Chapter 221 - In My Heart (2/2)

”With myself,” replied Xiu. ”And when I learned to love myself again, I eventually learned to love this life and this world all over again. Perhaps, that was how I managed to change myself.”

Darren smiled at her lovingly and pridefully. It suddenly felt like he had seen her evolution from that broken angel to a beautiful and strong woman.

”Sweets, you won't leave me again, right?” His sudden question got Xiu confused as she looked at his face. ”I had to say goodbye to you once. Even when the story was not finished, I held your hand and said goodbye. I don't think I can do it all over again.”

Xiu extended her hand towards him and Darren took it in his as she said, ”If you're willing to hold this hand, why would I say goodbye? If I wanted to say goodbye, I wouldn't have talked about the truth of my life that'd sound like crazy talk to most people.”

”I'm really scared to lose you,” said Darren so straightforwardly that it left Xiu feeling baffled and equally fl.u.s.tered. What scared her the most now was the intensity of his love for her. ”You ended your life like it was a film. As if it was that easy. I really can't go through that pain all over again.”

”Babe, you had to say goodbye to your Ah-Xiu because she was tired of the script that people wrote for her. Her life was really like a film based on a script that someone else made for her. But I promise, your Sweets won't leave you. Because your Sweets has gone crazy for you.” She planted a kiss at the corner of his lips and went on, ”Even though my goal as Bai Xiu was to look at the mirror and fall in love with my own smile. I failed. Because I ended up falling for your smile instead to the point that I want to hide you from the world.”

”Where would you hide me?” asked Darren in all seriousness.

”In my heart,” answered Xiu feeling proud of herself for some reason.

Darren smiled at her saying, ”Am I not in there already?” Xiu was stumped for words at his play of words with her. He intentionally was making her fl.u.s.tered again.

Xiu looked into his eyes as she wanted to retort but stopped herself. Only now she paid attention to the look in his eyes. It seemed as if he had found his lost treasure all over again and he couldn't stop looking at it. As if he was scared his precious treasure would be lost again even if he blinked once. Xiu's heart clenched in her chest as she realized what she had put him through. She never thought her absence as Chen Xiu could hurt someone. But he wasn't just hurt, she had broken him.

”Regan, I'm sorry. I really am sorry,” said Xiu all of a sudden taking Darren by surprise.

”Sweets, what are you apologizing for?”

”For leaving you with those bitter memories. For leaving you alone. And most of all, for not realizing that you had been loving me all that time.”

Darren's smile froze for a split second before he regained his bright smile saying, ”Sweets, I kept those memories because it was the only thing I had. I remembered you because I wanted to. My heart wasn't ready to let go. Life was awfully dreadful without you in it but with those memories of yours, I was able to stand back up and move on. Not even for a second, I'd say that any of those memories are bitter. Any moment with you in it would eventually be sweet.”

”You're just trying to make me feel better by saying that. This house screams the pain you felt because of me,” said Xiu in a sad voice. Why else would he hold on to this house that somehow screamed the existence and importance of Chen Xiu in his life and in his heart?

”Then how about you make it up to me now?” suggested Darren slyly.

”How?”

”By being only mine for the rest of our life,” answered Darren without any hesitation.

Xiu stared at his face for a moment longer before saying, ”That's easy then. Because I'm already yours.”