Beyond The Gaze: A Love Unseen

Chapter 58

'Don't push your luck, Knight! Respect her limits.' I chewed my bottom lip, meeting her eyes again to gauge her reaction. She maintained a blank expression before raising her hand from mine in confusion, pointing towards herself.

"Y-you like me?" She mumbled in a very unsure manner. Out of all the things I said, she paused on that.

Was it that unexpected?

Raising a questioning eyebrow in surprise, I countered, "Do you genuinely believe I go around apologizing to every girl with a necklace as a gift and note?" Necklace that I designed myself, and even had the entire factory work double overtime to polish and enhance them, I might add. "Or that I grant every girl access to my office-attached bedroom?"

Does she really think I go around flirting with just anyone?

I thought she knew me better than that, but apparently not...

Well, we have a whole lifetime to know each other better.

"I did all of that because it was you, because I genuinely like you. In fact, I like you a lot," I affirmed, each word carrying the weight of sincerity for her to grasp.

'More than you can imagine!' I added to myself.

Elysia blinked innocently, processing my words. Her face resembled a blank sheet, lips parted slightly, as if she had just received a shocking news of her life, momentarily numbing her senses.

She looked like she might freak out any moment. I wondered how she would react when she learned the whole truth.

Baby steps, Knight! Baby steps...

Taking a deep breath, I continued, "I know you don't see me that way, and I understand you need time. But I want to give this marriage a chance, to start a new beginning with you. I know it won't be easy, but we can try." I carefully studied her reactions before posing the question I had been rehearsing for days. "Are you willing to take this path with me?"

When Elysia met my eyes, a myriad of complicated emotions flowed in those amber hues—shock, disbelief, uncertainty, and perhaps... fear?

"You..." She muttered, trailing off, lowering her gaze to the ground between us. I felt her hands in my grasp, tightened into fists, as she shook her head back and forth in uncertainty, chewing on her bottom lip. "You would not... leave me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. I noticed her blinking profusely, an attempt to hide the tears that gathered in the corner of her eyes and appear composed in front of me.

I was sure if I wasn't holding her hands firmly, she would have started rubbing her skin as her usual habit.

Her question didn't catch me off guard. Perhaps, if I hadn't known everything about her today, I might have been surprised by her inquiry, but not anymore...

Yet, it felt like a dagger struck my heart, causing it to squeeze painfully at her broken trust, and being one of the reasons behind it...

I withdrew one hand from hers and gently lifted her chin to meet my gaze. "Sweetheart, I've solemnly accepted the responsibility of being your husband before God and in front of your mother. Do you truly believe I would have taken such a significant step with the intention of ever abandoning you later on?" I inquired with utter sincerity.

Forgiveness and trust were two different things. While she had forgiven me, I couldn't say the same about trust...

I understood that things like love and trust takes time, just as I did in getting to know her, understand her, like her and eventually trust her.

I wasn't asking for her trust at the moment. I just needed her to believe me enough to give us a chance.

My gaze remained fixed on hers, desperately praying that she could believe I wouldn't take such a step without careful consideration. "Do you think I would do that, Elysia?" I inquired again as she stayed silent, studying me.