Dinner And A Show
"I can't have children," I said, and his eyes widened.
"What?"
"I can't have kids. I've thought about telling you for so long, but I was selfish because I didn't want to ruin what we have. I'm sorry," I cried. He just knelt there, looking at me in confusion.
"I told you about the abortion. When Joshua found out I was pregnant, he convinced me to terminate it with traditional medicine, saying we weren't ready for kids." I swallowed hard. "That was the worst mistake of my life—the most painful experience."
"I refused at first, but he insisted, and I gave in. I took the medicine, but I couldn't stop bleeding for days. I was in excruciating pain. We went to the hospital, and the doctor confirmed that my womb was damaged." I sobbed, and he stood up, his head hung low. I guessed he was too ashamed to look at me. I was ashamed to look at myself.
"I'm sorry for not telling you. I know how much you want to leave an heir to manage the legacy your parents left you." The tears kept flowing, no matter how many times I wiped them away.
"Bunny," he whispered. I hiccupped, turned, and ran to my room, locking the door. I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I didn't think I would ever be ready to hear it. My heart tightened, and I threw myself onto the bed, crying.
With the joy of being with him, I had forgotten how disgusting I was. I had dragged him into this relationship without telling him the truth. I had brought him nothing but pain. I hadn't told him I was Rose when we first met. I hadn't told him I had a damaged womb. He must see me as the world's biggest liar.
Every good thing has an end. I guess this is the end of my happiness. I walked to the mirror and looked at myself. I couldn't believe how dim I looked. Just this morning, I had been glowing like the brightest star, and now, I looked like a night without a moon or stars.
A slight knock on the door made me gasp.
"Please, you don't need to say the words. I can't bear it. Just give me time to gather myself. I will leave the house," I cried.
"Why don't you want to hear the words?" he asked.
"Because if I don't hear them, I can still deceive myself that we had a great vacation and it simply had to end," I sniffled.
"So it was all just a vacation to you?" His voice rose, forcing us to yell to hear each other. His words stung because he sounded hurt that I had reduced everything to just a vacation.
"I'm so sorry. These weeks with you have been the best weeks of my life. You gave me a lifetime in such a short time, and for that, I am grateful. I will forever love you," I sobbed, and he remained silent.
"People don't lock the person they love out of their room," he finally said.
"Had this door not been so strong, I would have broken it down the moment I got here."
I knew he would have. Thank God for that. I heard his retreating footsteps, and the emptiness engulfed me. I sighed and hesitantly went to check the door.
"Caught you." He smirked the moment I cracked the door open, making me jump back in surprise.
"Alfa..." His name left my lips in shock.
"One and only." He grinned, his savage side emerging—the same one I had seen that day in the garage.
"You're a piece of work, Bunny. You dropped a bomb on me and didn't even wait to hear what I had to say." He walked toward the bed, and I sat down, defeated.
"Why bother when I already know the answer?" I mumbled, looking away.
"I should really punish you," he sighed, then knelt in front of me, placing his hands on my lap. "You really don't get it, do you? I said you are my beginning and my end."
I was forced to meet his gaze, and the only thing reflected in his eyes was the truth. It took my breath away.
"I'm asking you to marry me, not because of a bunch of kids. I'm asking you to marry me because I have no life without you. I want to look at you seventy years from now and still feel young. I know it's impossible to live without you." He lifted his hand to my cheek, and the spark I had felt on Mr. Collins' birthday ignited once again—the same spark I had always felt whenever he touched me.
"I'm asking you to marry me because you moan at every touch of mine, and you're the only person I can brag to."
"But I want babies," I cried, and he scoffed.
"Bunny, if you want babies that much, we can adopt a bunch of kids and give them my last name—as long as you accept to bear the weight of that name."
He really wanted me.
"It might be difficult because I might turn into an old witch who kills whatever she touches," I joked through my tears.
He wiped them away gently. "It might be difficult, true. But it's impossible to live without you. I love you. Isn't that enough?"
I felt like the villain for denying him his happiness.
"I love you, too." I threw myself into his arms, weeping. He broke off the hug just enough to slide a ring onto my finger.
"Also, I asked you to marry me because no one else is worthy of my mother's ring. It's quite expensive, you know."
I gasped, feeling the weight of wearing the same ring his mother had worn. Would I ever be able to fill her role?
"It's perfect," I whispered, deciding to start having more faith in myself and to live my life with Alfa.
"Luckily, I didn't propose to you in public like in most romantic movies. I wouldn't have been able to live down the shame."
I shook my head. "You know I wouldn't have loved a public proposal."
"Yes, that's why I did it with just the two of us. But now, the news will go viral."
"How?" I asked. I was already becoming a public figure just because he had introduced me as his girlfriend.
"All I need to do is send our picture to Isabelle, showing the ring. She'll definitely make it go viral. Don't worry, I'll send her a picture after you've tidied yourself up." He stood up, grinning.
"Thanks," I murmured, grateful for everything he had done for me.
"Well, your punishment awaits. You have to cook dinner wearing nothing but an apron." He smirked, and I gasped.
We always punished each other whenever we did something wrong. Last week, I had locked him outside wearing nothing but his boxers while I walked around the room in nothing but his shirt. He had watched me through the glass door, swearing to pay me back.
"How can you think of such a thing?" I asked, feigning disgust.
"Ha! You messed me up last week. Now it's my turn." He laughed maniacally. "Dinner and a show—oh yeah!" He danced out of the room, yelling, "Be fast, Bunny! I'm famished!"
I smiled. His wish was my command. But I had to think of an even better punishment for him.
After dinner, I would tell my family.
I guess God had given me my happily ever after.