Unconditionally

Worst decision of my life

She sobbed, and grabbed him by his upper arm." How dare you! How dare you leave me and not tell me all of this before!" she shouted, and glared at Christian." I would've waited for you! I would've waited forever for you! You know that! So, why shut me out?! Why, Christian? Why?"

The slap Ana had given him, set the skin on his cheek on fire. Christian was seated on the couch, while a tear escaped his eye. It hurt him so much to see her hurt. He wanted... desperately wanted to pull Ana into an embrace and never let her go. He wanted that, and wanted to tell her that he had been so fucking stupid to have kept everything from her.

Christian wanted to tell Ana that he was sorry and that he wanted, and needed her to take him back...

However, he could not. Why not?

Well, because she was about to get married to someone else... to a good man. A man who wasn't him.

He knew Jeremy Blake from boarding school. He was a good fellow, and they used to hang out a lot when they were younger. However, since he and Jeremy both started their own company, they just drifted apart, work swallowing both of their time.

Ten phone calls per week turned into one per month, until they didn't see or called each other any longer... Life just got in the way.

Two months earlier, when the scientists declared him to be cured, Christian arrived home and the first thing he asked was how Ana was doing.

"She has someone else in her life now, son." his father had told him." She's with Jeremy Blake now"

God, that broke his heart into a million pieces.

Two weeks later, Mia walked into the living room and told him about Ana and Jeremy.

"Christian, uhmm... I have to tell you something"

"Yeah?" he had said.

"It's Ana... she's getting married to Jeremy"

Christian remembered how that news devastated him, and that was the day he rearranged the living room.

Ana was right here in his house, in the study and he only had to close the gap between them, so he could cup her face. But no.

Christian couldn't... he just couldn't and would not break up what Ana and Jeremy have, even if it would be the end of him...

No, he refused to confuse Ana by telling her his desires...

The whole time Ana had been looking at him with her gorgeous blue eyes, filled with tears. She was still waiting for him to answer...

In response, he deliberately avoided her gaze by looking the other way.

Ana became impatient, and was still towering over him. But at one point she lost her patience. "Why? Ju... just tell me why you've kept me in the dark about what happened to you, Christian?" she demanded, her voice shaky." Look at me"

He sighed deeply and after a few moments, he finally looked up at her.

Christian cleared his throat, and locked eyes with Ana." I didn't want to give you false hope"

As those words tumbled from his lips, tears had pooled in her pretty eyes." I am a big girl, Christian! I could've handled it..." she said, while the tears rolled down her cheeks." It didn't matter if I had to wait for you. You know I would've waited. Healthy or sick, I still would've loved you and had your back... I would always love you..."

At this point, Christian couldn't take it anymore. As tears pooled in his gray eyes, he reached out to Ana and caressed her cheek. She was still standing, while he was in a sitting position on the couch. The feel of his warm, slender fingers on her skin was too overwhelming, and completely took her breath away...