broke on his face. Grinning he attached their foreheads and caressed her cheeks lovingly. His eyes were shining with love.
"Will you stay forever with me?"
asked Elijah after a silence. Meera frowned at him.
"Huh?"
rubbing her bottom lip delicately with the pad of his thumb, he spoke,
"Give me reassurance"
"How?"
asked Meera skeptical about where he was going with this, she slightly pulled her head back to look at his serious face. Staring at her, Elijah asked in a serious voice,
"Marry me again, for real this time"