Abby pushed open the heavy front door of the mansion, the cool interior offering a stark contrast to the humid air outside. She dropped her bag on the hall table, her mind still buzzing from the intense business eting she had just returned from. She started to loosen her hair, her thoughts preoccupied with the day’s events, when she noticed an unusual silence in the house.
"Fredrick?" she called, expecting the butler to appear as he usually did. Instead, her call was t with silence. She stepped further into the house, her heels clicking against the marble floor. As she rounded the corner into the living room, she stopped abruptly, her breath catching in her throat.
There, standing by the grand piano, was Remo. His dark eyes t hers, and for a mont, neither of them moved.
"How did you get in?" Abby asked, her voice tinged with surprise and a hint of apprehension.
"Fredrick let in," Remo replied, his voice steady but his eyes betraying a depth of emotion she hadn’t seen in him before.
"Fredrick?" Abby echoed, her mind reeling. It was unlike Fredrick to let anyone in without her permission, especially Remo. The silence stretched between them, heavy and awkward. Abby shifted on her feet, unsure of what to say or do next.
Remo’s eyes road over her face, taking in every detail as if morizing it.
"I miss you," he blurted out, breaking the silence abruptly.
Abby’s eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth to speak but found no words. Her heart pounded in her chest, the raw emotion in Remo’s voice slicing through her defenses.
"I miss you, Abby," Remo repeated, his voice trembling slightly. He took a step closer, his eyes pleading. "Every day without you feels like a lifeti. I miss your laughter, your voice, your presence. I miss us."
Abby remained silent, her mind racing. mories of their last conversation flooded her. She had asked him if he loved her, and he had said no. The pain of his rejection had driven her away, leaving her heart in shambles.
"I know I hurt you," Remo continued, his voice breaking. "I know I said I didn’t love you, and it wasn’t true. I was scared, Abby. I was terrified of losing you."
Her eyes searched his, trying to understand. "Why, Remo? Why did you say that if it wasn’t true?"
He took a deep breath, his hands trembling. "Because of Izzy," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Abby’s face paled at the ntion of his ex-fiancée. Izzy had been a shadow in their relationship, a ghost that haunted Remo’s every step. "Izzy?"
Remo nodded, pain etched into his features. "When I lost Izzy, it shattered . I didn’t think I could survive that kind of loss again. And then you ca into my life, and everything changed. I fell for you, hard. But the fear of losing you, like I lost Izzy, it was too much. It paralyzed ."
Abby’s heart ached as she listened to him. "Why now, Remo? Why tell this now?"
His eyes t hers, filled with an emotion she had never seen before. "Because I can’t live without you. The thought of you not being in my life is more terrifying than anything else. I lied when I said I didn’t love you. I lied because I was a coward."
Tears welled up in Abby’s eyes, her emotions swirling in a chaotic storm. She wanted to reach out, to touch him, to comfort him, but the wound was still too fresh.
"There’s more," Remo said, his voice heavy with regret. "Izzy was pregnant when she died."
The room seed to spin around her. Abby’s face went even paler, a cold chill running down her spine. Guilt and sorrow twisted in her gut, making her feel sick.
"Remo," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I didn’t know."
He shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I never told anyone. I couldn’t bear the pain of it. Losing Izzy was hard enough, but knowing she was carrying our child... it destroyed ."
Abby’s heart broke for him, for the pain he had been carrying alone. "I’m so sorry, Remo," she said, her voice trembling.
He stepped closer, his eyes locked onto hers. "When you asked if I loved you, I panicked. All I could think about was the pain of losing Izzy and our baby. I didn’t want to feel that again. But pushing you away was the worst mistake of my life. I love you, Abby. I love you more than I can ever put into words."
Abby’s heart skipped a beat and she struggled to breathe.
He just said he loves .
He really said it, right?
Remo watched her intently, trying to read her reaction, but she was stunned.
"Please, say it again," she whispered. Remo’s eyes softened, his tension lting away as he stepped closer to her. His hand reached out, hesitating for a mont before gently cupping her cheek. She leaned into his touch, the warmth of his palm grounding her in the reality of his words.
"I love you," he repeated, his voice a soft, steady reassurance. "I’ve been a fool, trying to deny it, trying to protect myself from the pain of losing you. But I can’t keep pretending. You’re everything to , Abby."
Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over as she looked into his earnest face. The walls she had built around her heart began to crumble, piece by piece, as his words sank in. "Remo," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I never thought I’d hear you say that."
His thumb brushed away her tears, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I know, and I’m so sorry for the pain I’ve caused you. I thought pushing you away would protect us both, but all it did was hurt us. I can’t lose you, Abby. Not now, not ever."
Abby’s tears flowed freely now, her heart aching with a mix of love and sorrow. She reached out, her hand trembling, and touched his cheek. "I love you too, Remo," she whispered. "But you hurt so much."
He covered her hand with his, his touch warm and tender. "I know, and I’m so sorry. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you’ll let . Just don’t leave . I can’t lose you too."
Abby looked into his eyes, seeing the depth of his sincerity and the pain he had been carrying. She took a deep breath, feeling the walls around her heart begin to crumble. "Promise , Remo. Promise you’ll never push away again."
"I promise," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I promise I’ll never let fear drive us apart again."
She nodded, a small, tentative smile forming on her lips. "Then let’s start over. Together."
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