"Yeah, I was expecting you to fight for me, but you never did. You stood with them. You believed them."
His heart clenched at her words. She was saying the truth. He never supported her. He was listening to Daniella and his family's accusations that he couldn't defend her. It had been a mistake. A mistake he was willing to fix.
"I didn't have full control of my emotions at that moment. Not that I wanted you to leave," he replied.
She frowned, crossing her arms. "How do you expect me to believe that?"
Desmond took a deep breath and replied. "Your belongings are still intact. Everything you didn’t take, it’s all still there. I never touched a single thing. I'm still with your card, and I never touched the money in it." He exhaled deeply. "I still wear our ring. Because in my heart… we are still married."
Anabel blinked, surprised that he still kept all her personal belongings.
Desmond continued. "Legally? Sure, we signed the papers. But in my heart? That never changed." Anabel sat there, silent. She wasn't expecting to hear all these from her.
"Our wedding photo is still in my house. Your pictures...our pictures...they are still in my office." He said, and she felt his words chipped away at something inside her, something she had worked so hard to keep buried. The pain of their past. She could feel her heart melting slowly. She could see Desmond looking attractive to her again.
Desmond reached for her hand and lightly brushed his finger against hers. "Forget Sylvester. I'm here for you. I will cherish and take good care of you more than I have ever done." He said, And Anabel looked up at him, and her eyes locked onto his.
"Please, give me a second chance. Let's try this again." He begged. Anabel's lips parted slightly, but no words came.
"You are the only person I love," Desmond continued. "I cannot give another woman the love I have for you. Let me into your life again, and I won't disappoint you. I love you, Anabel."
Anabel’s heartbeat thundered in her chest at his words. For the first time in a long while, she felt everything again.
And this time... she wasn’t sure if she could ignore it. Her heart, once cold and guarded, melted completely under the intensity of his gaze. It was overwhelming, consuming, like a warmth she hadn’t felt in years.
Desmond now looked more attractive than ever. Not because of his features, but because of the raw honesty in his expression, the way he held nothing back, the way he was there in front of her, offering her something she thought she had lost.
While he was still speaking, Anabel felt an impulse. She felt a pull so strong she couldn’t resist it. As Desmond was still talking, she suddenly leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.
Desmond froze instantly. For a moment, the world around them paused. Desmond didn't see that coming. She just kissed him on the lips, and it felt amazing.
Anabel pulled back almost immediately, as if she had just made a mistake. She hadn’t planned it. She didn't think about it. It had just happened.
When Desmond looked into her eyes, all he could see was love. Without hesitation, he leaned forward, cupping her face gently, and kissed her back. Anabel responded immediately by parting her lips for him. This time, it wasn’t a brief one. This time, it was a passionate one. The kind of kiss that held unspoken words, months of longing, regret, love... everything.
And in that moment, neither of them needed explanations. Because that single kiss had said it all.