When Love & Hate Collide [Completed]

Chapter 98 - True Love

"Shushsh," I said softly, covering his lips with mine. "You don't have to be afraid, I am with you. We'll face it together. And you deserve to be happy. Despite your darkness, your past sins, you deserve happiness too. You have suffered too much already. That night when Chris took you away, I didn't know what I would do if something..." A shiver went down my spine just remembering the night. "I was so afraid, my heart filled up dreadful thoughts and when I saw you in that basement, all wounded and tied up, my heart had exploded with pain. That was the worst night of my life."

"No, my darling, that wasn't the worst night of my life. That night is the first time I believed it was worth living, that there was still hope for me. Yeah, I am telling you the truth. That was the night when you told me you loved me."

And I remembered my emotional outburst at the party just before I had decided to walk out of his life once again thinking he didn't want me.

"Besides, my life has been leisurely spewed with worst nights - the night you left me the first time, the night you told me you would rather see me dead," he whispered looking blankly at the ceiling above and then added a little slowly,"the night I saw you in Albert's arms with his ring on your finger."

 He wasn't looking at me but I could feel the pain in each of his words. I knew he was not complaining but just being honest, the way I had request we should be with each other. (A/N- A slight change in the earlier chapter where I added this. In case you read the chapter 97 before 11th April 2020, you may have missed it but its a small change which I just explained. So, is ok. You can move on)

"I am sorry for causing you so much hurt," I tried feebly, knowing it was no where close to making up for all I had done.

"Oh no, Mela! I didn't... I wasn't asking for your apology. God knows I have caused you far more pain and misery," he turned further into me and looked deeply in my eyes.

"Don't." I placed my fingers on his lips. "Don't belittle your pain. I know I pushed you further into that darkness. Instead of working with you to find a way, I created my own hell and aggravated our miseries. Seeing me with Albert... it would have been difficult. And losing your only friend in this world! I never had a friend but being with Albert, I realized what I had caused to both of you. I never wanted to come between your friendship but it just happened. He was there for me and I always treated him like a friend but I don't know when it became more than that. I guess the fear of losing him too, made me act on my feelings. Or may be it was easier with him, that I could express myself freely. I don't know if it even makes sense but it seemed natural, at least then, it did. I was-"

"Mela, you don't have to explain," he assured still without looking in my eyes.

"I know. And I know I am blabbering. But I also know that it needs to be said. No, don't go," alarmed that he may actually leave when he tried to get up. He squirmed on his side, wriggling up to sit up with the support of the head rest. I sat up too, facing him with tension, the sheet slipping down to my waist but I wasn't bothered.

He didn't say anything but continued to stare at me as if weighing what I was about to say next. I stared back on tenterhooks, not knowing how to proceed. I wanted him to touch me, make me feel all right, give me strength to move on but I guess it was equally difficult for him too. I took a deep breath and said, "I know it is complicated and may be it should have never happened but I am not ashamed of my relationship with Albert. I do not regret loving him."

At this point, Norberto closed his eyes and I was worried I may have lost him with too much honesty. Drawing further close to him, I pressed myself into him and took his face in both my hands, "Listen to me. I loved Albert. A part of me will always love him." I felt him stiffening under my fingers but I couldn't falter now. "But what I feel for you, the way I burn for you, the way you occupy every waking and sleeping second of my life is something I have never experienced for anyone in my life. You are an ever consuming need that drives me to be with you, to pull you close, to feel you against my touch, I never felt like that for another man ever."