The Forgotten Heiress

Chapter Ten: Cliché

AARON’S POV

I soften my gaze and let my tone drop, a degree less.

I know I don’t have much time on my hands since the seamstress is on her way. I have to rush it because the worst thing that will actually happen is for us to be interrupted while I am laying myself bare.

“You’ve read so many romantic books, and I unfortunately am not good with words or a hopeless romantic. One would think that all the years I have spent with you would be enough time for you to rub off on me but my brain only functions when I am dealing with buildings and structures.”

My lame attempt at getting her laugh worked, I am not bad after all. I am able to lighten the mood a bit.

“You might find what I am about to say cliché or my words will have you cringing. I am afraid there won’t be an in-between.”

She still doesn’t say a word. I want her to despite telling her not to interrupt. But who am I kidding, Lily has always been one to fulfil people’s request even when it happens to be at her own detriment. I know she won’t say a word till I tell her to.

“I am fully aware that this is the most selfish thing I’ve ever done in the course of my life. I promise I don’t regret it one bit, and I never will. It is about time I take this load I’ve been carrying for over ten years off my heart.”

At the mention of heart, her eyes immediately drop to look at my heart before she looks up at me again, looking directly into my eyes.

“I have been brainstorming and making endless researches on the best way to propose to a girl that is a hopeless romantic, but I didn’t like any of the answers I was getting because none of it suited you. It got to a point that I started to read some of your favourite romance books just so I could pick a thing or two. To be honest, none of them did it for me.” I pause a bit so I can gather my thoughts.

“Forgive me for coming to you empty handed, without a promise ring. I didn’t intend to tell you about my feelings for you since I heard about the wedding, but now that I know better, I won’t forgive myself if I let you get married to a person you don’t love knowing that every beat of my heart whispers your name.”

At this exact moment, with us sitting face to face, hands intertwined, eyes locked on each other, the song ‘Rewrite the stars’ that has been playing for some reason became louder at this heated moment.

‘You claim it is not in the cards,

But fate is pulling you miles away and out of the reach from me,

But you are here in my heart,

So please stop me if I decide that you are my destiny,

Why don’t we rewrite the stars?

Say you were made to be mine.’

I never loved this song, I as a matter of fact don’t listen to this kind of songs, but at this moment there is no song I love more than this.

It sounds wrong, but right at the same. Lily is the first to break the stare contest, she is about to cry. I can see the tears in her eyes. I still don’t let go of her hands, I can’t.

I have this instinctive feeling that this is the last time I’d get to hold her hands, so why not make the most of it?

“My princess, I am sorry I came too late. I am sorry I stayed in my bubble for too long and just let myself be a coward who didn’t confess his feelings earlier on. I thought I knew you too well. I never in my wildest imaginations thought you’d get married in a few months after graduating school. I mean, what happened to the lady that wants to be independent before she settles?”

She doesn’t answer me, I am not sure I know what I feel about her silence but I continue regardless.

“Lily, I love you. I need to be yours, allow me be yours my princess.”

I am contemplating telling her how shitty my days have been for the past 3 months. It won’t count as manipulation, will it?

“I will take care of breaking off this engagement with Xavier. I will handle it and I will ensure you aren’t blamed for it, I promise.”

“We can’t be together, and we most definitely can’t break off this engagement. I admit, if you had proposed a year ago you might have stood a chance. It is too late now, I love Xavier and I am going to marry him. I apologise if the way I’ve been treating you ever since I knew you seemed like anything but platonic.”

That is it? She loves Xavier, the Italian guy? No, no way. That can’t be. She is lying, she doesn’t love him. I don’t want to believe that she loves him. It is impossible.

She removes her hand from mine and she gets off the couch. She walks to her bed and sits on it. ‘Rewrite the Stars’ is still playing, didn’t know a song could be this long.

She is walking to the couch again, towards me. Why did I think she was coming to me to tell me ‘Oh Aaron it is a joke. How can I possible love someone when I have you in my life?’

But no, she actually came to aggressively grab her phone to pause the music. She is still not looking at me.

I feel light because I’ve taken off the burden from my heart.

I feel suffocated because I just did what I’ve never done. I just laid myself bare and got rejected!

This is wild, where did I possibly get it wrong? I mean, even my business proposals don’t get rejected. People stand on their feet waiting for my proposals!

Never knew this is what it feels like to be rejected. I feel sick, the only right explanation.

Miss Rachel came to knock on the door to tell her that the seamstress has arrived and she is waiting for her downstairs. So Lily told her to clear the dishes in the room, and tell them that she’d join them in a minute.

I will take this as my cue to leave.

She is still not looking at me, she has her back towards me so I walk up to her and hug her. It was like she was waiting for me to hug her because she just started crying loudly.

“What is wrong my princess? Why are you crying?”