Chapter 169 - 167 - Matthew's Dream

Months passed, Catherine and I would spend time together in the library. My love for her grew in those secret meetings. She wasn't like the girl in the rumors. She was more than that.

We would see each other almost everyday and would just sit at the corner on the third floor and talk about our dreams. Our real dreams, not the one that was given to use but the one our hearts wanted.

She wanted to travel around the world, go to the north pole to see the polar bears. I thought it was weird but she was really different from other normal girls. She was a princess but she never wanted to follow traditions. She wanted to live in the future and not meddle in the past.

"How about you? What's your dream?" She asked me once.

I took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling.

"When I was in grade school, my only dream was to see my mother again. But I lost hope and gave up on her. When I was in high school, I dreamed of becoming a teacher. But I know my father wouldn't allow it. Now, I have a new dream but I'm still not sure if that dream will come true."

"What is it? Tell me!" She asked while looking at me seriously.

I stared into her eyes, then moved my gaze to her lips. Those lips that I've been wanting to taste ever since I met her. And back to her eyes before I answered her.

"To be with you forever."

Her eyes widened. I could see she became conscious of me all of a sudden. Her face was so red while she curled her lips.

I was beginning to get nervous that she would reject me. I don't know what got into me when I slowly reached out to her, putting my hand to her cheek, touching her. She didn't move and was still staring at me.

I slowly moved closer to her, crossing the space between us. When I pressed my lips to hers, she closed her eyes. I think that was a signal she wasn't rejecting me.

Her soft lips taste like vanilla. It was so sweet that I couldn't stop myself from tasting it. I deepened the kiss when she slightly parted lips and responded to my kisses.

I wanted to touch her more but I was still afraid that she would stay away from me after. She moaned softly when I bit her lower lips and sucked it gently.

When I pulled away from her, we were both gasping for air. I leaned my forehead to hers, making small kisses to her lips.

"Hey, what's your answer?" I asked, nervously.

She bit her lips before giving me a quick kiss then smiled at me.

"I want to be with you, too." She answered.

I was so happy when she said those words, and slammed her lips with mine to continue our kiss.

We became a couple without the knowledge of everyone. I wanted to shout to the world that she's mine and I am hers, but I couldn't. I was so afraid of my father.

I wanted to tell Chris and Lucia about Catherine, but I don't want to involve them in case my father found out about my love affair.

But the day that I've been fearing came, father found out about our relationship. To my surprise, he didn't get mad and didn't even try to stop me from seeing her. It was very unusual of him.

When I talked to Catherine, I was shocked when she suddenly slapped me on the face calling me a liar.

"You're a liar! I thought you're different from your father! All the things you told me was just a way to get me. Liar!" She told me over and over.

At first I couldn't understand why she was mad at me. Then it suddenly hit me. Father did something behind my back. I found out he talked to Catherine's father, the king, telling him our relationship. Father wanted an arranged marriage between the Forelli Clan and the royal family. It wasn't because of me, it was because of the power he would gain out of that marriage.

He told the king all the things I've for him. All those bad and illegal things. I wanted to explain to Catherine but she wouldn't let me. She suddenly didn't talk to me and never came back to the library.

I was so devastated when she stopped seeing me but my heart was shattered when I found out she was seeing another guy, Benjamin Miller.

I couldn't control my anger because I felt betrayed. I thought she was the one. I thought she was different. I don't know what I was thinking that day. All I wanted was to confront her and ask her if she still wanted to be with me, so I sneaked inside the palace to look for her.

When I found her in her room, she was startled and I could see a mixture of fear and anger in her eyes. She looked at me like I was a complete stranger.

"Catherine, please let me explain. Please don't leave me." I begged.

Instead of listening to me, she threw me an envelope with some pictures inside. It was me having sex with two different women in two different occassions. It was the day I became a made man.

Men from a Mafia clan would need to kill and have sex with women to become a made man. It was like an initiation to us. Father made me do it but I couldn't blame someone else just to clear my name. It was me who did all those things, not my father.

"So what do you want to tell me? That it's not you? I don't need your explanation. Get out or I will have to call the guards." She said in a serious tone.

I tried to walk towards her but she took a few steps backwards. I could see that her body was trembling but I'm not sure if it was from anger or fear.

"I thought you wanted to be with me. I thought you loved me. Why can't you just at least listen to my explanation?" I said in an almost shaking voice.

I was surprised when she suddenly let out a mocking laugh. I looked at her and she was smirking.