The Billionaire's Forced Alliance

Chapter Forty Eight

Sarah began to advance towards him, holding the note in her trembling hands. "Don't--don't say things you don't mean."

She watched him sigh and shake this head. He moved towards her, meeting her halfway across the room. The tiled floor chilled his feet yet he got to her and held her waist. "I mean it."

"No, you don't..." She whispered. She remembered how he had said he didn't mean it. He was gonna do that again.

"I love you! And I meant it the first time I said it at Tiffany's."

She knew it. She knew he loved her but why did he lie then? Why did he make her feel so bad?

"Why did you lie?"

"Because I was planning how to expose Sanjeev and you were a part of the plan! What if---what if you didn't pass the test and you were just as evil as you father? I couldn't say I love you until I was sure--"

He was right. She had married him just to betray. It was a different thing that she hadn't done that, she had fallen in love with him, but he had every right to not believe her until he was sure. Was he?

"Listen, Ben, you don't need to be with me! I mean, I know myself and I'm not like my father but still, I did marry you with that agenda...and I won't force you to stay with me."

She cupped his face. "I'm so, so, grateful for whatever you've done for me, and I honestly have no words to describe how much I love and respect you, but please, please, don't force yourself to be with me..."

She watched his eyelashes descend and he looked around the room, scrutinizing every nook and corner with utmost fierceness. "First off, don't tell me what to do, you know it freaks me out! And second, I'm not forcing myself to be with you! And third, why are you living in this dump?"

So many questions and retorts made her head reel. Especially the last one. Was this room a dump? Probably, yes. But she had lived here her most life, and she had tried her best to decorate the murkiness of the space. "I've been living here for almost my entire life, and I know it's not that great but I've done whatever I can to-"

"To make it better." He smiled. "You've done that with my life, too. You've made it nothing but better." He looked around in disgust. "But I can't imagine you living here, baby. It's not designed for a human being...Sanjeev has to pay for all this!"

She nodded. "He will. But you've done nothing wrong, why should you pay? So, please, just let it be..."

"Sarah, you're not going to Abraham." It wasn't an intense tone, just a very sharp, curt response. "Are you even considering it? Are you mad?"

"I'm not considering it! I'll not go to him, I'll do whatever in my power to stop it but please, you don't have to be a part of it! I don't deserve you..." That being said, she burst into a sob.

She didn't deserve him. She still couldn't believe he had gone to such lengths to discover her innocence and save her. But prying in Abraham's matters could put him in sheer danger and she wasn't worth it. "You have to leave..."

"How many times would I have to tell you no?" He sounded irked. "I planned all this damn charade with Alex just so I don't lose you! And you're asking me to leave?"

"Even after facing betrayals, I chose to believe you, I chose to find out the truth, and now, I know the truth! I know that my heart was right in knowing you, that you were innocent! That you love me, and like my mother, you didn't betray me."

Her heart was melting, and all the barriers were falling apart, minute by minute. "Ben...yes, it's true I didn't betray you, and I do love you, I love you so much but--this marriage was forced, and you don't deserve to be tied up in a marriage without your free will."