Arabel's POV
Following my gut is the best thing I can do to reach a decision.
I must decide whether to follow my heart's desires or not. For years, I have tried. I have tried to find other men attractive, but none have ever gotten my heart racing the way Richard does.
I have tried to despise the man I bore a child for, but nothing has worked. Even though I harbored intense anger towards him for abandoning me, my love for him surpasses even life itself.
The words he spewed at me that day, after announcing the divorce, began to ring in my ears.
“Remember the agreement we had? Now that Eve is back, we should get a divorce so I can marry her.”
The agreement!
I thought he was talking about how he told me he still loved Eve. I never recalled him mentioning that our marriage was going to be temporary.
I misunderstood him.
My overexcitement made me overthink his words that day.
And my refusal to feel bad about him having a girlfriend while we are getting married.
How could I have thought he was talking about how he was willing to let go of his love for her because of our vows?
It makes me feel deep regret.
Perhaps I could have changed the course of events. Perhaps that would have prompted me to tell him I meant my vows. I am so sure I wouldn't have gone ahead with the marriage if I knew and understood what he meant about keeping our marriage temporary.
“Bella?” His deep voice breaks into my thoughts. When his hands touch me again, they send flutters through me. “What did she say? Did she say anything against me? Is she trying to convince you not to give me a chance? Did she feed you lies about me?”
I shake my head slowly, a smile making its way to my face as I start to see him in a different light.
He made a promise to marry another woman, but ended up marrying someone else. If I were in Eve's shoes and he promised to marry me, how would I feel?
Heartbroken. Sad. Used.
Despite being in love with another woman and married to a woman he didn't love, he kept his promise to his mother, because he wanted to make her happy.
“Arabel, whatever she told you is a lie.”
“Her confession about how she met with you at our wedding to remind you of your promise to her is nothing but lies?” I reply with a tone of sarcasm.
This morning, Eve gave me a call from prison.
I initially thought she was calling so she could plead with me to help get released on bail. But her true intention was to disclose to me what part she played on our wedding day which caused our marriage to fail.
His gaze consumed mine, sending warmth through my veins.
“What do you mean?”
“She came to the wedding, didn't she?” I asked, dabbing my eyes with a hankie to dry off the rest of my tears. I promised not to cry because of Richard again, but I can't remember how many times I have cried—not because I needed him but because I missed him so badly.
I miss not having those romantic moments with him.
Reluctantly, he replies. “She did.”
“And she threatened to ruin you if you didn't stick to your promise, didn't she?” I demands again, this time watching him nod with reluctance, making me wonder why he allowed that.
“She told me everything and apologized,” I finalized. “Richard, sit. Let's talk.”
Hurriedly, he stands up and sits back on the chair opposite me, grabbing hold of the diamond necklace.
“Arabel? Whatever she told you doesn't matter. Do you still love me? Would you like to be my girlfriend? I promise I won't ruin this chance. Just give me another chance.”
“Are you doing this because I am pregnant?” My pulse pounds as I ask him the one question that has been repeating itself in my mind since we got here.
Without hesitation, he shakes his head and mutters. “Of course not.” His hand reaches for mine on the table. “Whether you are with my child or not, I have always planned to do this. Apologize to you in the right way. And ask you to be mine again.”
To avoid spilling the tears behind my eyes again, I turn my gaze away. “I can't marry you again, Richard. How do I tell people that I remarried my ex-husband? I am not even sure how to tell people about my pregnancy. I'm not sure I am ready for this…”
Pain ravages his face.
“I'm asking you to be my girlfriend, Arabel. Let's start from somewhere. We don't need to be married if you don't want to. I just want to be with you. One last chance is all I am asking for,” he pleads with a sincere tone. “Just tell me what I need to do, and I will do it. Just say the word.”
I let out a deep sigh.
Whether I like it or not, my heart will always beat for this man. I already see him in a new light—not the Richard who divorced me without mercy, but a man who took his vows to heart and stuck to them.
Even though I am scared, I know all I need to do is let fate take its course and do what I want with faith.
What I want is to be with him, too. The man I love.
Being pregnant doesn't change anything. If I don't want to be with him, I won't. But I want it just as much as he does.
“One last chance, Richard. If you fuck this up, I will be gone forever!” I threaten as his shoulders sag with relief, and he sweeps me up into his arms.
I let him hug me, a smile creeping into my face. Just then, I feel something wet touching my back.
Quickly, I pull away to see him in tears. He tries to wipe it off, but I stop him and do that myself, unable to stop my own tears.
“I lost you once, and I won't lose you again. I will do all it takes to make you glad that you gave me another chance. I love you, Arabel, and I will always do so,” he confesses without letting go of my hands.
My tears flow freely, and I am tempted to tell him how much I love him, too.
I don't get a chance because he stands up and leans forward until his lips touch mine, his touch seeping into every molecule of my body.
And I kiss him back.
With the same vigor.