Life Without You

Chapter 48 - Remember?

"How do I look?" Ariel asked for Rita's opinion as she slipped her sunglasses on.

"Unrecognisable," Rita gave her thumbs up.

Ariel's hair was tied in a ponytail and she wore a cap. She was clad in tight black jeans and a black sweater with a white scarf to cover her face.

"Can we go now, mum?" Andy could not wait to meet Leon at Forest Cherry Hill Park. Ariel had him disguised as well.

"I'm nervous," Ariel fidgeted with her hands.

Rita assured her, "You'll be fine. Now, go have a good time."

Ariel and Andy sat in the car and their bodyguard drove them off to the park.

———————

"Happy to see me?" Emily twirled her hair with her index finger.

Leon was still loss for words. Suddenly, she broke into a laugh, "You look so cute like that."

"Why didn't you tell me it was you on Instagram?" he asked.

"I wanted to surprise you," Emily looked at him endearingly with those same eyes that captured his heart the first time he saw her cheerleading in high school.

Leon clenched his fists in his pockets, refusing to look at her.

Looking at the skyline, she reminisced, "Remember this spot, Leon? You used to show me how to stargaze," she looked through the telescope. "You serenaded to me here with your guitar and asked me to be your girlfriend. I was so smitten that I said yes, and this was where we kissed the first time, under this cherry tree."

Leon looked up at the huge cherry tree that they were standing under. So, that was the tree from her profile picture! Now her profile name made so much sense!

"That's in the past," he said.

"But it's nice to think back of fond memories, don't you think?" she flashed her winsome dimply smile, but Leon's expression remained deadpan.

"Don't be this serious," she teased him and he averted his eyes.

"Fine, fine," Emily giggled.

"What do you want?" 

"I just want to see you," she ran her hand up to his arm.

"So you deceived me in order to see me."

"Deceived? You were the one who messaged me first! Did you know how excited I was to receive a direct message from Leon Waltz, my former sweetheart?"

"What do you really want from me?" he narrowed his eyes at her.

"You," she pointed her chin at him.

Leon expressed his disbelief, "You're married!"

"Was married," she corrected and swiped her hair from her face.

"How about your kids?"

"Oh, those..." Emily lowered her eyelids. "In Norway, with their dad."

"Sounds like you had it tough, but I've nothing to offer you, so goodbye," Leon spun his heel to walk away but she grabbed his hand.

"I'm not the only one that's having it tough."

Leon shook her hand off, but she took hold of it again, this time with both hands. "Leon, I've never stopped thinking of you. How could I when you're in the news all the time? You're in so much pain and I want to be here for you."

"Be there for me?" Leon gave a short, mirthless laugh. "You were the one who left me, remember? I pleaded with you to stay, but you said you couldn't handle my fame and the death threats from my crazy fans. I never blamed you for it, but you married someone I don't like. What makes you think you can handle being with me now?"