Seconds *COMPLETED*

Chapter 7

I turned to my left to see the door to Tiara's room slightly open. I walked over to her room; Tiara was seated on the bed, just staring ahead. She wasn't crying and didn't even show any sign of her misery. She was just expressionless, as usual.

"Tiara... I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Tiara. I know this is horrible. I can understand how hurt you must be now that..." I was speaking when Tiara interposed, "No, you don't. You don't know how I feel; and you will never know. You don't know me well enough, then how will you know how I feel?"

I stared at Tiara, astounded. She had never opposed me until now for any reason. She had never disagreed with me. What had happened to her now?

"No, Tiara. I'm sorry. I know how you must be feeling now. Of course I know you well enough. You've been..." I started, but she interrupted me again, "What do you know about me? I'm married to some guy named Darien Caruso and I've got a daughter, Mila Amylia. That's all you know about me. What more do you know? Do you know what kind of a person I am? Do you know anything about my life? Do you know how many people's lives I've ruined? Do you know how many people have died because of me? No, you don't. You don't know a thing about me."

"Okay, fine. I don't know anything about you, but that doesn't matter, Tiara. What I'm worried now is about you. What're you gonna do? Where're you gonna go?" I inquired.

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot I'm not a part of this family. Been living here for days, calling your parents Mom and Dad, and considering your sisters as my own, I'd forgotten that this wasn't my house or my family, and that I didn't belong here. Don't worry, Daniel, just leave me and Mila at the nearest bus stop when you're free," suggested Tiara.

"But, where will you go?" I asked in concern.

"I'll go somewhere... somewhere far from here, and I won't disturb you anymore. Don't worry," stated Tiara.

I stared at her speechless for a moment.

"Tiara, why don't you marry me?" I blurted out, before quickly justifying, "Don't you think you deserve a life? This is not the life you deserve, you deserve better. Why don't you... uh... marry me? I will look after you, Tiara, I promise. You like my family too, don't you? They all like you too. Why don't you just marry me then, Tiara? Will you marry me?"

She remained still and forbiddingly silent as she just continued staring ahead, expressionless.

"You're asking me, Daniel? Have you forgotten that you're supposed to be marrying Narissa in two weeks? And you're asking me this? What do you even know about me, huh?" demanded Tiara.

"Narissa will surely be able to find someone else... but you? With Mila, it's gonna be hard for you. And you need to get over Darien too. And I strongly believe, you deserve a better life than your misery."

"I don't deserve a better life, don't you get it? You... you don't even know me. You don't know anything about me, do you? Do you know about my life before I got married to Darien? Do you know how many people have died because of me? My father, my mother, Darien and how many more I myself don't know. Do you know how many people's lives I've ruined? All of theirs and Rats.

I ruined Rats's life. My own brother... the person whom I had considered like my own brother. I ruined his life. And you want to marry me? Are you... are you mad? Why can't you marry Narissa? What's wrong with her? She's perfect in every single way I know. She's surely a much better person than me. If only you knew my background, you would just hate me. Be glad you're gonna get such a nice wife like Narissa."

"Tiara, why don't you understand? I'd rather get married to you than to a person like Narissa!"

"Why? Why, Daniel? Because she's childish? Please, Daniel, she will mature once she's married. I can assure you that. The fact that Narissa Eliza is childish is an utter lie. It's not at all true. She's just pretending to be childish. And that will change when you marry her, she'll show you what a nice person she is. You can't have a more perfect wife than Narissa, you know?"