Past Mistakes
Chapter Twenty Two
“Love is not an equation, it is not a contract, and it is not a happy ending. Love is the slate under the chalk, the ground that buildings rise, and the oxygen in the air. It is the place you come back to, no matter where your headed” – Jodi Picoult
Oh my God! I couldn’t believe what I saw. A very beautiful shimmering diamond ring!
Is this for me?
I’ve never seen such stunning diamond as this one, that gleamed brightly in the sunlight.
“This is so beautiful.” I looked at Ares and he gave me a smile that sent my pulses racing.
“Just like you.” He answered and took the ring out my fingers cleaning it with the bottom edge of his shirt. Then he held my hand with cold trembling fingers.
“Rachel… we started everything so wrong. From our first meeting…”
“Our first meeting?”
“You’re not doing well hiding behind the curtain. I saw you.” He chuckled.
I felt my face burned with embarrassment. He saw me? Darn.
“Our first k!ss was so bad either, I was drunk, and our marriage was a nightmare.”
“You’re right.”
My love story with Ares was really bad and something that I was not proud of telling anyone. Everytime I thought of it, it made me cringed. I wished it was like in a fairy tale movie.
“I want to make everything right between us. I want to make up for the things I’ve done wrong to you. We can start all over again.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you, Rachel. So much.”
I was tongue-tied. I wondered if I was dreaming. Did I hear him right? Did he just said that he loves me?
“You love me?” I asked him.
“Yeah. I’m not a sucker of love, but I guess I fell in love with you at first sight.” He reached out a hand and smoothed my hair.
I was confused. He fell in love with me at first sight?
“You did? At the breakfast nook with your grandfather?”
“No. I saw you a year before that. It was summer and you went to the mansion to talk to your father. You were at the rose garden waiting for him, swinging on a swing.”
“You saw me there?” I remembered that time. It was my seventeenth birthday and dad made me wait for him.
He nodded. “I was behind the tree staring at you. I couldn’t help it. You look like an angel sitting there with your hair flying and your skin glowing. So beautiful that I was mesmerized. I was waiting for your next visit, but you never did.
“Oh.” Was all I managed to say.
I was surprised when he suddenly knelt down with one bent knee and still holding my hand. Then he put the diamond ring in front of me.
“Rachel, I love you so much and I need you in my life. Please come back and live with me… as my lover, my partner, my wife and mother of my kids. Give me a chance to court you. To bake too many cupcakes for you. To wake up every morning with you beside me and have our morning coffee together. I want to shower you with countless hugs and k!sses, every second and minute of the day. Have mercy on me and make me the happiest man alive.” He paused and inhaled deeply. “Rachel, will you marry me?”
My eyes were fixed at Ares’ extremely handsome face. What he said was so overwhelming and I couldn’t measure the happiness I felt at that moment. Tears of joy fell on my cheeks and I covered my mouth to prevent myself from sobbing. Oh God. He asked me to marry him!
He was waiting for my answer with a soft smile plastered on his face. I moved closer to him and k!ssed his lips.
He k!ssed me back and asked me between k!sses. “Is that a yes?”
I nodded.
I felt like I was in a dream. He put the diamond ring on my finger and he swung me into his arms. He was so happy and shouted Yes! Yes! Yes! Like he won a lottery.
I was sad awhile ago, but now I couldn’t describe the joy in my heart. It was boundless.
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