It's Your Turn To Cry and Beg, Dear Uncle
Chapter 47: A Chance for Redemption

Chapter 47: A Chance for Redemption

As her hand rested over his heart, she felt the temperature of his body lingering at the palm of her hand. The warmth that she was used to yet ardently longed for and the once steady heartbeats that she always hoped to disturb now erratically pounding at her touch.

"It beats for you now," he confessed.

Perhaps it wasn’t the confession that she had been waiting for with neither perfect setting nor candle light dinner or fancy dress. There weren’t flowers to symbolize their union, exploding fireworks, or an act of buying the whole place. Neither were his words the ones she had been waiting to hear.

It was just her and him, two individuals in the same bed, under the bask of sunlight.

She was nowhere near beautiful. Battered and injured in her white hospital gown, her pale complexion was her makeup and her bandages were her accessories. She was a mess at every angle, lying bare and vulnerable in his arms. Utterly and completely every girl’s nightmare to be in such a state while facing the one their heart beats for.

Yet, when his raven eyes trailed over her, it was as though she was the absence of his heart that he had arduously searched for. A fleeting shadow that he so desired to hold, to carefully trace whether it was her soft lips that continuously provoked him or her defiant blue eyes that unwaveringly challenged him.

She was a vision that tore at his impatient soul.

"You told me to admit it," he whispered as he gently nuzzled the tip of her nose. "Hence, I will deny it no more."

This shameful lust over her or the sinful deed that he was to commit. All the scorns they would be buried under, it could no longer compare to the tears she shed.

When her twinkling blue eyes met his dark ones like the night sky meeting the ocean, he could finally say with confidence that there was no one else whose lips he desired to capture or heart he longed to possess other than the girl in his arms.

She was the very presence that he wished to share the million nights and the countless mornings ahead. The only one to wake up to and the last vision before every slumber. Even when sleepless nights came to haunt, may she be the star he gazed upon instead of the forlorn sky.

"I may not be able to undo the pain I inflicted nor the heartbreaks I had caused. But, I won’t waver anymore or confuse you with my half-heartedness."

His grip on her hand tightened, yet the strength was almost too gentle to hold her back as if staying with him was optional. In the end, she was the one who held the final decision.

"I’ve ruined you but please...don’t let anyone else fix it," he pleaded as he brought her hand to his lips. "Let me be the one to compensate."

With every tenderness he bestowed upon her, her heart ached like never before, even though she thought she would never again after the pain he had condemned her into.

Yet, here she was, buckling at his every word. Her resolve gradually weakened. When she initially thought all they could ever be was becoming strangers to each other if he deigned to admit his fault at the very least, but instead, he turned around and offered her his heart.

"I’m sorry I was a coward but please, let me fix it."

Kyra continued to look at the man. Her eyes did not betray the chaos within her. Her expression was able to reign her feelings. So, she could ask him without showing signs of weakness.

"And what if..." she paused as she caught the hope in his eyes. "...what if it’s never enough? What if whatever you do could never heal the pain? That in the end, after everything you have offered, the scar remains deep?"

But, out of her expectation, the man didn’t shy away. His eyes remained on her with every bit of hope intact, not less but in fact, more. The corner of his lips curled into the sweetest smile.

"What I ask of you is another chance. Never did I mention a time limit, did I?"

As he spoke, his hand cupped her blushing cheek once again. But, instead of a desire to be intimate, she felt a tender reassurance in his touch. His every stroke gave away his feelings without any hint of restraint.

Kyra lowered her eyes. Despite the blatant confession that wavered her heart, her head remained in denial. Filled with fear and doubts, it refused to give in. Countless bad scenarios played in her head and every single one of it ending with his confession being a lie.

She thought all she ever needed was his admittance. Once he laid his feelings bare, she could even close her eyes to anything else. She would instantly melt into his arms with nothing holding her back. But, as it turned out, she was completely wrong.

The hurt didn’t just suddenly disappear nor the tears absent. It haunted her like a long slumbering nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.

In the end, all she could offer was uncertainty instead of a chance.

"I don’t know..." was all she could say.

Yet, when she lifted her eyes, expecting his disappointment and an ending to his pursuit, all she saw was his loving gaze.

"I understand..." was his response.

Then, as he leaned in, he savored her lips in the most tender way as if he was licking her wound and soothing her pain. He guided her out of confusion patiently.

"You don’t need to say anything else. It’s okay if you don’t trust me. Just by allowing me to be near and touch you is already more than enough. Anything else can wait because I’ll be the one to convince you."

Her eyes widened in shock. All of the sudden, she saw a glimpse of the man she had known all these years. The distance that had separated them in the past days and the feeling of unfamiliarity disappeared in that instance as if it was a mere illusion from the start.

The man had returned to being the person who always indulged her every wish and patiently doted on her, though in a different kind of way.

Kyra unconsciously broke into a smile. She leaned into his arms with a hint of dependence in her action. Even though she could yet offer him a solid answer, she was willing to let him try.

With her eyes closed, the girl nodded. "Okay."

James let out an amused chuckle. It really had been a long time since the girl acted spoiled towards him. At one point, when their feelings had begun to emerge and they struggled to resist it, both of them had unconsciously drifted away from each other.

And now here she was, back in his arms, and he couldn’t even begin to describe this feeling of satisfaction. As he snuggled her close, he nuzzled his nose against the top of her head.

Kyra giggled at his action. She could feel his breathing against her hair and for some reason, it felt ticklish. However, she quickly collected her thoughts and drew herself back.

She worriedly asked, "What about grandpa and grandma?"

She could care less about Cressida and Vincent since she wasn’t exactly close to them. At least far from how she was with Creighton and Jane. She could even go as far as saying that she owed the elderly couple for taking part in her growth. After all, there had been times when James was clumsy with taking care of her and times when he had to go on business trips. During those times, Jane and Creighton were the ones to accompany her. Hence, she was not heartless enough to not consider their feelings.

James smiled as he tried to mask his guilt. There was no way he could tell her that Creighton was well aware of this and had even threatened him. It would break his girl and draw unnecessary conflict.

He rather kept it for now while he dealt with it himself.

"Don’t worry," he comforted her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let me handle them. However, in the meantime, I hope you’re alright with hiding our relationship from them."

Kyra didn’t hold any suspicion because she was going to ask James to hide their relationship too in the beginning.

So, she agreed without any complaint. "It’s fine."

The delay would also give her time to enjoy this feeling with him. Just the two of them, hiding away from the eyes of the crowd, peacefully indulging each other. No judgement or anyone to answer to.

She wanted a moment to explore this relationship with him alone.

"Let’s tell them a bit later," she suggested as she hugged his waist.

"Okay. Don’t worry. When the time comes, I’ve already planned everything."

James embraced her as he stroked her hair comfortingly. He wouldn’t let her be hurt again even if it meant going against the old man.