Between Us

Chapter 66

Alianna

I watch as Sol jokes around with Mackenzie and Jacen, my heart full. Sapphire, Jarvis, Atlas, Mackenzie and Jacen have been staying here with me, much to Sol's delight and Gab's annoyance.

Jacen, Sapphire, and Mackenzie have been taking turns sleeping next to me, ensuring I don't get caught in a downward spiral caused by social media. Though truth be told, there isn't much being shared anymore.

Max's plea worked, and people massively took down their posts. It sparked discussions about cyber bullying and the mental health of celebrities, but while that topic is on people's minds, so are we.

"Alianna," Sol calls.

I walk up to her, and she frowns as she pulls their security feed up on the TV. It shows Max walking into the building, and my eyes widen.

Gab groans and grits her teeth, "Well, well, well. If it isn't my least favorite Lim."

Sol and I stare at her wide-eyed as she calls the police and requests that Max be removed. She turns to me then, her jaw clenched, "You're not walking out of this house unless you choose to. I won't let her pressure you. You take all the time you need to make up your mind."

Sapphire walks up to me and throws her arm around me, "Agreed," she says. I lean into her, my heart overflowing.

One of the things I feared most was losing the family I gained when I married Max, but they've made it clear that they'll stick with me, no matter what.

"I'm not sure calling the police was warranted," I say carefully.

Atlas narrows his eyes at me, "Of course it was. There's no way Max would leave otherwise, and you'd cave."

We all watch as the police asks her to leave. Max walks out, and I tense, tempted to follow her. I've done my best to assess whether I should leave or stay, but I'm as confused as ever. We may have been able to get the media off my back, but that only solves one problem. There's still Crystal, and the child they're having together.

"Fucking hell," Jarvis says, pointing at the screen.

I glance at it to find Max walking back in, the Mayor by her side, and something that looks an awful lot like a pop-up tent in her arms. She seems to be chatting happily with the Mayor, who helps her set up a tent in the middle of Gab's lobby.

"Is she serious right now?" Gab asks.

Sol bursts out laughing, "Oh, come on, Babe," she says, "This is exactly the kind of thing you would do. I think it's cute."

I start to pace, my heart wavering. More than anything, I want to go to her and throw myself into her arms, but if I do that, I also need to have the courage to deal with everything that comes with it.

"Um, Ali?" Atlas says, pointing out the window.

I walk onto the balcony and stare at the helicopter approaching us, a banner attached to it. It reads;

7 days. 168 hours. Tell me you're still mine.

Jacen smiles, "I mean, you asked for a week, and she gave it to you. Can't blame the woman for showing up the second your time is up."

Sapphire joins me on the balcony and throws her arm around me, "How do you feel, Ali?"

I smile at her, "You know what? I think I'm ready to go home to my wife. Being in the midst of it made it hard to see, but the good still outweighs the bad. It always will. The first few years might be tough, but I think I can bear with it if it means spending the rest of my life with the woman of my dreams. I'm terrified, and I'm well aware it won't be easy, but it's worth it. She's worth it."

She breathes a sigh of relief and drops her head against mine, "Thank God," she says, "I don't think she'd survive losing you."

The helicopter flies back toward us, until it's hovering above the balcony. A ladder is thrown out, and my eyes widen when Max climbs down it.

"Fucking shit," Gab grunts, "She used the banner to draw us out onto the balcony. She wanted to know if you were here. Clever fucking asshole."

I smile up at the helicopter and shake my head. She promised me she'd never let me go, and she hasn't. Part of me thought she'd be relieved if I walked away, and that she might take that chance to reunite with Crystal. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Gab smiles at me and shakes her head, "Your mind is made up, huh?"

I nod, "It is."

"I'll be honest with you, Alianna. I wish you'd reconsider. My brother and I get on well now, but for some time, I had to cut him out of our lives. If I hadn't done that, he never would've learned his lesson. Your sister won't either."

"I know," I tell her, "But it's different when I choose to endure her. Maybe it's crazy, but I think I'm going to be okay, because I'm stepping back into the madness by choice."

Max jumps off the ladder and onto the balcony, pausing for a moment when she sees four of her siblings standing next to me.

"Well, shit," Sapphire and Atlas both say at the same time, but Mackenzie and Jarvis merely stare her down, both of them on either side of me.

"I'll deal with you later," Max tells her siblings as she walks toward me. I take her in, my eyes roaming over the dark circles underneath her eyes, the longing in her gaze. I'll have to go through hell to be with her, but I'm about to do it with a smile on my face.

"Alianna," she murmurs, almost as though she can't believe I'm standing in front of her, "One single week without you was enough for me to know that I cannot spend a lifetime without you by my side. My life isn't worth living if you're not in it. I fucked up, baby. I can see that now. I never should've allowed Crystal access to you, and instead of obeying Abuela's orders, I should've taken you away from home. I swear to you, I cut all ties with Crystal. I've ensured that all communication runs through Abuela, regardless of what it's about. I've put an entire team in place to assist her, and I've assigned her a full-time doctor, so you don't need to worry about your sister's health. I told her that it was a take it or leave it deal, and that whether or not I'd be in the child's life depended entirely on her. Everything related to the baby and her will go through our dedicated team. We'll handle all of this on our terms, and the only times we'll see her is when you want to. It isn't enough, and I know it isn't, but it's a start. Everything else, I know we can figure out."

She hesitates and runs a hand through her hair, "I know I'm selfish, but I can't help myself. I've loved you for as long as I can remember, Alianna, and I always will. I wish I could promise you the carefree life that I want to give you, but being with me won't be easy. What I can promise you is that I'll always put you first, and I will do everything in my power to ensure you'll never regret choosing me. So choose me, Alianna. Please come home to me."

I smile at her and brush the back of my fingers over her cheek, taking in the pure exhaustion she's exuding, "Max, I would've come home with you even if you hadn't done all that. I love you. No matter what. I'm sorry I lost sight of that. I allowed my self doubt and insecurities to swallow me whole, and I struggled to see through the darkness. It won't happen again. I choose you, Max. I will always choose you, even if it isn't an easy choice to make. Just a few days without you have shown me that I'd rather suffer with you than live a life without you."

She cups my face and drops her forehead to mine, "I won't let you suffer," she tells me, "Being with me won't come at a price, I promise. It might be hard to believe right now, but trust me when I tell you that everything is going to be okay."

I nod, "I do," I tell her, "I do trust you."

"Then let me take you home."

I nod, and she grins at me with such relief in her eyes that my heart skips a beat. I always wanted my own fairytale happily ever after, but maybe that doesn't exist. Maybe true love is just two imperfect people choosing each other despite the obstacles they'll face together, and deciding that it's worth it.

Because it is.

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Few more chapters to finish hehe