Author Pov
"I wanted to throw a party for you. A royal celebration but then I remembered." He paused turning his eyes towards her. Kissing her cheek he continued.
"My wife is really a simple person and she will definitely not like being a center of attention. That's why I decided to arrange this simple lunch for us." He said finally releasing her from his hug.
Hazel just stared at the decoration with blank eyes. She did use to celebrate her birthday with her parents and after them with her aunt. But she was more surprised to see how much he knows about her. She indeed hates royal celebrations where too many people will give her attention. She always preferred a simple birthday.
Her eyes flickered in surprise when she saw the dishes placed on the table. All of them were covered except for cake and a plate of cupcakes. It has several kinds of flavors.
She looked up at him who carefully lighten the candle and smiled at her motioning her to cut the cake. She walked near the table only for the wind to wipe away the fire from the candle. Cyrus glared at the cake before again lightening it up.
And again wind did its work making the psycho angrier. "Fucking hell!" He cursed again starting the lighter but this time even the fire on the lighter got wiped away.
He was about to smash the cake when Hazel held his wrist with her tiny palm. He snapped his burning gaze towards her finding her already looking at him with uncertain eyes.
"Let me." She whispered motioning him to hand her the lighter. Gulping his anger down he handed her the lighter but not before glaring at the candle.
She stepped forward and wrapped her one small palm around the candle making a wall. She slowly lightens up the candle and it happened again, the wind wiped the fire off twice but she didn't stop trying making him stare at her with surprise. He couldn't understand how can she be so calm. All he wanted was to grab the cake and threw it off the balcony. But seeing how she was trying to light it up even after failing again and again. He decided to bury his anger and annoyance for her.
Leaning down to her level he wrapped his large palm around the candle making another wall around it. Hazel looked right into his eyes finding his face extremely closer to her. He gestured for her to light it up and she did successfully.
He didn't move his hands away and taking the cue Hazel blew the candle making him finally smile in relief. "Happy birthday sweetheart." He whispered still staying at the same spot holding her hands in his around the candle.
Hazel stared into his eyes for a few seconds before blinking her eyes and hesitantly pulling her hands away from his. Cyrus also blinked coming out of his daze. He straightened his back and grabbed the knife extending to her.
Hazel cut the cake and placed a piece on the plate extending to him. Cyrus chuckled deeply shaking his head. "I don't like sweets." With that, he took a seat on the chair making her pull the plate back.
She took two bites of the cake before placing the rest of the cake securely on the plate. He stared at her with soft eyes. He watched how her eyes kept on moving back to the cupcakes. A small smile appeared over his lips watching her look so hesitant. God! she's adorable.
"Everything on this table is your darling. Eat anything you want." Hazel gulped before giving up on her temptation and grabbing a chocolate cupcake. She started nibbling on it while Cyrus did nothing except watch her.
He was hungry but watching her seems more important to him right now. She finished the first cupcake and was about to grab another when he witnessed her going still for a second. She covered the lid of the cupcakes before opening the other dishes.
He saw an obvious surprise in her eyes and he couldn't blame her after all she must be surprised to see how he knows about her every favorite dish. Everything on the table was her favorite and he didn't get to know about her likings through any of his men instead his attention and observation of her made him understand her likings and dislikes.
And guess what? She likes everything he dislikes and what he likes she dislikes. Cyrus always hated tomato soup, garlic bread, and lasagna. But his wife loves tomato soup and garlic bread. He has seen her eating them for her lunch and sometimes for dinner as well.
Her favorite drink was a strawberry milkshake. Don't know what her obsession with strawberries is? But after seeing how much she loves them he specifically asked Analise to never let the fridge be empty of strawberries.
No one can actually catch him observing her all the time. That's why it was surprising for Hazel to see everything being her favorite. She filled the plate with tomato soup and garlic bread before extending it to Cyrus. He smiled at her shaking his head.
"It's all yours. I will have the sandwiches you made for me." He exclaimed making her stare at him bewildered.
He walked inside the office and brought the lunch box she packed for him. There was a bottle of juice and three sandwiches for him along with some seasoned salad. She gulped pulling the plate back and placing it in front of her.
"You don't like these?" Cyrus looked at her gulping the sandwich.
"Even if I would have liked them. I still prefer the food made by your hand. Nothing can match it." She dropped her eyes down taking a sip of her shake.
She didn't know what was wrong with him? But his words were weird. They both ate their food in comfortable silence. Hazel didn't miss how he kept on glancing at her and she knew even if she caught him staring at her he wouldn't look away or feel shy after all he was almighty shameless Cyrus Sylvester.
They finished the food and Cyrus asked the workers to clean the table. They both stayed sitting in the same spot in silence. Hazel stared at the beautiful view in front of his balcony while Cyrus watched an enchanting view in front of him. She wasn't even wearing something special. She looked just like she does every day but today he just wanted to stare at her. To spend his time with her.
"Are you still scared of me?" Her head snapped to him hearing his words. She had no idea what to answer him.
Yes, she was scared of him, his intimacy, and the fear of him touching her still scares her but at the same time, she doesn't fear him the way she used to. Maybe because he has stopped forcing himself on her. Once even the thought of him being near her used to scare her but now it seems different. His presence doesn't scare her but his touch does.
Raising her eyes to his she slowly nodded her head. "Yes." Cyrus inhaled a sharp breath looking away from her. The obvious despise in her eyes once again brought an uncomfortable feeling to his chest.
"What scares you?" He mumbled looking at the beautiful view.
