"Soph!" I heard a voice call out my name; a voice I still could be able to recognize even when woken up from a deep sleep.
Turning swiftly towards the direction of the voice and trying to make out the approaching figure, my gaze finally rested on him; my knight in shining armor.
"Marcus…" I whispered, crashing into his already open, warm embrace, as his arms immediately wrapped tightly against my body.
"I'm here now, baby. Everything is alright." Indeed it was, as I found myself feeling more relaxed than I had been since this entire ordeal started.
"How are you feeling, my love? Does any part of you hurt? Are you injured anywhere? Do you feel pains at all?" He asked, all in one breath, not sparing me a chance to even give an appropriate response. All I did was to shake my head from side to side; my own way of saying that I was fine.
"You're hungry, aren't you?" He asked an obvious question he knew if I said no to simply meant everything was not fine, though I didn't think much about it as I, indeed, was hungry.
"Yeah." I said with a nod. I am not sure about how funny my reaction was but his face suddenly burst into a wide smile as he cupped my cheeks in his palms.
"You want to go to that cafe?" He asked, making extra sure to place enough emphasis on the "that" so I don't question which cafe he was talking about. We had been there a couple of times since we both got settled into our respective jobs, and we tried to keep our visitations as few as possible so as not to outgrow the love we had for the place.
Due to the fact that my face was still in his hand, I just gave a half nod as he kissed my forehead, letting go of my face and grabbing my hand as he led us towards the bus stop.
**********************************************************************************
"What exactly are you saying Sophia?" He asked and I knew he was already inches away from exploding with anger, as he never calls me by my full name except so. His reaction wasn't far from expected as I had, after all, just told him I was in the middle of an arranged marriage drama.
"Marcus- I-"
"No, make me understand exactly what you mean by your parents wanting you to get married to another guy." His face was stern and his eyebrows were drawn closer together. Angry lines were visible on his forehead but despite it all, his tone was low and calm, probably conscious about us being in public and not willing to cause an embarrassing scene for either of us.
"That's-"
"We are f*cling engaged for goodness' sakes, Sophia!! Engaged to be f*cking married and you bring this bullsh*t to me?" His pitch was getting a little higher with each word, as he hit his clenched fist on the table, biting hard on his lower lips.
"I love you, Marcus. I really actually do." Was all I could think to say. I wanted to say more, but there was nothing more meaningful to say to him; nothing logical enough.
"Then why are you f*cking doing this? Why are you even considering this? Do you no longer want me or what?"
"How can you even say that, Marcus?" For some unexplained reason, I, too was also getting angry. I know I shouldn't be but I found myself boiling with rage over the fact that he didn't believe I even love him; stupid right?
"Why can't I say that when you even dressed up extra nice… for him!!" He half yelled, gesturing at my outfit. It should have felt like an harmless compliment on how nice I looked but instead I felt guilt; anger and rage had suddenly matured into guilt.
"What am I to think when my fiancée, who adamantly refuses to admit she is considering the proposal of a billionaire, shows up at the house of her new betrothed dressed up beautifully. Were you trying to make him fall in love with you?"
"C'mon Marcus, you know that's not true." Now, he's just being absolutely ridiculous, causing me to let out some short uncomfortable laughs. Was I uncomfortable because he was right about me wanting him (Damien) to somehow fall in love with me?
"Oh! Isn't it?" He raised his eyebrows sarcastically at me, "Then please tell me what's true and what are lies because I'm not just confused about it all, I feel isolated and alone."
"It's you I want." I whispered, hoping this empty, dry reassurance would suffice.
"But you have to do what your parents demand from you because of-" he paused, looking over to me to summon the guts to finish up the statement , but when I didn't, "financial issues?" he added.
There was a long moment of suffocating silence and although the cafe bubbled with excitement and noise, I could only hear my own racing heart.
"Babe, we can pay back this debt together. I will take an extra job and work really hard to pay it all off no matter how long it takes." He suddenly said, reaching for my hand and holding it firmly in his.
"Marc…"
"I'm really serious, babe. I can do it. All I just want in return is for you to stay with me till the end of my days, please."
"Staying with you has been the only thing on my mind as well, please believe me." I whispered back, trying to force a smile but without success.
"Has been? Marrying me has now become something of your past? Just another random memory?" He asked in a teary voice.
