We stood at the beach for a long time, kissing each other, and my mind was blank because it had already surrendered itself to that person who loved me for thousands of years.
Then the heat began to cling to our bodies as we stopped. I opened my eyes, staring at his silver eyes.
Then he caught our hand walking towards his VIP room. Without inviting any further complications we closed our phones and patiently waited for the elevator to take us to our destination, his room.
During this time, we didn't hold each other's hands, which convinced me that we would just be talking, just as the elevator opened. His room was right at the corner.
He opened it and allowed me to walk. Just then, I walked in, and he closed the door, locking it.
He pulled me near the wall, kissing me. No time for me to decide what's going on but devour it if it's true and we missed it.
Then we continued to kiss, and then he caught me. I automatically wrapped my legs around his tall waist.
He took me near the bed and placed me gently without breaking the kiss. Then I lay on the bed and he hovered over me. Gently removing his million-dollar shirt and then he came on top of me.
The night faded
The light shone from his window
I opened my eyes and found his hand placed on my waist. I sat up, and suddenly the guilt began to surround me. I panicked and rushed out of the room.
I was wearing clothes, it was not removed, because we only kissed. That was the only night I didn't dream about anything.
I slowly removed his hand while tiptoeing out, and as expected, someone would see me. The servant saw me coming out. Thank god I was in my shorts and oversized shirt.
Then I quickly took a bath and couldn't help but allow the tears to fall.
"How can I?"
The guilt trapped me, and I didn't know that at the other end, a storm would arise. Just then, I got down as usual. I was not trying to find him, but my eyes betrayed me, searching for me, and then as we reached near the site for the shoot, I found him.
He reached there before us.
I could hear some whispers of the crew that the river is in a very bad mood, and another guilt began to surround my body.
I could hear him throwing the sheets and I could feel him shouting for other things. To be honest, he is in a very bad mood.
All you could think of was ending this day, but you couldn't; the director and producer were also scared.
They decided to call it off and people who didn't cross his path felt lucky. Because he was not scolding but shooting bullets from his words.
Everybody could say that it felt like he was in a very bad mood, not even the female lead did anything to make him get mad at her.
His sharp gaze locked with mine, and I looked down with guilt. I couldn't help but blame myself for letting everyone suffer.
Back at our hotel, I made up my mind and dared to speak and clear the air, no matter how bad it might be.
I closed my eyes, and suddenly I felt the bloodshot shots which forced my eyes to be closed and see myself covered with blood in that dark area.
I opened my eyes and till that time, Amy and Daisy began to walk down, and I was the last person to descend the stairs.
We had dinner, and then fearlessly, I walked up the stairs, not taking the elevator, purposely so that I could think of ways to calm him.
The slow step and the leg pain didn't feel harder than the thought of getting scolded by him.
As I reached his door, it flung open as if it were waiting for me to come.
I walked inside slowly and found him standing by the window.
River stood by the window, shirt half-buttoned, a glass of something dark in his hand. The golden light cast over his sharp cheekbones, his eyes shadowed but burning.
He didn't turn to face her. "Come to disappear again?"
I swallowed. "I came to talk."
"Oh," he said bitterly, sipping his drink. "Do we talk now? Before or after the guilt sets in?"
"River—"
"You didn't even say anything" He finally turned, eyes cold, lips curled in something that wasn't quite a smile. "You spent the night in my arms and then slipped out like I was some stranger you regretted touching."
"I didn't—"
"Didn't regret it?" he cut in, stepping closer. "Then what was it, Grace? A moment of weakness? A night of mercy? Or was it just—what did you say?—Not real?"
My voice trembled. "You don't get to do this."
"Oh, I don't?" he snapped, the glass in his hand slamming onto the table.
"Because every time I get close to you, you vanish. Every time you feel something, you run. And now, what? You expect me to pretend it meant nothing?"
I stepped back, voice sharp with desperation.
"You're not being fair."
"I've waited lifeless times for you," he hissed.
"You waited one morning to forget me."
I broke down into tears because I couldn't resist his pain and his heartache, and my hand began to shake.
"I didn't forget you," I whispered after gaining control.
"I couldn't. But it doesn't change anything, River. Because… I'm engaged."
Silence fell.
A long, cold silence.
His expression twisted. First confusion. Then disbelief. Then fury… buried under heartbreak.
"To whom?" he asked, voice hollow and I could feel his mood shifting.
"Ethan!" I said, then I continued while shivering, "My family arranged it. My father's legacy, the merger, the image — everything depended on it. I was raised to be someone's future, never mine, and ...."
His jaw clenched.
"I said yes," I continued, looking down, not meeting his gaze ", because it was expected. Because I didn't know I had a choice. Because before you… I didn't feel anything strong enough to fight for."
River moved slowly now, like he was walking across broken glass. "Then why not now?"
"Because walking away would mean losing everything."
He crouched in front of me making his voice hoarse. "And staying means losing me."
Tears slipped down my cheeks when I heard that "Maybe I was never meant to keep you."
River reached for my hand, fingers curling around my wrist with his quiet desperation.
"You were always meant for me. In every life, Grace. And in every life you run."
My breath caught.
"I'm done chasing ghosts," he said. "If you want to live a lie with Ethan, if you want to marry him for your family's pride, then go."
I looked at him, shattered and wished to explain to him, but I couldn't "Don't say that."
"Then prove me wrong."
He stood, stepping back.
"Choose me, Grace," he whispered. "This time… choose me. Not your family. Not the plan. Not the fear."
And then, without another word.
He walked away.