Make sure to read the previous part of this chapter chapter, before reading this one. :) I split it into two, because it was too long.
"What's that in your hand?" I ask, trying to guess what the red colored DIY box contains.
"A box." He replies, looking everywhere, except my eyes.
I reach out to his hand with the box, but he moves it away, making me fall on him. He loses balance, and falls from the couch, bringing me along with him to the floor. He's lying with his back on the floor, and I'm on top of him. I raise up to try and grab the box from him but he brings my hands together with just one of his, and arrests them behind my body.
"It's quite the view from here, Elizabeth." He smirks, eyeing my chest and I realize that I'm clothed in nothing but his t-shirt. My cheeks warm and I look away shyly even though he's seen me naked, many times.
"Pervert!" I scold, trying to relieve my hands from his grip.
"Only for you, Elizabeth." He gives me his lopsided grin before getting us both up from the floor and sits on the couch. When I'm about to sit next to him, he pulls me to his lap. I loop my hand around his neck, and use the other one to touch his two days old stubble.
"I love you more than anyone ever could, you know that right?" He asks as he draws circles on my bare thighs with thumb.
"I do, baby." I assure him. He's away a lot, for his movie shootings. But, he never fails to text me at least once a day. I do the same whenever I'm out for publishing, and promoting my books.
"To the outer world, I'm just some actor that has fans because of good looks and skills. The paparazzi are always behind me because I am a film star with mysterious persona. I even have fans who wish I'd break up with you. Once my popularity goes down, they'll forget me. All I have is you, the only constant in my life."
He pauses to tuck my hair behind my ear, and then continues.
"No one out there knows this man who's day isn't complete without hearing his woman say that she loves him. They don't know the real me who's past is f*cked up, and that I couldn't have raised from it all without you leading me though life, since we were eleven." He entwines our fingers and looks at me as though I'm the only woman on this planet.
"Some say that I'm cheating on you. They thought rumors could break us. Even I thought in the beginning that you would leave me for someone who can give you a drama-free relationship. But, you proved them all wrong, by being with me through everything. They don't know the me who is irrationally jealous of the characters of your book because they're better than me." I chuckle. He absolutely despises all my male characters, especially Jeremy.
"When we were kids, you asked me what made me happy. I didn't have an answer because I wasn't happy. Now I can tell you confidently, babe. You make me happy. You make me whole, you make me a person. Without you, I'll be nothing more than a body."
I realize that I've been crying only when he wipes away my tears. I want to tell him something equivalent to his words, but I'm tongue-tied. I'm here speechless, as my man tells me about the extent he loves me to.
"I love you, Elizabeth Whitmore. I'll love you till my last breath." He adds, his love for me oozing out in the form of tears.
"I love you, Maxwell Reynolds. I love you so much, and I will always love you." I bend down and kiss his forehead before wiping off his tears. He places me on the couch before kneeling on one knee, in front of me. He takes my hands in his, and smiles confidently.
"I don't being called your boyfriend, anymore because I know I'm not just that silly title to you. We complement each other, and already live like a married couple. I want to fall asleep next to you, and wake you up with a kiss and breakfast, for our entire lives. Youv'e given me a lot without being asked for. Now, I'm asking you one big thing. Will you give me the honor of being called your husband?"
"The honor is mine, dorky boy." I say throwing my arms around him, burying my face in his neck.
"I'm not a boy. I'm a man, and I guess I showed you enough of that last night." He makes sexual jokes as though we weren't crying like babies just a minute ago. He's the perfect man for me.
"Yes, you did show me your manliness last night. But, to me you're always the dorky boy to whom I gave a black eye." I say, reminding him of the first time we met. He kisses my neck, making me smile wider.
"Oh, and this is my gift to you for our engagement." He says, giving me the box. Finally, I get to have the box.
"I didn't want to defile you by giving you jewelry, you're more than that. This box contains letters I have been writing to you on various occasions since we were kids. Yesterday, I wrote in pieces of paper, everything I remember about each letter, and stapled them together." My heart melts at how thoughtful he is. I eagerly open the box, but he stops me. I look at him with confusion.
"Not now, Elizabeth. I want you to read them when you're in the worst times and I'm not there with you to kiss your pain away."
Yes! I have to read them, now. I slip his wedding ring into my finger, along with mine. I open the the cupboard and pull out all the clothes, in search of the box. When I find it, I hug it against my chest and cry his name out in the hope that he would come and comfort me. The heartless man still doesn't come back, even after hearing my pathetic sobs for his love.
His words keep echoing in my ears as I hug the box tighter. "I want you to read them when you're in the worst times and I'm not there with you to kiss your pain away." I'm going to read them. At least, he didn't leave me alone. He left me with fragments of him which I would treasure in my grieving heart.
A/N: How was this chapter? What do you think of Max, now?
Don't forget to leave your valuable votes, and comments.
Have a great day!
-Y