"You know what I mean-"
"Just tell me one thing, Soph. Are you really going to marry that guy?"
"Honestly, I don't know." I finally said after a long, deep sigh. If I'm being honest, I still wasn't ready for this conversation; at least not yet.
"I know what that 'I don't know' is a response shifted more towards the I will marry him rather than the I will never marry him."
"You think I have not offered to clear my father's debt myself?" I half yelled, "I actually have but guess what? I couldn't sign off the payment because my dad is clearly alive and fit. He needed to sign papers that certified his debt paid in full but my father is refusing to oblige with that. He is still insistent on what he wants."
"Then let's run together. We'd get married by the beach and exchange our vows to just each other. We will be happy. I know we will." His tone was so convincing that for a moment, I found myself considering it.
"As enticing as thoughts of eloping with you is, I can't do that as well?" I said softly, turning my face towards the window and slowly snatching my hand from his grip.
"Why not?" His voice was laced with worry and I could feel his intense gaze on me, but still I continued keeping my eyes away from him, afraid that I might make a regrettable decision if I looked at him.
"My parents have threatened to kill themselves if I disappear without a trace any day before the wedding."
"So? Those are just empty threats, Sophia. We both know your old folks still love waking up every morning of every single day. The possibility of them taking their own life is one in a million."
"Are you seriously asking me to take a chance on my own parents' lives? I should gamble with the one in a million chance you're giving me?" I fired back, staring at him with anger emitting from my eyes.
"Don't paint me to be the bad guy here, Sophia. You and I know that I'm not the bad guy here so please don't make me into one."
"I'm not making you out into one. It's just that-" My voice was lowered, and the anger had also disappeared. I understood him and because of that singular reason, I couldn't bring myself to stay angry at him.
"You love your parents and you can't say no to their request. I get it though, I really do."
"Marcus!"
"Just finish up with your drink and I'll drop you home. I want to stay outside for a little while."
"Marcus!" I whispered even louder, as I heard his heart shattering.
"I'm fine, honestly. I just need some air and a few minutes alone. Finish up with your meal and we'd head back to your house." He forced a smile to curve on his face, but I know, as much as he knew, that that smile was in no way genuine. He was deeply hurt and felt betrayed by me, and honestly speaking, I don't know if I would be able to handle things as quietly as he was.
Maybe this was just one of the many reasons why I couldn't help but love him the more, even in this chaotic situation I have found myself in. Staring down at the food he spent his money to buy, I suddenly felt nauseous but I knew I had to eat every last crumb before me because I hated wasting money just as much as I hated wasting food.
As I took a bite off the spoon in my firm grip, my eyes suddenly wandered towards the window, catching a glimpse of Marcus staring up at the night sky. It seemed as though he was in search of some sort of answer from whoever was above; yeah, he believed in such things as well.
After some unaccountable minutes of staring admirably at the 5"11' man I was blessed with, momentarily forgetting about the food in front of me, he turned around swiftly, catching my intense gaze and his face gradually curved into a smile that surprisingly felt genuine.
"W-why is he smiling g-genuinely… at us?" A voice in my head stuttered, causing my heart to race faster than it did even while I was with Damien.
F*ck!! I shouldn't be comparing that monster with my angel of a man. His stupid ass name shouldn't even come to my mind or lips. Get a grip Sophia Richardson!!
Unaware of the turmoil in my head, he waved at me, his smile growing wider as the crescent moon and bright street lights magnified the beautiful features of his face. He soon turned away and walked back into the cafe, taking a seat right opposite me and looking gently at me.
Reaching for my hands and freeing them from gripping the spoon and drink, he held them lovingly, caressing them with his fingers for a few seconds before taking each of them to his lips and giving them each a long deep kiss.
When he was done, he stared right at me with a smile, "I love you so much, Sophia," he whispered. "I was just scared of loosing you and that was why I made some unguided remarks but I know now that they were wrong. I shouldn't be another battle for you to win against, but your partner in the battle field fighting against all our enemies… together."
"Babe…"
"I trust you and will support you through whatever. I ain't leaving cuz I promised you forever. We are going to be fine."
Nine out of ten moments with Marcus leaves me feeling as though I had single-handedly saved a whole nation of old people and children in my past life to be rewarded specially by the heaven's best product. Yeah, he was perfect and I hope you can see it too.