Forgotten Romance: Take Me Back To You

"Are you okay?" The man knelt before the crying woman when she neglected his offered hand. 

She didn't respond. No, she couldn't reply actually. She's currently overwhelmed by the mixed emotions welling up inside her. But her immense fear crippled her whole body. She can't move even if she wanted to. 

Her body looks like a lifeless tater. 

Seeing her, the man was moved within. That dreadful look in her eyes stirred up his pent-up anger once again. If he is a minute late then he doesn't know what may have happen to her. 

He cursed. His thoughts are currently running wild on how he would kill those bastards who tried to harm his woman.

"Shhh, it's okay, just calm down. Your safe now." He tenderly ċȧrėsses the woman's hair and gently pulls her to his ċhėst. 

She's trembling nonstop! 

"Can you stand?" He asked the woman still in tears. 

She shook her head. She wanted to but she merely can't. 

"It's okay. Don't worry, I'm here now." The man scooped the woman's frail body and continued walking until they reached the end of the alley. 

"Your place is too dangerous. You should check a place which is safer than this one." The man continued when he felt the woman leaned against his ċhėst.

Yet, he didn't get an answer. She must be too flabbergasted to speak a word. 

Jade wanted to get off him but seems like she is not in control of her own body. Also, she is too weak to even lift a finger. Inhaling the man's scent seems to calm her nerves. Being carried in his arms makes her feels safe. Jade couldn't help but lean on his toned ċhėst. 

This is the feeling she's been missing so badly for the past few months. Well, tomorrow was supposed to be the first year of being away from him. But his sudden appearance and their accidental meeting destroyed the months she's been trying to forget him. 

Was it all in vain?

No, it should not be in vain. This man would end his business, whatever it is, in a few days. Then he'll go back to the capital city. The joy of seeing him again will end in just a few days. 

Yeah, in just a few days, or tomorrow, rather. Jade mumbled within her. She's been waiting for him to leave but a part of her wish not to. Still, the pain of knowing that the man you once love has already a family of his own overshadowed her dėsɨrė to keep wanting him. 

She wasn't aware that she's radiating a gloomy aura and it was not hidden from the man that was carrying him. 

"Your key?" 

Jade was suddenly stirred from her light sleep as soon as she heard the man. They've arrived? She looks around, it was indeed Jessa's house. How did he know where she lives?!

She looked at him puzzled. 

"How did I know this place? Easy, your colleague told me." He partly smiled at her. "Now the key?"

Jade didn't response. She still finds it unbelievable. Why is this man trying to find out everything about her? What if… what if he'll find out about his son too?

"Should I just break the door?" Marcus creased his brow. He's been asking a lot but the woman never answered back. She was only staring at him like he was a freak. "I know you missed me so much but we need to enter fir----"

"Bag. I-it's in my bag." She stuttered, her face blushed red.

The man raised his brows. Looking at his agitated face, Jade immediately understood the reason why. 

"Why don't you put me down so I can------"

"Why don't you just get your keys and open the door?" Marcus objected. 

"B-But…." Now she felt embarrass at the thought of Marcus carrying him all the way to the house. What was she thinking a while aback? Is she in a romantic movie? 

She's way too ambitious to even think of that! Marcus never had any romantic feeling towards her. He only married her because of his grandmother. 

It was a fake marriage.

Ah yeah, speaking of which, how is grandmother doing nowadays? Jade thought as soon as she inserted the key to the keyhole. The door gave a creaking sound while it opens. 

"Your room?" 

"Yeah, I'm in a basement." Jade said shyly. "It's just a tiny room so bear with it." She manages to speak. 

Marcus placed the woman down at the edge of her small frame bed before looking for the switch to the light. If it's not for the moonlight piercing through the small window, then he bet it'll be as dark as hell inside. 

"Where is the light switch?" Marcus finally asked after a careful search. At that moment, Jade laughs at his innocence. At least, she could see much of his face since she lighted the lamp near her bed. 

"There's no such as light switch in this house. We are all using a lampshade fueled by gas. Sorry, this is all I could afford for now." She faintly smiled. 

Marcus stared at her feeble smile. Has she been living like this for the past few months? Marcus' heart ached. He never thought a woman like her to live in a tiny room as this. This room doesn't suit her. 

No, this can't be. Now he's more determined to get her away from this place as soon as possible. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" The woman pouted. "Don't you dare pity me, I'm used to living like this. As an orphan, I don't have the time to be acting rich like anybody else. I may be living like in this tiny room but at least I am happy." She looks away, still embarrass. 

"I didn't say anything." He denied.

"Your eyes do." 

"Jade…" He walks towards the woman and knelt before her. Then he took her hands and placed a gentle kiss. "Why don't you come with me. Let's go back to Z city. Let's go back home." The man lifted his eyes and met hers. 

Jade's heart skips a beat. His words coupled with the moonlight shining upon the man's face made him look sincere at that very moment. 

"Let's go back home, hmmm?" Marcus seems to be pleading!

She went silent for a few seconds. She's clearly in a predicament of either believing him or not. Why would he asked him to go back? Did grandmother threaten his position in the company once again?

Yeah, that should be the case. 

After a few minutes of thinking, Jade pulled her hands off him and push him away. "Please, stop this." She gathered courage to reject the man. "I don't have any valid reason as to why I should go with you. I stopped loving you since then. I am no longer the woman who was head over heels to you before."

"Jade, you don't under----"

"Please go back to the hotel now. We no longer have any reason to see each other so I hope this would be the last time we cross path together." She laid down her tired body on the rough bed, pulls the blanket and faced the other direction. She doesn't want to talk to him any longer. 

She didn't hear a word after that. Did he leave? No, she didn't feel any movement a while a back. She was about to move when Marcus suddenly speaks.

"No reason to see each other?" His voice seems upset. "I think I have told you that I am still your husband. So, whether you like it or not, by law, we are still married. If I have to drag you out of here, then I will do it." He stood up, glaring at the woman.

He was about to leave when he suddenly heard Jade. 

"Why?" Jade sat up at the edge of the bed. Marcus paused and faced the woman who is now looking sadly on the floor. 

"Why are you wasting your time with a woman like me?" She continued. "Why should we stay in one roof when in fact, love is not even present between us? Can two people survive a loveless marriage? I don't think so. It may even kill one of us… it will kill the weakest among us. And---- that…. that would be me." Then she looked up meeting the man's puzzled gaze. 

"I know your trying to bring me back home because of your grandmother. She must have threatened you to do so. But I'll tell her… I'll tell her the truth. I'll explain that it's my fault… that this is my decision. Once she hears it from me then I'm sure she will let you off the hook."

Marcus raised his brows in disappointment. Did she really fell out of love? Is she serious of not coming back with him? 

Who says he was threatened by his grandmother? No, it's because he loves her dearly! When will she realized that!?