Make me Love you.

CHAPTER 10: FINAL CONFESSION

For the first time in years, Ethan Cruz was afraid.

Not of failure.

Not of losing money.

Not of business.

He was afraid of being too late.

The morning after his realization, he began searching for Lia Santos.

He contacted former coworkers.

Managers.

Friends listed in her employee records.

Anywhere she might be.

But Lia seemed to have disappeared.

Days passed.

Then a week.

Still nothing.

The uncertainty grew heavier with each passing day.

At night, Ethan found himself staring at his phone, hoping for a message that never came.

At work, meetings felt meaningless.

Success felt empty.

The company continued moving forward, but he felt stuck.

Because none of it mattered if Lia wasn't there.

Then one afternoon, everything changed.

A former employee mentioned seeing her at a small community library on the outskirts of the city.

"She volunteers there sometimes," the woman said.

Ethan was already grabbing his keys before she finished speaking.

The drive felt longer than it actually was.

His hands tightened on the steering wheel.

His heart pounded harder than it ever had during any business negotiation.

Because this time there was no contract.

No strategy.

No certainty.

Only hope.

And hope was far more terrifying.

The library was small and quiet.

Nothing like Cruz Enterprises.

Nothing like the world Ethan belonged to.

Children sat reading at colorful tables.

Sunlight streamed through large windows.

And near a shelf of storybooks-

There she was.

Lia Santos.

She looked up as the door opened.

At first, she didn't react.

Then recognition appeared in her eyes.

Followed by surprise.

And then caution.

"Ethan?"

Hearing his name from her lips again nearly stopped his breath.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Months of feelings seemed trapped between them.

Finally, Lia broke the silence.

"What are you doing here?"

Ethan stepped closer.

Not too close.

Just enough.

"I came to see you."

Her eyes lowered briefly.

"You didn't have to."

"Yes," he said quietly. "I did."

Lia looked away.

The pain in her expression made his chest tighten.

"The investigation is over," she said softly. "I know they cleared me."

Ethan nodded.

"You were innocent."

"I know."

The simplicity of her answer hurt.

Because it reminded him how alone she had felt.

He swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry."

Lia looked at him again.

His voice didn't sound like the Ethan Cruz she knew.

It sounded vulnerable.

Human.

"I should have trusted you," he continued.

"I should have listened."

Silence.

Children laughed somewhere in the background.

But neither of them moved.

"I hurt you," Ethan said. "And I can't change that."

For a moment, Lia's eyes glistened.

But she blinked the emotion away.

"Then why are you here?"

The question was quiet.

But it carried everything.

Ethan took a deep breath.

No business language.

No carefully planned responses.

Just truth.

The kind he had spent years avoiding.

"Because losing you made me realize something."

Lia remained silent.

Waiting.

His heart pounded.

Then he finally said the words.

"I love you."

The world seemed to stop.

Even Ethan couldn't believe he had spoken them aloud.

Lia stared at him.

Completely still.

Tears gathered slowly in her eyes.

"You love me?" she whispered.

He nodded.

"Yes."

A small laugh escaped her.

Half disbelief.

Half emotion.

"You have a strange way of showing it."

Ethan smiled faintly.

For the first time in the entire story-

A real smile.

Not forced.

Not professional.

Real.

"I know."

Another silence followed.

But this one felt warm.

Comfortable.

Hopeful.

Lia looked down briefly before meeting his gaze again.

"I was angry," she admitted.

"You had every right to be."

"I was hurt."

"I know."

"And I tried very hard to forget you."

Ethan's heart sank slightly.

Then she smiled through her tears.

"And I failed."

Hope exploded inside him.

Slowly, carefully, he stepped closer.

Not forcing.

Not demanding.

Giving her every opportunity to walk away.

Instead, she moved toward him too.

The distance disappeared.

And for the first time, neither of them hid behind fear.

Ethan gently took her hand.

Warm.

Real.

Home.

His voice lowered.

Soft enough that only she could hear.

"Do you remember what you told me during our interview?"

Lia smiled slightly.

"'Hard work is all I have'?"

He nodded.

"And you were right."

She tilted her head.

"About what?"

Ethan looked directly into her eyes.

Then delivered the words that would stay with them forever.

"Don't make me love you..."

He squeezed her hand gently.

A smile forming on his lips.

"...because I already do."

Lia laughed through her tears.

Then wrapped her arms around him.

And for the first time in years-

Ethan Cruz stopped running from love.