Burning Passion

CHAPTER 282: LOVE HAS TWO FACES

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It was the moment Harry came out from the back door of the kitchen, carrying a tray of lemonade when the girls joined them. Harry flashes a look at Nina and Steven being intimate. But the same as from this morning, Nina is looking away and doesn't talk to Steven at all. 

If their friends noticed nothing, it was he who knew Nina for many years could tell that she is not happy at all. Those eyes are hiding its sadness, and the shy Nina seems to become aloof. 

In this past year, can he be wrong that Steven and Nina's relationship isn't in good shape? 

Does give her up is the stupidest thing he did? As for what he could see, Nina was not happy at all. And the bruises on her pulses. That surely is not an ordinary bruise. 

What happened last night? Did Steven hurt Nina? 

But his twin brother joined him in the Study all night until he finished his report for Monday. Steven also went to bed when he said he was going to sleep. Is Steven watching him last night? Is he afraid I will talk to Nina or be alone with Nina? 

What happened last night is evident that Steven doesn't want him to get near Nina. But they were friends. It's not wrong to talk to each other and treat each other nicely, is it?

Harry filled with questions in his head he didn't notice that Kristina was already seated beside him. 

Meanwhile, Kristina's heart sank. When they joined the boys, the only person Harry saw was Nina… till then, he fell into his thoughts and didn't notice her approaching him. 

Not to feel embarrassed, she just quietly seated next to him and drank her lemonade in silence; waiting for him to come to her senses and to notice her at last. By then, Harry would pretend to act like a boyfriend to her. 

Bitterness spread throughout her mouth, drinking lemonade along with the sad truths. She could see that Harry has feelings for Nina the way he looks at her. But it was Steven who became Nina's boyfriend. 

To compare Harry and Steven's character. Steven is the aggressive one, while Harry remains calm all the time. Probably, Harry gave way for his brother. It means Harry sacrificed for Steven. 

She heard rumors around that Harry is far smarter than Steven. But in recent years, Steven miraculously took ahead of Harry and excelled in many things, which makes Harry fall to the second spot. Many say that Harry deliberately did it for Steven, a reason left a mystery for everyone. 

She slowly understood the life Harry and Steven belonged to… Harry did it purposely to win over Nina. 

Nina, who stood at the same status as Harry, they were a perfect match, while she is a peasant has no chance to compete with Nina. She now understood her role in Harry's life. He just used her; even so, she is willing to… 

"What's the matter?" 

Kristina came back to her senses, hearing Harry's concerned voice. She turned her head and looked up at Harry. She fought the tears that threatened her eyes. It's the reason she can't stop herself from falling for him. Even though there's no love in his eyes, a genuine concern exhibits in them. 

Shaking her head, she leaned on Harry's shoulder and closed her eyes. "It's nothing. I'm just thinking about my paperwork. I need to finish them soon to submit on Wednesday." 

"Oh. Do you need help?" 

"Really? You will help me?" She opens her eyes, looking up at Harry with hope to get a share of Harry's time.

"Sure!" Harry nods, he tears a thin smile across his face. 

Delighted, Kristina glowed as she mouthed, "I actually brought it with me." 

Harry chuckled, he uttered, "Okay. I'll look at it after lunch." 

Satisfied, Kristina tore a sweet smile. For over a month that they were in a relationship: Harry treats her well, respects her all the time, and she saw his effort to be a wonderful boyfriend. 

That's the Harry she loves. Even though she didn't own his heart, it made her happy to have this chance to love him until Harry called it an end. 

Meanwhile, seated across from Harry and Kristina is Nina, who witnessed how loving they were interacting with each other. And this brought a million pain into her heart. She won't deny she was too jealous seeing this scene. But she has no right to feel anything in the first place. Besides, at the moment, she and Seven are still in a relationship. 

Watching her tenderly, Steven reached for the strands that covered Nina's face. He caressed her face; he whispered in Nina's left ear. "Nina, let's get married soon." 

Shocked by what she heard, Nina couldn't find the words to respond to Steven's proposal. 'Why so sudden?' 

She doesn't like whatever Steven was planning. She isn't that stupid at all. Heaving a silent, furious sigh, Nina calms down, suppressing not to frown in front of Kristina and Harry. 

"It's too early to talk about that, Steven," Nina reasoned out. She has no interest in discussing this topic at all. Never will she talk about it with Steven. 

Steven, who didn't realize her indifference toward him, didn't give up persuading her. "Why not? You will turn 20 soon. We can visit our parents this coming summer. What do you think?" 

Irritation throbbing in her head, Nina calmly replied to Steven in a low voice. "I have other plans, for now, Steven. Can we just not talk about it?" 

She tried her best to sound sweet. Possibly if they were alone, it would turn into a fight and it is so tiring already. 

Nothing changed in Steven's facial expression, the smile on his face remains as he uttered, "Okay. But you can think about it over. Hm?" 

Nina nods for Steven to stop talking, as he cannot see that she isn't interested. Instead, Steven reaches for her chin and plants a light kiss on her lips. And it takes all her sanity not to push him away and yell at him. 

'This guy!' 

Harry, on the other hand, looks away from witnessing Steven and Nina being intimate with each other. His heart stabbed a thousand times seeing Steven kissing Nina. His chest exploded with jealousy. But he knew he had no right to feel this way. 

It was him who gave up on Nina. How hypocrite of him for wishing that it was him in Steven's place. The one holding and kissing Nina just like that one night of their lives. 

But yes, he is stupid. Now it's too late for him. Even if he will repeatedly ask himself, 'How if I confronted Steven that day in the airport?' 

But he was a coward. He didn't give a fight before he gave up. Maybe things would not turn this way. However, on second thought, his relationship with Steven has damage, and they possibly think of each other as the best enemy. 

He may be happy being with Nina, but their brotherhood was destroyed, and he could not allow that to happen. In the end, he chooses his relationship with Seven over Nina… and so; he has no right to get angry at Steven, but only toward himself. 

How complicated love is… 

Four people are bearing the tension that lingers in the same room. Good thing for the two younger teenagers who are engrossed in grilling the barbecues, Seth and Lucy have no idea how the atmosphere is suffocating for Harry, Steven, Nina, and Kristina. 

The two of them haven't experienced how complex love is…

Sometimes, a person only wishes to love someone dearly. In the situation as they have been full of misunderstandings...

Because love has two faces. 

A selfish love and pure love. One who doesn't care who gets hurt and one who wishes nothing in return. 

But love should receive the same amount of love by the person to love dearly. It is what Nina believed. 

She wants to love someone who would love her back. But not the love, whom she couldn't return to love back.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Seth and Lucy finish grilling, Kristina helps Harry to set the table. While eating, Steven keeps filling Nina's plate. 

"Here, what do you think of the sauce?" Steven asked Nina. 

"What sauce?" confused, Nina glanced at Steven. "No, that's enough. Let me finish the other," she said when Steven keep putting food on her plate.

Then, Steven recollects, "I love how they marinated their barbecue. The one we went to last December, in a seaside restaurant. I tried to remember how it tasted. I want us to go back there to ask for their secret recipe." 

Before she replied, Nina stuffed her mouth with a spoonful of rice and a piece of barbecue to hide her lips from twitching to the corner. But in her thought, Nina was thinking that it won't happen anymore after she broke up with him.

Once she moves to the Girl's dormitory, she will talk to Steven and end everything between them.. She doesn't want him to continue assuming that things between them are all right when the truth is not.