Chapter 193 - Protect

"I have someone I love with my whole heart! Not only that, I can go beyond any limit to stay by his side... That's bigger my love is for him... without any boundaries..." Chugging down the remaining portion of the scotch poured in her glass, she proclaimed in a firm tone, glancing straight in his awestruck gaze. Though she mumbled out quite aloud and bold, there remained a void of emptiness profused in her dark, wide brown eyes. 

For a moment, Eric sat still facing her all numb and silent hearing her honest declaration. He seemed to be at a loss of words, fidgeting his arm and breathing quite heavily. 

"Look, I didn't want to be involved with you in the first place. I could have left from here without giving you any explainable reason...but I didn't want to give you any false hope to hold onto. I guess, my answer should be enough for you to give up on me---"

"No." Before she could enunciate her words completely, he answered in a sonorous low pitch, lowering his eyes down from her at the table. 

"Huh? What?"

"I won't give up on you." He rustled his opinion softly.

His answer was completely unexpected for Ivory to process in! She was startled, numb for a while, and continued glaring at him with her fiery gaze. "Hey, are you really stupid or you are just trying to play dumb right now?" She snapped.

"I believe...your love isn't reciprocated by that person...isn't it?" A small smirk appeared on his glum eloquence as he slowly lifted his chin to look deep into her eyes. 

Apprehending his sincere soft voice, a tinge of sharp throbbing pain stirred into her heart silently. Her words stuck in her mouth, for a moment she even forgot to breathe in and rested still like a statue. He could easily point out her deep pain in such a smooth manner. That's what surprised her from the core as after a moment of pause she stuttered out, "wh-what?"

"If you had been loved by that person back, your eyes wouldn't have been so empty and cold." His whispering mild voice echoed in the gentle ambiance while he was lost deep in her wide sad eyes. "Besides, you haven't been drinking here all alone if that's not the case." 

"Wh-What rubbish you are...bl-blabbering out?" Swirling her dilated pupils while trying to suppress her grief inside, she tried to oppose his words in a fidgety manner.

"He might be your first love...but...I intend to be your last love...no matter how long we can be together next to each other. And, I mean it." Holding a bold small smile on his face he crossed his arms over his chest, resounding quite firm. 

Clenching her fist, a rush of emotional turbulence swooned her inside as she sat still, fixing her scowling glare at him. The more she was getting vexed, the more he seemed tranquilized. 

"I know...I may sound too desperate...but...I believe I still do have a chance for you. If...the person you love reciprocates your feelings, I promise, I will walk out of your life without any budge.

But...if that's not the case... let me stay beside and love you with all I have." His warm declaration echoed like a blissful melody amidst the serene ambiance where they were sitting facing each other. The smile he had on his face widened further which indicated his emotions were truly sincere for her. 

"Wh...What the heck..." Awe-struck at his passionate confession, with a sudden jolt she stood up from her seat looking quite perplexed from her eloquence. As she stood up, Eric quickly followed her action and rose from his seat too. 

"You have lost your darn mind! Who the heck are you to decide about my life? Stop daydreaming because...it's never gonna happen! And stop chasing after me before I break your limbs!" Grumbling with an intense low pitch, she steadily turned around and tried to walk away from him in the direction towards the exit. 

But as she took forward a few steps from him all of a sudden, he dashed towards her speedily and groped her arms from behind, pulling her back towards him with a heavy jolt. 

With the sudden rush, both of them lost their balance to stand still. Both of them bumped down on the ground with Ivory, being completely shocked at his action landed over Eric's chest as he held her tight in his arms. 

"Hey, you freak---"

CRASHHHHH!! RUMBLE! TRINGGG!! DRUMMM!

Before she could shout at him, in the flick of a second, the giant chandelier which was hung at the center of the bar crashed down on the ground shattering the crystal lights into pieces, scattering all around the floor! The noise was extremely thrilling! Deadpanned in shock, all the workers gathering around them quickly. Just for a fraction of a second difference, Eric saved her from facing such a dreadful accident groping her in his arms, laying down on the ground. 

As he tried to save her by pulling back, while bumping down on the ground, Ivory had heard a loud thud sound. It was Eric who had hit the back of his head hard on the ground while trying to protect her from hitting the ground with his body as a shield. 

"OH MY GOSH! SIR! MA'AM! ARE YOU BOTH ALRIGHT! OH GOODNESS!" Screaming out aloud in fear, the manager rushed towards them trembling in angst. "HELP THEM TO GET UP! QUICK!!" He shrilled at the workers.

Squirming inside his arms, Ivory slowly raised her head to sneak a glance at Eric. Her head was throbbing quite hard with the unexpected ruckus caused by the accident but she was curious about him a bit. 

As she rose her head up from his chest, she saw Eric was breathing quite deeply with his eyes closed halfway. His face had turned quite pale and both of his brows were twitching involuntarily. 

"Hey...Hey? You...okay?" Quivering slowly, she asked him. 

"At...At least...you...are safe...." Mumbling under heavy breath with a small shaky simper on his lips, slowly he closed his eyes appearing to be losing his consciousness!

"You...You are still worried about me? Are...Are you nuts? O...Open your eyes! Why did you have to shield me like that? What the fuck? Hey, you jerk? Don't die like this..." Panicked to watch him going all motionless, she tapped his jowls a few times with her fingertips trying to wake him up. But it was of no use despite her several attempts.

He indeed had lost his complete senses and within a few seconds interval, the emergency medical help arrived.

....

After coming out of the shower wearing a soft white bathrobe, Eva was gently wiping her water dripping wet hair humming a blissful melody. As soon as she stepped into the room, to her surprise, it was empty with Zeus being not present there. 

Curiously glancing all around her, she frowned her eyebrows. He didn't tell her prior about leaving somewhere else but his sudden absence somewhat puzzled her a little.

"Now...where has he gone? He didn't even tell me anything about leaving--" 

Her whining voice trailed off when her gaze locked on the big basket which was placed on the top of the table beside the bunch of roses. The basket was covered with a silk linen cloth and curiously, she walked towards it.

Slowly, she removed the cloth and gasped in awe to witness the sight. Beautiful red silk embroidered gown was placed inside of it with a small handwritten letter. She picked the dress up in her arms and continued to read the letter.

"My love,

Here's a small present for you from me. After finishing up your shower, wear this gown and come meet me at the beachside. I will be waiting there for you...

Don't make me wait too long... I am quite an impatient lover.

-Zeus..."

...

A wide blushing smile appeared on her face as she finished reading the letter. "Gosh, I can't understand this man... Since when did he plan all these to surprise me? How can such a romantic man never had a lover before?" While mumbling on her own with a small chuckle, she softly caressed the red gown placing a kiss over it. Her eyes were shimmering with a gleam as if she had longed for such beautiful moments with him for a long time.

.

Soon enough, she groomed up herself perfectly in that red gown. Standing in front of the giant dressing mirror, she was monitoring herself for the perfect date making a bashful face. Her long, wavy brownish hair was curling down her shoulder, whirling with the summer breeze. Putting two small earnings, she was trying to match up to her look before leaving.

.

All of a sudden, she could sense a chilling sensation on her back! For a moment, she felt as if a pair of sharp eyes were watching her from the peephole on the door. She quickly glanced at the door, flinching hard in fear. 

"Wh... What's that... Is it my illusion again?" She wondered.