Huddled in each other's arms they were sitting on the couch. Marissa's body was trembling with each sob. His strong arms were squeezing her tightly into him maybe as an effort to take away all her pain.
He wanted to protect her from all the hurt she had faced and all the pain she had felt in the past. Her face was buried in his chest, and her tears were soaking his shirt as she whispered between choked breaths, "When I came here… I… I promised myself to never let you back into my life. Never let you see my vulnerable side. But see! Here we are. Here I am! Back to square one."
Rafael's heart ached when she shared those raw emotions in her voice, "I loved you, for who you were. There was no money involved. No hidden agenda was involved. I didn't have any ulterior motives. I just saw you talking to Val that day and knew I had fallen for you."