Bab 16: Second chance

"Wow!" Dunice exclaimed.

"This place is so beautiful and refreshing," Dunice added as she looked around in awe.

Alex was looking at her and enjoying her expression, she looked cute and he was glad he brought her here.

"Over there!" Alex said, pointing to the other end of the stream and Dunice's gaze followed him.

Alex and Dunice wandered along the bank of the stream, drawn to a pair of small rocks that seemed to welcome them with open arms.

They sat down, allowing the cool breeze to brush against their skin, and the soothing sound of the stream to fill their ears. The sun hung low in the sky, painting the horizon with a palette of fiery oranges and yellows. In that moment, it was as if time had stopped, and the world around them was at peace. They were content to simply be together, savoring the simple beauty of the moment.

Alex's words hung in the air for a moment, before he finally spoke again.

"You did so well today. I'm proud of you. You're strong, and you're capable of anything you put your mind to."

"Hmm" Dunice simply hummed in response, lost in thought.

"I'm curious," she finally said.

"what brought you to this place in the first place? Why did you come here?"

Alex paused, considering his answer.

"This place... it's special to me. It's where I feel the most at peace. It's a place where I can just be myself, without any expectations or judgment," Alex said.

"I first discovered this place when I was around 15 years old," Alex continued.

"And it hasn't changed a bit. It's like a little pocket of the world that's frozen in time. The same trees, the same stream, the same sky. It's like a secret place, hidden away from the rest of the world." Alex added his eyes, capturing the environment.

Dunice couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity.

"Have you brought many people here?" she asked.

"No," Alex replied, shaking his head.

"You're the first. It's my little secret, and now it's yours too."

Dunice's heart couldn't help but flutter when she heard that she was the first person he brought to his special and secret place.

"Alex, thank you," Dunice began.

"For protecting me. I thought you hated me, but now I see that you were only trying to keep me safe. I never realized how much you cared." Dunice said, her eyes fixed on the horizon.

****

After the dinner the other day, when Dunice invited Alex to her room he told her about how Douglas was after her Life.

"Douglas never liked me. He wanted everything I had, and he would have done anything to get it. He knew that I was beginning to feel something for you, and he wanted to get you out of my life, no matter what it took."

"I had to pretend I didn't care and just let you go after our contract marriage. For the safety of you and your family. I didn't want to drag you into my mess," He said as pain flashed through his eyes.

Dunice could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"I'm so sorry," Dunice said. "It's okay now I'm here," she said as she moved closer to Alex and took him in her embrace.

That night Dunice and Alex made plans on how the press conference should go and finally they came to the conclusion that they were ready to reveal Alix's identity to the public to prevent more scandals in future.

While listening to him that night it looked like he had more to say but he decided to leave it but she told herself that she wasn't going to push him and she'll just wait for him to talk about it when he was ready.

Dunice looked at him, her eyes shining with gratitude. "You were there for me, even when I didn't realize it. You helped me, even when I pushed you away. I don't know how to thank you." Dunice said as she looked at him.

"What's the reason Douglas hates you? He's your uncle after all," Dunice asked curiously.

"Douglas killed my mother," Alex said, his voice low and full of emotion.

"What!" Dunice gasped.

"Wait!-" "You don't have a mother?"Dunice asked.

What of Mrs Lopez? Dunice asked again and Alex just stared at her with a helpless smile on his face.

"Oh! She's your step mother!" Dunice exclaimed as realization struck her.

"Yes," Alex nodded.

"My mother died when I was only ten, and I witnessed her death," Alex added.

"Or should I say murdered" Alex said as he turned to look at Dunice.

Before Dunice realized what she was doing she had wrapped her arms around Alex, holding him close to her. He rested his head on her shoulder, and she could feel him shaking slightly.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, as she stroked his hair.

"It's not your fault," he said softly. "You didn't do anything wrong."

They sat like that for a while, wrapped in each other's embrace, until Alex's breathing began to slow and his body relaxed. When she was sure he was asleep, Dunice gently lifted him and placed him back on the bed, covering him with a blanket.

She stared at his sleeping face and pulled away the strands of hair that had come to settle on his forehead. At that moment she really felt like taking all the things troubling him away

Back to present…..

"Dunice," Alex called softly and looked away from the sky to face him.

"Can you give me one more chance to right my wrongs?" Alex asked.

Dunice couldn't believe she was finally hearing this, she has been waiting for God knows how long for him to ask for a second chance. After getting to know more about him, her desire to be with him became stronger.

"Can we take things slowly?" She asked him.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" Alex asked, not believing his ears.

"I have forgiven you a long time ago," Dunice chuckled.

"We can start all over again, as if we just met," Dunice said her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"Thank you" Alex whispered and just then his lips crashed into hers.