“I’m going to be honest with you. I can’t tell you everything right now and I’m sorry for proposing to you out of the blue like this and for rushing our wedding,” Reiner apologized passionately.
I was shocked to say the least; however, I could tell that he was trying his best to be honest with me which I truly appreciated. I didn’t know how else to respond because I was so tongue tied so I just nodded my head firmly to show him that I understood. It wasn’t anything new to me that Reiner couldn’t tell me everything. Usually, he never told me anything. Compared to that, he was trying his best to tell me quite a lot now.
“I promise that one day soon, I’ll tell you everything that you need to know, but for now, please just trust me,” he said, and it sounded almost like a plead.
“Sure…” I replied without hesitation.
I trusted him. I always have. It was that simple and he didn’t even need to ask.
Reiner smiled a little at me as if he was very relieved that I understood. I stared up at his face as I waited for him to continue with that he wanted to say. His hands let go of mine but before I could wonder what he wanted to do; his large hand cupped the side of my face. The warmth of his hand seeped into my cooler skin, and I smiled blissfully up at him.
“I love you, Natalia…” Reiner said in the most tender and loving voice I have ever heard in my life.
My eyes widened at his blunt yet overwhelmingly touching confession of love. I had never dreamt that I would get to hear those words from his lips along with the sweet way that he said my name. My heart skipped a few beats before all I could hear was its loud thumping in my ears.
Am I going to faint?
Reiner just told me that he loves me. I can die a happy and complete woman now.
Stunned and extremely amazed by his words, the way he said them, and how his captivating blue eyes were holding mine, my body froze in place, and I was utterly speechless.
“Listen, I won’t lie to you and say that I married you purely out of love. I have my own selfish reasons for marrying you too, but I want you to remember that no matter what other people say or tell you, I love you. I really love you,” Reiner said as he seemed to emphasize every word.
I wasn’t sure what he was so worried about, and I didn’t particularly care. For me, it was more than enough that he loves me. In the society that I came from, people get married for many reasons and few had the opportunity to marry for love. Compared to the business-related marriages of convenience, I was already more fortunate to get the opportunity to marry a man that loves me. Of course, I am deeply in love with him too.
“I’ll protect you. I promise. After you marry me, you will also have the protection of my family and the company and all the staff that we employ. They will safeguard you with their lives. No one will ever hurt you again…” Reiner said determinedly before his strong arms pulled me into a tight hug.
My body shook as I started crying and my sobs wrecked my body. Reiner hugged me to him and stroked my hair comfortingly as my body trembled in his warm embrace.
“Stop crying like a baby. I can’t promise you that your life with me will be easy. You can’t go back to the life that you’re used to anymore, and one day, you may come to regret that…” Reiner said solemnly.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll have a brand-new life with you instead…” I said as I lifted my face off his chest to stare up at him.
I quickly found out that having him go first was the wrong move. After what he had said, how am I supposed to find the words to beat that? Suddenly, I felt the pressure more than before. It was too late to go back to change the past now and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to. Just like Reiner, I decided to be honest.
“Thank you. Honestly, I’m too happy to speak properly…and I feel so nervous and shy. I trust you. I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell me everything. I love you so much…so…” I said before my voice cracked and I had to stop to collect myself.
It was so difficult. So many emotions swirled in my head and my heart. My chest felt tight, and I was still sobbing. I could hardly find the right words and my voice quivered and cracked from my sobs. I hated how I sounded, and it was not romantic at all. Trying to hide my tear-stained face, I looked away and wiped at my eyes with my fingertips. I felt like such a disgrace. Why can’t I just do this right?
I could feel Reiner’s eyes on me and sense his worry. He was always worrying about me, and I was always a burden to him. Would it be like this our whole lives together? No, I didn’t want that. I have to become stronger…for him, for me and also for us. I sucked in a few deep breaths to steady myself and cleared my mind.
I can do this. I can do this…
“Please let me start again…” I said after I found my voice again.
“Sure, we have the whole night so there’s really no rush…” Reiner said with a hint of teasing.
I reached out for his hands and held them in mine as I stared up at his charming face. My lips curved into a loving smile and suddenly I knew what I wanted to say so clearly that it shocked me.
“I’m happy to have you and I’m happy that you want me. I’m so lucky that I found you despite everything that we’ve been through. I love you so much already and I’ll probably continue to love you even more. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Stay with me. Bake me cakes, paint my nails, take baths with me, and hold me tight at night. I’ll keep you mine forever… is that ok?” I said with surprising ease before I smiled up brightly at him.
–To be continued…