Breathe
by;michimichiro
Chapter 25
As Eli walked away, I watched from the shadows, my heart pounding at just the sight of her. God, she was even more gorgeous than I remembered—those soulful eyes. After all these years, she could still take my breath away in an instant.
I had sworn up and down that I was over her and that leaving Eli behind was for the best. But the truth was, I never really found closure when she vanished from my life all those years ago. One day, she was just gone without a word. Part of me had been dying to see her again, to understand why she gave up on us when I was ready to fight for her.
When she finally emerged and headed for the parking garage, I stuck to her like a shadow, tailing her at a discreet distance. I felt silly being so covert, but I needed to know where she went first before revealing myself.
My heart sank as I recognised the route—the old neighbourhood where we used to be together back when she was just my secretary. Sure enough, Eli pulled up to her old, run-down apartment building. I parked down the block, hands shaking on the steering wheel as I watched her go inside. Why on earth would someone of her stature still live in a place like this?
Gritting my teeth, I mustered every ounce of courage and marched up to the building's entrance. With a trembling finger, I hit the buzzer for her apartment. Eli's voice crackled through the static, sending shivers down my spine.
"Hello?"
My mouth went dry. I struggled to find my voice. "H-hey Eli...it's me. Zia."
A heavy silence fell. For a torturous moment, I thought she might reject me outright. Then finally, in a soft voice like that of a child, she responded. "Zia? Oh my god..."
The door buzzed, and I pulled it open, my heart hammering as I climbed the familiar, worn stairs to her apartment. Reaching her door, I found it cracked open already. Holding my breath, I pushed it wide.
And there she was. Eli. Looking even more beautiful. We locked eyes, and I felt like I might pass out right there. This was happening.
"Why are you here?" she breathed, those dark eyes drinking me in hungrily.
I opened my mouth, but no words came. All I could do was give her a silent response. Then, in three strides, she crossed the room and pulled me into a bone-crushing embrace. I melted into her arms, breathing in her warmth and intoxicating floral scent. This was my haven. This was home.
We clung together desperately, making up for all the years we had spent apart. I stroked her satiny hair, amazed that she felt the same as I remembered. When we finally parted, she cradled my face in those soft hands, her dark eyes overflowing with tears.
"Why...why are you here?" she asked again in a tremulous voice.
Looking into those deep pools, I was overwhelmed by the swirl of emotions inside me. Anger, regret, excitement, and an undercurrent of enduring love all welled up at once. "I... I had to see you again." My throat grew tight as I forced out the question that had haunted me for years. "I need to know why you left me without a word all those years ago. Why did you give up on us so easily when I was about to fight for us?"
Eli's face crumpled, and she pulled me close again, tucking her face against my neck. "I'm so sorry," she whispered in a choked voice. "Leaving you was the hardest thing I've ever done. You have to know, I thought about you every single day."
She drew a shuddering breath against my skin. "When I heard what Oli and Zyke did to Clint, I knew that your family would do everything to keep you away from me, and I didn't want to put you in a situation where you needed to choose between me and your family. So I decided to leave and strive hard, hoping that one day your family would accept me, but I guess that day wouldn't happen anymore."
A lump formed in my throat as everything suddenly made sense. All those years of thinking that Eli had simply stopped loving me. In reality, she made the hardest decision of her life.
I squeezed her fiercely, tears streaming down my cheeks. "You tried to reconnect with me after that?" I asked in a small voice.
Eli pulled back, her eyes shining with regret. She cupped my cheek gently. "Of course I did. I asked anyone for you and tried to contact you several times, but your number was disconnected and you just... vanished from society." Her brow furrowed, and she searched my face. "I am so sorry for leaving you just like that. I hope you can forgive me."
At that moment, staring into her deep pools of love and longing, I knew there was nothing to forgive. We were just two people who got swallowed up by forces beyond our control. Without a second thought, I leant in and kissed her—deep, passionate, and utterly consuming. I poured every ounce of forgiveness and pent-up longing into that soulful embrace.
When we finally parted, I brushed my tear-stained cheek against hers and managed a smile. "Of course I forgive you. I never stopped loving you, Eli; after all this time, you still owned my heart."
She let out a long, shuttering sigh and hugged me tightly again. "God, I know this is not right, but I missed you so much, Z. I don't know how to start my life again now after knowing that you and Clint are soon-to-be parents."
"Why have you stayed in this place?" I asked softly, trying to change the topic. "With all your success, you could afford a villa now."
She leant back, gazing around the humble space with unmistakable fondness. "Because this was our first little home together, Zia, when you don't want to stay in your place. My happiest place was when I had nothing but you." Her dark eyes shone with tenderness. "Sure, it's a shithole. But this is where we fell in love." She brushed some hair from my face, smiling that brilliant smile. "I could never bring myself to leave it behind."
My heart felt like it might burst at that moment. Of course, this run-down place contained so many memories, good and bad—this was the hallowed ground where we built a life together for a short period.
Taking her hand in both of mine, I squeezed it tightly and gazed into Eli's endless eyes. "I don't know if we will be able to see each other again, and I want you to know that I'm so proud of your success, Eli, and I hope you continue to live your life even if I'm not part of it."
She pulled me, kissing me on my forehead.
"I love you, Zia. More than anything in this world," she said.
Those words I had longed to hear for so many years finally washed over me like a soothing balm.
I stroked her silken cheek reverently. "I love you too, Eli. Not a single day will I stop loving you." A sad smile curled my lips as I finally, truly let go of the past.
The road ahead will surely have its challenges, and I know that Eli and I will conquer it no matter how hard it may take. It's so sad to know that our love story may end like this, but part of me still believes that Eli and I will see each other again someday when the time is right. But for now, I'll just let the universe play our lives separately.
