"Shall we?" Carl says and I nod, taking hold of his arm, allowing him to lead me inside.

The entire place shockingly was not how I expected Robert to have it. I expect leather and dark colors. Yet the dark wooden walls was highlighted by beige couches and other light furnitures.

"There are two bedrooms. I can take the guest room, and you can have the master." he says. I nod, watching as he sets our luggage down near the stairs. His muscular arms flexing beneath the sleeves of his cream Polo shirt.

He was very well dressed today.

More on the causal side of things of course, but very pleasant to watch. My gaze lingers on how well his brown trousers fit—the subtle fixing of his pants, and the pulling down his shirt to fix himself, drawing me in without effort.

"Why don't you go ahead and freshen up," his voice suddenly fills my ears. My eyes snap up to meet his, the warm brown depths holding a readable expression of amusement.

I knew I was caught in my once-over.

"Sure." I nod, feeling my cheeks warm.

"I'll bring your bags up, and then I'll start on lunch." He says walking up to me.

"You can cook?" He nods, resting his hand against my cheek. I could see that my acceptance of his affection brought much joy to him. I truly was not going to pull away again, I wanted to experience what I was always fighting.

"Mother taught me." I softly hum, finding warmth in his touch. A heavy sigh leaves my body, and I lean into his touch, my eyes fluttering close.

"How do you feel?" He softly mutters to me, my eyes opening to connect with his. He was a lot closer to me now; his aromatic cologne filling my nose, and issuing a feeling a ease throughout my being.

"Truthfully...I'm not angry, nor am I happy...my emotions are very neutral." He nods, pushing my hair behind my ears.

It was much longer now, seeing as I haven't went to the salon to have it trimmed; but truly my subconscious knows that deep down, I hadn't trimmed it because Carl declared he liked it longer. Rebecca even insisted of trimming it when I went to her salon the day before the auction, but I advise her I didn't want to cut it.

"Your hair looks beautiful." My cheeks flush and I look down from his eyes.

"I'll go change." I pull away from him, and walk away, without looking back. However for some reason I just knew he was smiling.

——

I pass my hand over my stomach, just staring at my reflection; that dream was still replaying in my mind. I swear I could still hear her beautiful voice calling out to me. Tears swell in my eyes.

"Paulina-oh." I quickly wipe away the tears that fell, looking towards the door—watching as Carl's eyes scanned my naked body, before meeting my gaze.

I'm not sure how long I've been standing here since freshening up, but I couldn't seem to find the strength in me to move away from the mirror.

"Sorry I..umm...I finished the pasta." He says, clearing his throat, and turning his back to me.  I walk over to the bed, picking up my white robe and putting it on.

"You can look." He slowly turns around, doing a quick scan of my body, nodding.

"How is your head?"

"Slight pain, but I'll take my medication after eating." He nods.

We stood there for some time in silence, eyes locked onto each other's, his however showing the same unwavering adoration for me in them.

"Why do you adore me so?" I ask him again. It was unfathomable. He had no reason to.
"You have always looked at me as if I was the most important person in your life. Even after I have hurt you many times."

"I've always loved you Paulina. Ever since I saw you for the first time at thirteen." He declares, walking forward to me. He holds my face, brushing his thumb against my cheek.
"I remember you dressed in a yellow daffodil floral dress. Your hair was long, reaching to your shoulders blades, I was simply speechless, and enchanted by your beauty."

"Is that why you rather my hair long?" He smiles sheepishly, making me smile.

"When I saw you cut your hair at sixteen, I was devastated." He says dramatically, making me laugh out.
"But you were beautiful all the same."

"So you feel in love at first sight?"

"Poets will say so. The entire night I couldn't look away from you, mother and father found it very adorable. But when I told them I want to marry you, I think at first they thought of it simply childish banter. But when I turned fifteen, and I sat them both down in the living room and told them I wanted to marry you when we grew up, I think they realized I was serious—but of course they would not rush things, I was three years older than you and you were-"

"Twelve." I reply for him, and he nods.

"I think it was from then, mother and father started becoming more friendlier with your parents, and the topic of marriage was thrown into conversation. I was so happy, knowing I was going to marry the girl of my dreams one day, but then that time came and days prior to the wedding, your mother had a conversation with both my father and I that shocked me to the core." I search his eyes, knowing exactly what that was.

"My father went off in a rage, declaring that your parents had blindsided us, and that the wedding would be off, but I reached for the contract and signed it." He recalls.
"Your mother was all but pleased, my father infuriated. Why would you sign it? He asked me, and I said because I love her. But that only lead to him arguing with me, but I stood my ground, I would marry no one else. I care not for what she had done, I myself was not a virgin so why should I be angry with you for such." He confesses.

