Chapter 256 - The End (part One)

Persephone and Santiago were staring at each other in silence. Everyone left without a single word after Santiago appeared. Even they knew how important it was for both of them to have this talk. 

In simple words, they needed to get their shit together. 

True to her words, Valencia took Eleanora with her and Santiago thanked her for such a sweet gesture, making Persephone roll her eyes. Don't get him wrong, he loved his daughter. But he seriously needed his daughter's mom to finally speak today. 

"I thought you died," Persephone whispered, staring at his gorgeous face. 

Santiago sighed. No one better than his Red knew how to spoil a romantic environment. Just look at her now. He was expecting a confession, not a damn death wish. It was a good thing that he had long accepted the fact his Red would surely speak something unknowingly to kill the romance of the surrounding. Oh, she did. Gosh, he still loved her. 

How could he not? She was custom made for him. 

Dammit, he couldn't resist. He pulled her into his arms and she placed her head on his chest, trembling. She was sobbing like a baby. He scared her big time today. 

"What would have I done if you had died?" Persephone accused him. She was crying and scolding him. Yes, it was his fault that she thought he died. Just the thought that she was gonna spend the rest of her life without him by her side gave her a heart attack. No, she couldn't even imagine it. 

"Red, how is it my fault? Do you know only the dead don't know that he is dead?" Santiago asked. Well, it wasn't his fault that one day he would die like everyone else. 

It was also true that only the dead don't know that they were dead when everyone else knew just like a stupid person didn't know that he was the one. And right now, she was being stupid. 

Persephone hit his chest, still crying. "How dare you say that?" 

Yes, he wasn't even allowed to speak the D-word. 

[You dirty-minded, D for death! ]

Santiago looked at her with a troubled look and asked, "Then, what am I supposed to say?"

"You are supposed to say that you will never leave me!" Persephone said and from the looks on her face, he could tell that she didn't expect any objections. 

"Baby, how can I say that?" Santiago asked, kissing her salty cheeks. He didn't like when she cried even when it was for him. 

"Does it mean you are going to leave me?" Persephone whispered. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks making his heart squeeze. Did he mention he couldn't see this woman cry? 

"Never willingly," Santiago said, staring deep into her eyes. He wished that she could see in his eyes how much he loved her and how he could never leave her as they were bound to each other for eternity. "I will never leave you as long as I am alive. Do you think I can leave the woman I love the most in this world?" 

Persephone shook her head. She knew that he loved her to the point of being insane. 

"But you must know that I can't control life and death. If one day I died, just remember that I loved you wholeheartedly," Santiago replied. " As long as I am alive, I will only be yours. I will love you the most in this world. You must also know that no one can love you more than me." 

Persephone nodded her head. She hugged him tightly and whispered, "I love you more. I can't imagine a life without you, Santiago! You are not allowed to ever leave me." 

Santiago broke the hug and looked at her with teary eyes. She finally said that she loved him. How many days and nights he had dreamed about this moment. He couldn't control himself now. He gave her a passionate kiss and replied in a hoarse voice, "Never baby! I'm all yours!"

"And I am yours," Persephone whispered, closing her eyes. 

"Thank you for being mine. I swear that I will always cherish you," Santiago said, their eyes meeting once again. "I can't explain to you how happy I am today." 

"I always loved you. Like always. I am sure I loved you when you sent me back to New York," Persephone said in almost a whisper. 

"Then, why did you take so much time?" Santiago asked her. Even though he knew that his Red loved him, he wasn't sure why she was taking too much time to answer him. However, he chose to be patient. He wasn't lying when he said he would wait for her forever. 

"Because I didn't have any memory of the one month we spent together. I want to remember everything before making a decision," Persephone whispered. "I didn't remember the past you. I only remembered the asshole who demanded that I marry him." 

She was still angry at the episode wherein the dark room in Lucian's wing, Santiago demanded that she married him. And it was one night before he was going to marry Sophia. He was one demanding asshole. But gosh, she loved the asshole now. 

"Do you remember now?" Santiago asked, hopefully. 

"I don't," Persephone replied with a sad smile. "I wanted to remember everything not because it will have any effect on my answer but for your sake. "

He gave her a baffled look as he didn't understand what she was trying to say. However, he let her speak, not disturbing her pace. 

"I don't want you to think that you manipulated me into this relationship, " Persephone explained further. " You never did. It was always I who had jumped into anything without thinking about the consequences. I am wild and careless and so big trouble." 

Her words made Santiago chuckle who nodded his head in reply. It was true that she was a trouble.. But she was his trouble only.