"I have stopped forcing you, I am doing everything in me to not hurt you, or let my anger issues rule over me around you. Then why? What scares you?" His question earned a small chuckle from her making him look at her.
"It's so easy for you to say this right?" She raised her sad eyes to him.
"No! It's not easy for me to stop myself. It's not easy for me to not be the ruthless monster I was raised to be. It's not me Hazel. I am not the man I am trying to be around you for the past month." He paused inhaling a sharp breath.
"I still have a desire for you, I still want to touch you, I still want to cage you, but when I see how uncomfortable you are, when I feel how stiff you become when you're in my arms I don't feel right. It's really not me. Still, I am trying. I really am." After his words for a few seconds, silence fell in the room making her just stare at him.
"And what do you want me to do with your tries? What are you expecting from me after saying all of this?" Cyrus licked his lips gulping down.
He has no idea why he was feeling nervous right now? Cyrus Sylvester who never even felt the slightest uncertainty while dealing with people was having a hard time communicating with this fragile woman.
"I know what I am going to ask for will be hard for you but I want it, Hazel. I need it." He looked right into her confused eyes.
"Forgive me."
Just like that everything went blank. The horrifying silence engulfed the balcony. Only light noise of the wind was being heard. Hazel's lips parted in shock while Cyrus was breathing unevenly. This wasn't him he knew. He was taught to never apologize. He was raised being a perfect man. He never made even the tiniest mistake after becoming a mob boss and a successful businessman. He wasn't familiar with such words and traits but over the past month, he was losing himself.
Even after all the things he did to her she still cried for him even though he knew she cried for that innocent boy but it was still enough for him to hope. The night he spent hugging her. That night, he lost his mind once again but for the first time after so many years he calmed down without harming himself was something new to him.
His grandfather and father always taught him one thing. Never trust a woman. And every woman that entered his life was either a gold digger or a psycho. That's why when Hazel entered his world he was left baffled seeing such innocence and naivety in a woman.
The first emotion he felt for her wasn't lust, it was admiration, but it changed to lust right away. His egoistic and insecure mind wanted to prove that she was the same. After getting him and his luxury she will turn to another Ella but she didn't. Even after he gave her everything she didn't change and the only thing he saw in her eyes each time he stared at them was.
Innocence. That sinless innocence successfully attracted a sinner but even after his every try to taint that innocence he was lost. Lost by her without her doing anything.
He wanted her forgiveness, and he knew only her Forgiveness can make him hope for her to accept him. Even if it will take a long time for her to accept him he will try because now Cyrus Sylvester doesn't just want her. He needs her. She has become someone to him he can't even think of living without.
"Forgiveness?" She mumbled in utter shock. Cyrus stared at her for a second but then a small chuckle left her lips as she shook her head in pure disbelief.
"This word doesn't seem right coming from you." Cyrus chuckled looking at her.
" I know. Just like I said it's not me Hazel. But I want to become like this. And it can only happen if I will be able to earn your forgiveness. Because I know you will try to accept me only after you will forgive me." Hazel suddenly rubbed her forehead in disbelief.
"Forgiveness? Accept you? You said it's not easy for you but you think it's a joke for me right? My life is a joke for you, a toy you can put in a play as you wish right." Cyrus opened his mouth to say something but Hazel continued.
"Tell me one thing you have done to earn my forgiveness. Tell me one thing you have done for me to accept you. Tell me! You're not doing any favor to me by stopping yourself from forcing me again." Cyrus gulped breaking the eye contact.
"You just want your own solace that's why you want my forgiveness. It's never about me, it's always about you. You have never done anything that could make me forgive the sin you have committed. So never expect me to accept you just because you're trying to change will never change the horrible memories I have lived because of you." With that, she stood up walking inside the office.
She took only two steps in when her wrist got grabbed by his large palm roughly jerking her back against him. She collided against his rock chest looking up in his burning gaze. And again she didn't get scared of him instead she just felt tired. She didn't struggle or try to get him off her she just stayed still being attached to him looking in his eyes.
"I know I can't change those memories I engraved in your mind! But I just want your forgiveness, just one chance to prove that I can be a better man. A man who will deserve you." He twisted her arm behind her back not in a painful manner but only to restrict her body to stay still against his.
He pulled her closer placing his other palm over her cheek and looking down into her eyes. Hazel witnessed desperation, and plead in his eyes. Something she never have witnessed in his eyes before.
"Just one chance. We are married. Let's give this marriage a chance. Give me a chance. Just one chance." She knew she shouldn't say what she was going to say next but right now he needed to know how she feels.
"I know I shouldn't say this but tell me one thing, Cyrus." She mumbled looking in his eyes and making him nod.
"Can you forgive Camile and your father?"
Her words fell over him like a flash ripping him into several pieces.
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Yes! I am back. And now I will only stop this story after completing it. And for those who want me to end fast. I already mentioned this many times.
I want to make this story a little realistic. I mean it's a dark romance so of course, it wouldn't be fully realistic maybe there will be some events fantasized. But I want to make it as realistic as I could and for that, I need time and more chapters to portray it. I mentioned before this book is lengthy and the longest among my other books. So if you're not into long books then this book might not be for you.
There is a lot of story still left. Cyrus's Redemption and regret phase has started in the past few chapters and I want to make it equal. In the chapters, he hurt Hazel he should be hurt as well in the same amount of chapters. And that's what I want to do.
So don't forget to follow me on Instagram it's mirah_selim.
Till the next adios