Pieces of Your Love

18- Painful Memories

Still unable to decipher what she was trying to say, he tried asking more about it. "What do you mean?" Happiness? Isn't she happy in her rich and luxurious life with her father as an earl?

"Aren't you happy in your life previously, as Payton's daughter?" He asked, walking closer to her to get every bit of information about it. Not wanting to miss a single word.

With that, Emily gave him a hollow laugh. "I see, you still don't understand me...forgive me for giving such a vague answer. It's true that I have everything in what a lady want. Richness, beauty though I never actually think I am, and most of all, rank." She continued.

"Though I didn't deny the fact that I like a little of my life if I compare myself with the beggars on the streets but one thing for sure is, I felt like a bird being place in a golden cage. I have to obey whatever my father's wish and be a good daughter. To make him have some pride in me, having me as his daughter." She said while holding back her tears and clenching her fists tightly. Darren quietly observed her and listen to her attentively.

"Though he does love me, but most of the time, my face reminds him of my mother. Sometimes, he does blame me for the death of my mother. She died trying to give birth to me...Thus, when I thought about his words, I hated myself for it. To be born in this world. " She lowered her head and muttering some self loathing words.

Darren was going to open his mouth to comfort her but she raise her hand to ask him to let her continue. "But all that changes when I met Henry. He was all I ever wanted. Needed." She corrected herself. Hearing her confessing that make his heart was like being stabbed by a hundred shards. Even worst when he got attack by the frenchmen, bruise and bloodied. Although the man is no longer in this world, hearing her said that proved that she really still do love him. Her fidelity towards Henry can be seen through her eyes. Her eyes says it all what can't be express through words.

"He taught me how one's life isn't about meeting everyone's expectation but to love yourself and follow your heart. As you can see, living with my father for a long time make me feel like I need to please everyone and not myself. But Henry.." Her eyes wander dreamily like she was remembering those days when she was with Henry

"He care for me and love me. He even place myself above anything else, including defying my father's command to stay away from me. That's when I ran away with him to this little town where no one will find us. We stayed there for a few days before going to Gretna Green. To get married legally." She started to close the distance between her palm and her face. Wanting to hide her tears and sorrow while telling her story to Darren. She really hate crying but this was all too much for her to take it anymore. For years she had been keeping quiet about it.

"Sadly, he died being stabbed by some stranger during our quiet wedding." Emily continue sobbing when Darren start to move swiftly to her side and brush her back to console her.

"I'm sorry." He kissed her soft hazel colored hair. "I'm sorry for asking you to tell me about your dead husband. I didn't mean you any harm." He whispered to her ears while hugging her. She stood there stiffly and later relaxed a little. The tension she was feeling just before slowly dissolving into nothing. She felt some reassurance with Darren and that shock her more than ever at the revelation. Usually she would felt nothing but tried her best to push him away. What is going on with her?

Slowly , she applied a little pressure on his chest to push him a bit to look at him in the eyes. His captivating grey eyes were truly magnificent to look at. She had to look up at him as her height only reaches his lips. She stare at his lips and before she knew it, his lips descended to hers.

Emily didn't response immediately as she felt it was rather unimaginable to have his kiss. Though he did it when he broke into her house, she didn't really know his depth of his love towards her at that time. One reason for her action last time was because her brain was shut down for anything about love. Not even a tiniest hole to allow anyone to touch her heart.