[Jimin's POV]
She didn't say anything as she stared at the shattered bits on the floor.
"Sera?" I asked again.
No answer.
Instead, she seemed to be so utterly petrified that she couldn't move. Her eyes quivered as she stared in front of her.
I followed her gaze to see what she was looking at.
The spilt puddle of water was slowly flowing between the floorboards.
It ate everything in its path.
The wood sizzled and disintegrated in its wake.
What the hell?
Suddenly, Sera jolted and ripped her body away from me.
She looked horrified.
Disgusted.
Then her eyes caught my confused ones, and she unravelled.
Gripping her shirt in her hands, she cried. Cried in absolute agony as she gasped out the words, "I'm sorry Jimin. I'm s-so sorry. I-" Her words were a blur between her sobs.
She looked tormented.
A jolt of sorrow pulsed through me.
I went to go embrace her, but she scuttled away.
I didn't know what was going on, but I didn't care.
Sera was the most important right now. I'd get the details later.
Forcefully, I pulled her into my arms.
She fought for a only a moment, but as soon as she touched my chest, her hands grabbed at my torso, holding on tightly.
I could almost feel the pain racking her body as she sobbed and shuddered.
"Sh sh, it's okay, Sera. It's okay," I whispered, stroking her hair and trying to calm her as best as I could.
When she finally could form cohesive words, she pulled away. Her tears still flowed.
Her tragic eyes met mine as she hiccuped. "I'm so sorry Jimin. I-I don't deserve you. I understand if you killed me right here, right now. I'd do it myself too-"
I cut her off. "Hey. Sera. Slow down. No one is getting killed," I said, taking her hands in mine.
Sure I was pretty shaken that I had almost died, again. But through this time, I had basically pieced together the story.
The only thing missing, was motive.
There was no way Sera would initiate an attempt on my life on her own.
So who did?
"Whatever it is, it's okay, Sera. I forgive you for whatever it is." She stared at me in bewilderment.
"How can you? I-I just tried to poison you. How could you forgive me for such a sin?" she lamented.
I could forgive her, because it was gone.
The mask was gone.
I knew she would be transparent now.
Plus, I stand by my words.
Sera would never hurt me. Ever.
"Because it's not your fault."
"B-but it is my fault."
I smiled and rubbed the back of her hands in a soothing manner.
"It isn't, Sera. No matter what it is, I know you wouldn't hurt me. You didn't in the end, didn't you? I'm still alive and well, am I not?" I said. "Plus, no matter what you do to me, I will always forgive you. Always."
She was at a loss for words.
We sat there, holding each other for a long time.
I started to think she had fallen asleep until she suddenly spoke out.
"My father," she mumbled.
"Hm?" I questioned in turn.
She slowly pulled away to sit up straight.
"M-my father. He-" she stopped herself. Closing her mouth, then opening it again. No sound came out.
"Hey, Sera. It's okay. Whatever it is, you can tell me," I whispered, placing my hands on her shoulders.
"B-but if he finds out... I don't know what he'd do." Her voice was barely audible.
I frowned. "What do you mean? Who will do what if they find out?"
She pressed her lips together and tightly grasped her elbows.
I had noticed she did that a lot.
"If I tell you... he might kill us," she whispered.
"Who is that?" I asked softly.
"I-I can't tell you. What if he-" I stopped her, placing a finger on her lips.
"Sera, look at me," I said. It took a moment, but her eyes slowly lifted to meet mine. "No matter what, I can protect you. I can protect the both of us. Nothing will hurt us. Not as long as I'm here. You don't have to worry, Sera. You can tell me."
"I-" she started but stopped to take a deep breath.
What she said next was the last thing I expected her to say.
"My father, he's the one behind all these attacks. He wants to dethrone you, for some reason. Maybe to take Islac for himself. H-he was the one who gave me the p-pill. It was last night when we went to visit Luke. My father... he's ab-busive. He's a cruel man. I was af-fraid that if I didn't do it, he'd find another way, a much worse way to e-end it. Oh Jimin, I'm such a coward. I'm so sorry," and again, tears started sliding down her cheeks.
My heart was crushed.
How could someone so soft, so kind and so caring hide such amounts of pain and hurt?
How could one bear all this alone?
And for that, I recognized how truly strong Sera was.
How strong she was for enduring it.
And how strong she was for telling me the truth.
In that moment, I promised to myself, whatever happened, I would not let go of her. I would protect her at all costs.
No matter what, I would keep her by my side.
Always.
"Oh my God, Sera," I said. I brought her forth back into my arms and I embraced her, communicating how pained I was for her. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all that by yourself."
She said nothing, just continued to cry.
"Oh Sera. I promise you now. No matter what happens, I will never leave you. I will do everything in my power to protect you."
"Always?" she mumbled.
I nodded.
"Always."
For the rest of the night, Sera and I spent the time together.
We took turns talking and listening.
She told me everything about her past. What kind of man her father was. Her relationships with her family.
In turn, I told her about my legacy. Who Lia was. How it all started.
What it was like to hold this much power in my hands.
In the darkness of twilight, we fell asleep, her pressed close to my chest with my arms around her.
Even though my heart wasn't there yet, my actions were.
But your heart always catches up to your actions.
So I knew we were on the right track to making this marriage real.
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