The Devilish Assassin Meets The Angelic Detective

"I said… I-I love you… I love you, brother Charles." Elena repeated her words. This time, it was a little bit louder and clearer compared to before. 

She couldn't help but bite her lower lip as if it could help her lighten the tension and nervousness she felt as of this moment. Her face and her ears were burning red from too much embarrassment. 

She didn't know whether she made the right decision of confessing her feelings to him or not. 

'What if Charles will get mad at me? Will he avoid me now? Will things between us become awkward starting tonight?' These were the thoughts she was worried about as she waited for Charles's response.

Meanwhile, Charles looked like he had experienced another shockwave in his brain as it temporarily stopped functioning. He was staring at Elena with his baffled expression- his eyes wide open, his breath stopped and his jaw dropped.

After a few seconds of being in that state of stupor, Charles tried to speak but he didn't know what to say. His adam's apple just bobbed up and down his throat. This was the first time he received a love confession from a woman that's why he was utterly unprepared for that and didn't know what to do.

Of course, deep inside him, his heart suddenly got excited for a reason. It was pounding even faster now.

On the other hand, Unknown to Charles, his silence was making Elena more anxious and restless. 

'Agh! I messed up. What should I do now? Brother Charles is not saying anything. Can't he just utter even a single word? I feel like I will get a heart attack at any moment from now.' Elena lamented to herself.

Elena couldn't take the pressure any longer so she did what comes to her mind at that certain moment. She took a deep breath and pluck up all her remaining courage to do it. She moved closer to him, pulling his head down to her. In the blink of an eye, their lips were now pressed to each other once again. This was the second time they kissed.

Stunned at first, but later on, Charles began responding to her, lifting her chin up with one hand while the other hand was hooked at the back of her waist, pulling her closer. He deepened the kiss, sucking and nibbling on her lower lip as if he was very thirsty for her.

Then he ran his tongue over her lips, urging her to open her mouth for him. Elena complied with his demand as she parted her soft delicate lips. Charles began to invade and explore her mouth, swirling his tongue around hers then sucking it the moment he caught hers.

The sound of their wet kisses and the smacking sound of their lips reverberated in the entire living room. They were panting and breathing heavily the moment they broke apart from that intense kiss. Elena's cheeks were still flushed but her desire and affection for him were glowing in her eyes. Indeed, she truly cared about this man. No doubt, she was in love with this man before her.

However, unlike Elena, Charles's mind was still in shambles right now. Uncertainty and worries were written all over his face. He didn't want to hurt Elena. He didn't want to disappoint her. He also cared for her. She had a special spot in his heart. 

But unfortunately, he couldn't accept her confession nor her feelings right now. Charles was thinking that she deserved a much better guy in order for her to be happy. He thought Elena didn't need a guy like him. Elena was pure and innocent, unlike him who was already tainted by sins. He was not a good guy. He had an ugly past and a dark side.

"Elena…"

"Brother, Charles?" Elena was anticipating his words.

Charles cupped her face as he looked at her intently, not breaking their eye contact.

"There are lots of things you don't know about me yet. Can you please sort out your feelings first? Maybe this was just a mere crush or a physical attraction, not love. You are still young. You can find someone who is better than me. Someone who deserves to be loved by a wonderful woman like you." 

Elena fell silent after hearing that. She understood what he was trying to say. He wanted her to stop loving him. Elena was hurt. She didn't know why Charles was doing this. He was slowly crushing her hope. She assumed that he also felt something for her because of the kiss they shared.

Elena couldn't help but clenched her fists.

"Brother Charles, you don't have to make some excuses like telling me that you are not a good guy or I deserve someone better. I will accept it more if you will just be honest and be frank with me that you don't feel anything towards me." Elena said, smiling bitterly at him. 

She felt hurt and sad. Her heart was broken. But she was trying her best to look brave and not to shed tears in front of him at this moment.

"No, I'm not making excuses, Elena. I'm telling you the truth. I'm a bad guy." Charles insisted.

"I couldn't understand. Why are you telling me that? In my eyes, you are a good guy. You helped me several times. Because of you and my sister Elle, I was able to fulfill my dream." Elena felt helpless.

Charles couldn't bear to see the pain in her eyes that's why he was trying to explain everything to her so that she could understand.

"Tom is not my real father. I'm an orphan. I grew in the streets. I had done so many dirty jobs during my childhood years for me to survive… stealing, robbing, gambling, and carjacking. All my life, I've been living in the dark. I am working in the underworld, doing illegal activities. How can you love someone like that? How can you deserve a man like me?"

Charles revealed his past but those were not the main reason why he was reluctant to accept her feelings. He paused for a moment. In the end, he decided to tell her every crime he committed including the recent one.

"Elena… I killed a person. I-I'm a murderer."