"When you walked off on me from the beach, I felt angry with myself. I understood your anger, and I knew you were right that I should not marry you, but I was selfish. I wanted to be the one to make you happy, I wanted to be the one to make sure you never faced hurt again, finding out all that you faced only increased that desire. I promised myself I would love you despite it all, that I would be there for you and care for you even from a distance if I have too.

Some would call me weak, others pathetic, but I would love you either way." He concludes. I stared up at him in awe at his confession; tears flowing as a river from my eyes.

"Don't cry." He softly whispers, wiping away my tears but more kept falling.

"Someone else deserves such love-someone-"

"No." He firmly declared.
"I will love no one else but you."

"Why?" I hit his chest.
"Why love me? Why care for me? Why stay with me?" I hit his chest at the end of each question.

"I...I was bitter always towards you, even forced you to have intercourse with me when you did not desire it."

"But I also think you had me do that for other motives." He states and I stare up at him wide eyed.

"H-ow?" It comes out in a broken whisper.

"I make it my mission to always try to be able to know or understand what you are feeling Paulina. The other times you were just trying to test me, but that particular day I recall you having an appointment with Dr. Phillis in the morning, and then you wanted to have sex the evening." He reveals, and I look down from his gaze, but he lifts my head once more.

"I had my annual full body scan with him. When he started his evaluation of my vagina, he couldn't understand why I was feeling that much pain when I am fully healed. No signs of any infection or soreness, so there was no reason to feel pain."

"So you wanted to test to see." I cast my gaze down, thankful that he did not lift my head this time.

"I knew I should have left that day." I look up to him.
"But I did not want you to believe that I was having an affair."

"I knew you never were. I just needed a reason in my mind to hate you."

"And what about now?" He softly traced the back of his hand along my cheek.
"Do you still need reason to hate me?"

"Can I truly trust you with my heart Carl?" I search his brown eyes, looking for a sign, a signal that I can finally let the weight of my resistance melt away. I just want peace. No more fighting. No more worrying.

He leans down to kiss me, and I tiptoe up to him, pressing my body closer to his, wanting the kiss to mend every broken part of our marriage.

My heart felt as if it was on the verge of bursting, overwhelmed by the deep, heart wrenching sensation of the emotional connection between us—two imperfect halves, long separated, and finally coming together to form a bond.

He pulls away first, resting his forehead against my own, our breaths entwining with each other. My eyes remaining closed as I basked in the sensation of the moment. The atmosphere around us sensually intense yet blissfully beautiful.

"I will show you everyday that your decision to give me a chance is not a mistake Paulina." He mutters and I open my eyes meeting the heat of his brown gaze.
"Come on, let's go eat." He takes hold of my hand, leading me to the door.

——
Gregory Kingston

"I understand that Mr. Kelcy, but I will not have any of you disrespect my daughter." How dare they!

I was seething. Called to a board meeting today, so that they can discuss the removal of my princess from the succession of the throne. I beg their pardon.

"She is not eligible to carry on this business Gregory. Look at the news that circulates. An affair with two men? A colored man of all things." The plump fair man says, looking himself like a issue to society with his tight suit and no neck.

"I guess it is expected." Johnathon says and a few of them chuckle.

"You want to repeat that, Johnathon?" I mutter lowly, leaning back in my chair. All of their faces turn cold in fear.

"Mr. Kingston-"

"No no no, please. Repeat it. Further more stand up and say it a little louder this time so everyone can clearly hear."

"Mr. King-"

"Stand up!" I exclaim loudly, slamming my hand on the table for emphasis, scoffing at the way the pathetic man flinched. The sixty year old man shoots up to his feet, stumbling over his words. Absolutely Pathetic.

"What are the two things I don't tolerate games with, Johnathon?" I ask, leaning forward on the desk.

"Y-Y-Y-Your family and Y-Y- Your business sir." He pathetically stutters out.

"M-M-My what? Repeat it please."

"Your family and your business, sir."

"Hmm." I slowly stand to my feet, the fools glancing between each other, some even shrinking from cowardice.
"And everyone here knows that correct?" They nod.

"So help me to understand Johnathon. With knowing this, you dare utter such a statement regarding my baby girl?" He looks down but I point at him, ordering him to lift his head.

"Are you the one that called her out her name, for the way she runs her building operations for her apartment building?" His eyes widen, and it was all the answer I need. I have been wondering for some time now who the man was. She had only told me of what happened but not of who it was.

"You think you have right to speak my child that way. If I am the King the Kingston Empire, dare I say, you had the great audacity to call the Princess out of her name. My Child!" I slam my hand on the desk again, causing them all to flinch again.

"We're sorry Mr. Kingston." Hector says and they all follow, mumbling out apologies, except one.

"Something to be said Johnathon?" He bites down on his jaw, folding his fists in anger.

"Sorry Mr. Kingston." Bloody Bastard.