Burn Me Right

Chapter 87

April took a deep breath. She agreed to meet him, but how will this go? Is he going to try and kidnap her again? She shook her head. She cannot let negative thoughts; she is no longer 11. She has her sister with her now. Sister or not, she is not the same April anymore.

Autumn squeezed April's shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"I have to do this for myself, to find some peace. I need closure and an apology," Liam won't get away with this without feeling guilty. She won't sit around and wait for karma to kick in. She'll make sure he gets what he deserves.

The doors swung open, and she stepped into the backyard. It was 4 PM. As it descended towards the horizon, the evening sun bathed the area in a warm glow while a gentle breeze caressed her skin. Around her, the garden came alive; lush plants and various trees swayed gracefully as if dancing to an unseen melody.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Autumn followed April to the door. April shook her head and turned around the corner.

He stood, the only man she had ever loved and been intimate with. He was pacing around in the garden. She had never seen him this nervous. Liam had always been as strong as a pillar, never crumbling, never losing his steadiness. Even when his father physically abused him, he never let her go, never let anyone touch her. That humanity was what she had fallen for, but soon, he turned into his father after she discovered his truth.

She took another step, and he abruptly turned, his expression transforming instantly. His eyes, once reflective of myriad emotions, now shimmered with unshed tears, softening as if touched by the gentle caress of happiness itself. Joy seemed to dance within his gaze, lighting up his features to suggest a profound sense of relief and joy. It was as though the air he breathed was momentarily stolen, leaving him breathless at the sight of her.

An unbidden yet entirely sincere smile spread across his face, a natural response to the sight before him. The setting sun painted her figure with a divine glow, enhancing her beauty to an ethereal level. She stood there, radiant, like a fiery blossom in twilight—vivid, luminous, and breathtaking.

She was beyond comparison to him, embodying beauty in its pure and overwhelming form. She was the light piercing through his world of shadows, the singular source of brightness in his often-dim existence. Her presence was like the vital spark igniting the engine of his life, bringing color, purpose, and direction to his every day.

When he gazed upon her, it was as if life itself coursed back into his being, reinvigorating him, offering a breath of fresh air into a life that, until now, had been suffocated by darkness.

It had been two years since he last saw her in person. He knew her whereabouts; finding her wasn't difficult, but he didn't want to pull her back into his life. He had made a promise to both himself and her that he would never cause her more pain. He didn't even realize he was gazing at her like an idiot until she cleared her throat.

He moved to embrace her, but she stepped back. Feeling wounded, he understood that she wasn't ready to be touched.

While he looked broke, she looked radiant. She is an angel, isn't she? Angels are supposed to look radiant.

He didn't know where to start. He appeared guilty and tired. April noticed it. They stood there silently for an hour, but only 10 minutes had passed. She wasn't going to make the first move.

"You look beautiful," he broke the silence, but April sat still.

"I........." He was at a loss for words.

"I am.........." His throat was closing due to the immense pressure he was under. He had to choose his words carefully if he wanted her to forgive him.

"I am sorry," he gathered the courage to say the words he had never thought he would say before.