Chapter 512 - Live Life Peacefully

"Let's get married."

Zoey gazed at his pair of russet eyes. The days when Matthew was sleeping, Zoey had reflected on her actions repeatedly. 

She regretted many things she thought she could have done them better. The reason Zoey swore that once he woke up, she wouldn't let him go. 

Her love for him might overwhelm him, but that was better than suppressing her feelings. She couldn't live another lifetime of regret and pain. She wanted to live with him. Regardless of the dangers of this love, she didn't want to care anymore.

Zoey came to an agreement with herself. Even if it's dangerous, she would take all the risk and be with him. If danger came in their way, Zoey would protect him even with the cost of her life. 

"I've been waiting and waiting. I don't want to wait anymore or ignore what my heart wants. Let's get married, if that's what you want." Zoey expressed without averting her eyes away from Matthew's.

Matthew stared at her unwavering pair of eyes. The soft texture of her lips still lingered on his lips. Her eyes were telling him the sincerest form of emotions, but those emotions clenched his heart due to utter guilt.

Zoey noticed the slight change of his reaction. 

"Don't joke about marriage. It's not a good subject to joke about." Zoey muttered as she drew away. 

To her, his slight reaction was his silent rejection. He must be caught off guard as her reaction was serious; he didn't expect that, or so what she assumed. 

Zoey laid on her back as her gaze shot straight towards the ceiling. Both of them remained silent as she could hear their own breathing. 

Her method of taking action caused the harmonious air to gradually turn awkward. Zoey pursed her lips into a thin line before she sat upright.

"Right! I'll return this to the kitchen. You rest, okay?" Zoey smiled as she hopped out of the bed.

She didn't wait for his reply and pushed the trolley out of the room. Matthew turned his head to her direction and watched her depart the room without Zoey looking back.

When the door closed behind her, a heavy sigh slipped past his lips. "That's not what I meant," 

He whispered as he closed his eyes before opening them again. He recalled how he proposed to Zoey in their previous life. It was too casual and abrupt.

"I wanted to do it properly this time." His soft whisper danced along with the inbound breeze. 

Although Matthew was a little ashamed of keeping the return of his memories a secret, he wanted to do everything properly. Considering the current circumstances, it tangled Matthew in many shady affairs.

In his previous life, it took him years to cut off the limbs he had built to make his own empire. If he married Zoey immediately, they would have a problem on so many things. Not that he was afraid that she would be in danger, but rather, Matthew preferred to live this lifetime much peacefully.

"Let me rectify everything, my love." He whispered once again as his mind wandered to the distant memory in his mind.

*****

When Zoey returned, she stopped by the door as she stared at his figure. She tilted her head to the side before she strode towards the side of the bed.

"He fell asleep?" She muttered under her breath. 

Zoey's gaze hovered over him, studying if he truly fell asleep in a short span of time. "Well, he just woke up and probably feeling a little weak."

She shrugged as she let out a sigh. Slowly, Zoey perched on the edge of the bed. Her gaze still on him as another sigh slipped past her lips.

"Part of me doesn't want to see you sleep ever again," She whispered as her eyes softened. "I'm afraid… no, terrified that you won't wake up again."

Her words enveloped the room with nothing but gloom. Zoey knew she should respect his sleep, but he had been sleeping for a long time. Not to mention, his first eternal sleep in their previous life where the chances of him waking up were zero.

Just the thought of it brought utter horror to her. Zoey bit her lower lip and tugged his arm.

"Hey, wake up." She murmured as she continuously tugged his arm to wake him up. "You've been sleeping for one year and six days. Don't make it seven." 

She pouted, and her tugging intensified. On her last pull on his arm, Matthew suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his embrace.

"Sleep." Matthew uttered with his eyes closed. He wrapped his arms around her before he held on the side of her head to still it on his chest. 

Surprisingly enough, Zoey was silent as she didn't move a muscle. She was biting her lower lips as hard as she could until she could taste her own blood..

"You've been awake for one year and six days. Rest now, Z." Slowly, Matthew opened his eyes as he patted her head lightly. "I won't leave." 

Upon hearing his last remarks, Zoey's shoulder shivered as she sniffed. A drop of tears fell from her eyes as she closed them. The sound of his beating heart calmed hers, giving her solace and reassurance that he was alive.

Zoey constantly checked his pulse, the beating of his heart, or his breathing during these six days. It was her way to reassure herself that he was just sleeping and not dead. Like an anxious mother who would constantly check her newborn child's breathing.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Matthew whispered. "It won't happen again." 

Matthew continuously patted her head as he brushed her hair in between. Once he was certain she was fast asleep, Matthew glanced down and wiped the tears that were on her eyelashes.

"You never changed, huh? It must be hard on you… it must be." He slowly closed his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her tightly before loosening his grip.

'We won't make the same mistake again, my love. Let's live in peace this time.' Before he fell asleep, Matthew etched his main goal in this life.

That was to live with her in peace without revenge, hatred, and pain. Just them and trivial problems which they could solve in an instant.. Little did he know, the things he wanted would be harder to attain.