Chapter 108 - 107

"I had just taken over the business from my father at that time. People thought I was an easy target, that they could easily destroy me. It was hard to prove myself when all they did was try to bring me down every chance they got. 

One of my business partners, Peter, had been so power-hungry that he killed his own brother to get his position, and I was next on his list. They had drugged me, but he gave himself away when he signaled one of the waiters to execute his plan. 

So I pretended to be drugged so I could wait for their next step. But when they took me to the bedroom where they were supposed to kill me the next day, you were there. I've never been attracted to anybody in my life the way I was attracted to you that night.

I tried to leave but you kept on coming onto me and your sweet voice got me intoxicated. It was worse than the drug they gave me. I could not control myself, and even though I know it was wrong I did it anyway. My plan was to take responsibility for my actions and marry you when you woke up.

The next day I stationed a guard outside your door while I took care of Peter, I surprised him in the same room he was supposed to kill me in. But when my guard heard the gunshot, he ran to me and that's when you slipped out. Peter had disabled all the cameras to cover his crimes, so there was no evidence anywhere of your existence.

I searched for you like a maniac for the past 5 years, and I was surprised when you came to me as Gabe's doctor. Finally, the heavens were smiling down upon me.

It was so difficult to convince you to be with me, and just like my other secrets, this one needed to be kept. I love you Aurora and I cannot live without you," he explained as his face bore the weight of the most disgusting crime he had committed in his life. 

Aurora remembered what had happened the day after, she was so embarrassed that she had a one-night stand that she left the city right after she got away from the hotel. 

He begged when she didn't say anything, "Please believe me. I know I gave in to my urges and it started out all wrong, but you cannot question my love for you. I have never been with anyone all these years, the memory of you plagued me so bad that I only had to have you or no one else.

I know you went into this relationship with Enzo in mind, but I wanted you to fall in love with me too. So when you told me why you said yes I was afraid to tell you the real truth. Would you have said yes if I told you I gave in to my urges that night because I could not resist you? You made my heart race as nobody else could, and just when I thought I would forever be alone, the heavens threw you at me. I just couldn't let you go,"

She looked at him calmly, "I want you to leave me here at my parent's house, you can go home now. I need time for myself," she lowered her eyes, afraid that if she kept looking at him she would just forget everything and run into his arms. She was conflicted. Why did her life have to be so hard? She had managed to get herself away as far from him while they were talking, she wanted to lock herself in the bathroom and wallow in her sorrows, but Dimitri had other plans. 

Dimitri stalked towards her,  as he trapped her between by the wall. "You want to run away from me? To forget about me?" one handheld her waist, while the other cupped her face, "Tell me, why do you want to torture me like this?" He kissed her neck as his hands roamed over her body. He missed her so much the past few days that he can't keep his hands away from her.

"Sweetheart, don't do this to me... To us. I'm trying to do everything to make you happy. You are the only woman I love and will love for the rest of my life. Tell me what I need to do to make it right. Just think about Enzo if we get separated. You said it yourself, he's changed since I came into your life, will you take that away from him?" he was grasping at straws, using all his resources just to plead his case.

"Now that you found your family you don't want me anymore?" he propped his head on her shoulder, defeated, "Will that one mistake overshadows everything that I've been doing to prove to you that I love you?

"Let me go, Dimitri, you're crushing me… you're hurting me," she tried to squirm away from his embrace.

"What about you... This is hurting me... Please, Aurora, I beg of you. Please don't leave me," he pleaded. He looked so vulnerable that she could not resist her anger from melting.

"Do you truly love me?" she looked into his eyes.

"More than life itself. I would die if I lost you now," he stared right back. Trying to convey all his feelings with that one look, "Do you doubt me?"

She shook her head no as she hugged him. 

Everything he told her was true, his actions made up for his one lie, and even though she was very mad at what happened, she could not deny the fact that this man in front of her begging for her to take him back was the love of her life. Just like him, she could not bear for them to part.

Whatever decision they made would greatly affect Enzo, and she knew how important it was for her to have her family together. With both of them together, Enzo had transformed from a shy, scared little boy to a confident, outgoing happy one. If they separated now, he might not grow into the man he was supposed to be.

As she hugged Dimitri, she thought back on what happened and decided what's done is done. She will now move forward and forget everything that made her life miserable.

He was relieved, now that they got all their skeletons out of the closet, he was ready to move forward. 

That night he made love to Aurora like it was their last time together. Much more passionate than he had ever before, and with enough gentleness to make her sigh and ask for more. He could not sleep even after they've made love several times, afraid that as soon as he closed his eyes, she would be gone.

"Sweetheart, I would burn the world before I even let you go," he kissed her forehead, the thought of her missing from his life really scared him. And as he wrapped his arms around her, laying her head on his chest he promised to be together with her for eternity.