Falter

Chapter 26 - it's complicated

ELIZA

It's obviously hurting him talking about her and my heart aches for him, I want to touch him and cradle him to take the pain away but I stop myself. This was the reason he's been so afraid of commitment. Amelia ruined him for everyone else and maybe she was also ruined by him. I'm that type of person who will see the two sides of the story but I guess I'm not even ready to see Millie again. Not after what happened the last time because all hell might break loose and that jeopardizes everything. And I'm not sure if it's even worth it. The flash of red hair and her slender body underneath him is torture enough for me, I can't get it out of my head. Maybe this was the end of it all. He was a piece of paradise I wasn't supposed to have forever. Nothing lasts forever as the saying goes.

"Why did he do it?"

I still shake my head at this revelation. Ryan knew Millie. They had this conspiracy thing all along behind Hunter's back. Make him fall in love with her and eventually leave him dry. I didn't know what their motive was until something vile came out of Hunter's mouth.

"He envied me. He wanted my superiority. He wanted to be me, Eliza. So, when Millie, her stepsister came to London to show herself to his family, his Mom oblivious of the affair his father had, he used Millie to his advantage and manipulated her to play me. Her Mom never found out about her. But he ripped me, more like destroying my reputation, gossiping about me about things that were never true which he spread all over campus. I had to quit school. My family took over the task of clearing my name."

He rubbed both of his hands down his face, exasperated of all the things he's telling me. It's obvious he hasn't moved on from her. He's still hurt.

"So, I did a lot of background work for my parents. Just to stay away from the spotlight. Long enough for the people to forget about what happened. I focused on work I can get. Modelling and acting. I had to live all alone because I was so ashamed of what I did. Of what she did to me. I couldn't look at my parent's eyes knowing they were right all along. I d-didn't see it. I was so stupid not to see it."

I almost scoot over to him to soothe him and tell him it's going to be okay but the more I come closer, the more I put myself at stake. The more I put my heart at stake.

"She was obviously trying to get in your head, Eliza. She's been doing it to me for almost a year after we broke up. It's like I crave her voice even though I shouldn't. She's like a drug I can't stop taking even if it's destroying me..."

His voice was faint and almost a whisper.

"So, you still love her?"

I dropped the million-dollar question. The silence is so thick between us I can almost touch it in the air. He raked his fingers through his hair and exhaled deeply. He's having a hard time answering.

"No, I don't. Not anymore. She broke me. All these tiny pieces. But you..."

He reached out for my hand and just hovered his hand above, eyes searching if he could really touch me, I nod and his warm, slightly rough hands touched my hand. He squeezed it lightly.

"...I always crave your touch. All those bad thoughts disappear when I'm around you, Eliza."

I looked straight into his eyes. I wanted to know if this will take us to another level. The relationship level.

"So, does this mean we can take this..." I wave my hand back and forth in between us, "to another level?"

He withdrew his hand like he's burned but he scoots closer to me, hugging me tight, eyes still tearing up and his chest letting out breaths so ragged I can almost hear his heart pounding so hard. He stood up but he kissed the top of my head.