บท 31: Love and Freedom

"Shit! You! I'll deal with you later!" He exclaimed before running out of the library to follow Nina.

She went directly to their bedroom and decided to pack her things. Her family was staying in Andrew's house so she wasn't really sure where to go.

She didn't notice she was already crying. Her heart was being crushed from the inside. She would be lying to herself if she would pretend that she wasn't affected. She was hurt. She was jealous. She wanted Andrew all to herself. She wasn't willing to share him with anyone, even to a friend.

"Nina, let me explain. Can you at least listen to me?" Andrew said when he went inside the room and found her packing her things.

She glared at him, not embarrassed to show him how hurt she was. She didn't care anymore because her heart was in pain.

"Are you going to tell me that Missy is your sister? Why don't you just admit it? You will never change. You will always be that playboy who would fuck any woman!" She yelled.

"What? After all that I have shown you, you still couldn't give me your trust?" He asked slightly pissed.

She stood up and faced him.

"I will never trust you." She answered.

But inside her heart, she was hurt because she trusted him. She just couldn't tell him because she was too scared.

"Then what's the sense of asking me to fall in love with you? That stupid deal of yours, it will never happen if one of us do not even trust the other. Nina, love without trust, it wasn't love at all. How could you think that I am having an affair with Missy? She's your friend." He said, looking at her directly.

She didn't answer. She just realized that he was right. Missy was not that kind of girl. She wasn't just a personal guard of Peggy, she was a friend. And Missy wouldn't allow Andrew to touch her.

Her tears wouldn't stop falling. She was suddenly embarrassed by her reaction.

"I-I'm sorry. I was hurt when I saw you touching her."

"Why?" He asked.

She looked at him then averted her eyes again. She was scared that Andrew would figure out her feelings.

"Because you promised me. You said you won't touch any other woman and that you are satisfied with me." She answered, still not looking into his eyes.

"You said you don't trust me and you don't have any feelings towards me. Then why are you crying? Why were you hurt? Is it really because of your pride again? I'm tired of this game Nina. You never took back the deal you made with me. You couldn't even give me a little trust. I intend to keep my promise. I will never cheat on you. But I don't think that's the problem, you're scared and I don't know what I should do for you to completely trust me. Nina, I love you. I am in love with you." He suddenly said.

She was surprised by the sudden confession from Andrew. She just stood there, eyes widened. Her heart was pounding so fast that she felt like she couldn't breathe.

He finally said what he wanted to say. It wasn't the confession he had imagined. He was thinking of bringing her to a more romantic place. And he didn't expect that he would say it while they were in an argument. But he felt like this would just go on if he would wait for her to say it first. He wasn't also sure if Nina felt the same way.

He sighed deeply when he saw her frozen. He was really getting tired of their game. He wanted it to end and just give Nina her freedom.

"Nina, I want you. I want your trust, your love. I want your heart. I want your everything. But if you cannot give that to me, I think we should just break up. I know you were forced to be with me because of the debt. From now on, you don't owe me anything. You won. I'm giving you your freedom." He continued.

His voice was gentle and it was sad. Hearing him like that gave her heart more pain. She saw her turn around and walk away from her. She touched her chest trying to figure out what she really felt towards him.

He said she was free. That means, she could be with her family. She could go far away from Andrew. They would just see each other if they hang out with their friends. She could do whatever she wanted. She doesn't need to marry him anymore.

She won from the deal she made with him. He said he loved her first so she won and he needed to do everything she asked.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and started packing her things. She took her old clothes and left the new ones that Andrew brought for her. She bit her lips and took a deep breath before setting her foot out of the estate.

It was three in the morning when Andrew came back to their bedroom. He knew that Nina left already. It was already midnight when she left. He didn't worry since Luke's driver took her to her family.

He sighed. All he did was sigh after leaving Nina in their bedroom. He didn't really want to let her go. He wanted to actually force himself to her but he felt like it was what she wanted. He couldn't tie her up anymore. He was truly in love with her.

"Just my luck. I got dumped by my first love. She didn't even give me a chance and left me alone. She really wanted to stay away from me." He was talking to himself loudly.

"How about I help you?"

He was startled when he saw Missy standing by the door, walking towards him with just her night gown on.