It will be worth it

Seated opposite each other, Sara watched Alex as he ate as if he were alone. He had ordered for her too, but she just couldn't eat. Her mind went back to what he said earlier about making her remember. What was she supposed to remember when she never shared any past with him?

"You can always ask whatever questions you have, you know," Alex said, knowing she was drowning herself in thoughts and unanswered questions.

"There is nothing to ask, Sir," she said. Looking at the table and the meal before her, she didn't know what to eat. She didn't even have the appetite, but she had to eat in order to keep him silent even if it was just for a brief moment.

Finally deciding to go with the soup since it was the lightest she could find, she picked up the spoon but before she could raise it to her mouth, he held her wrist and she had to balance her grip to prevent the soup from pouring on her.

"It's clear you are not hungry " she glared at him for holding her, but he didn't let go of her. "You don't have to eat if you don't want to and…I am sorry," he locked eyes with her and waited until she was ready to drop the spoon, but he released her hand.

"What did you mean earlier?" She asked, taking him by surprise.

Alex didn't think that she would ask after she stubbornly denied having questions. But he was nonetheless glad that she finally did even though he would have preferred having her learn the truth some other time when she was more comfortable around him.

"You are tense, Sara, calm down, and I'll tell you," he said, and she glared, but he smiled.

".... forget that," Alex frowned. He knew she wanted to know, so why the change of heart? "It doesn't matter because nothing will change, Mr Legend. Everything will remain the same whether you tell me or not, but I would rather not know."

Just as she said, it didn't matter. After spending a few days with him, she knew he was a nice guy… in a way. But he was still a man, and from experience with her past relationships, no man was different. Give them your heart, and they will crush it. That was the plain truth and there was no other way about it.

"Sara…" his voice was low, but she could hear him just fine. He should probably get used to this, but he couldn't.

"There is a meeting scheduled in the next thirty minutes, Sir. Would you rather I have it postponed or let it be?" She said as if she didn't hear him call her name.

Alex opened his mouth to say something but went silent. He didn't think she would use that to shut him and change the subject successfully just like that.

"Leave it be," he said and dropped his silverware. "Take care of this," he said, talking about the bill and standing up and walking out of the door.

"Understood," Sara said. A part of her felt bad for him when she saw the hurt that crossed his eyes fleetingly. It disappeared so quickly that she wouldn't have noticed it had she not been looking at him the whole time. "Alex," she called before the door could close, and he paused.

She just called his first name. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. That came out of nowhere, and it took all of him not to turn around and look at her, but he kept himself rooted to the ground and his back to her.

"I am sorry if I crossed the line or seem inhumane," she said, her gaze fixated on his back. "But it will indeed be better for us both if we keep our relationship professional. No one will get hurt that way."

Alex turned around and marched back to the talk, but he didn't stop where he was seated and went around it to her side, and he placed his hand on the chair she was seated on. If all she was worried about was getting hurt, then he had to find a way to show her and prove to her that he would never hurt her.

Sara looked over her shoulder as their eyes met. Their proximity was quite close, but she didn't flinch because she didn't sense any threat from him.

"That is not a problem for me, Sara," he said, his tone and gaze patient and understanding. "I knew I would get hurt when I returned. You have always found a way to hurt even before now, but I still came back here because of you. That means I was ready to be hurt even more. Because I know that at the end of it all, it will be worth it because I will finally have you by my side as my woman."

Sara would be lying if she said his words didn't do anything to her. For starters, it got her heart racing and felt a sudden tightness between her legs. As if that wasn't enough, she found herself leaning into his palm when he cupped her cheek instead of moving away.

"I want you, Sara. And I am not stopping until I win your heart. So you can go ahead and say all that you want to say and do. I won't stop. Not this time," he kissed her forehead before returning his gaze to her eyes. He could see the shock in her eyes, but he didn't know if she was shocked that he kissed her or at herself for staying still the whole time and letting him.

"If you are worried that I will hurt you like the others did… that will never happen. I am not them. You are the only woman I have loved, still love, and will always love. It is just you," Sara couldn't blink but held his gaze.

"....."

Sara opened and closed her mouth, having no idea how to respond to that. How could anyone ever respond to that?

"We will be late, Sir. I think it's time we leave," she should have let him go when he wanted to, and she wouldn't be in this awkward situation.