Love or Responsibility?

It passed midnight, Henrick sleeping peacefully on the bed while Georgina kept turning around—couldn't sleep a wink. She turned to the left side and saw Henrick's face. Despite his innocent face hid an evil but kind man. Her hands moved on their own to touch his face but took it back and hastily sat down while heaving a deep sigh.

She stands and heads straight to the balcony.

The cold wind welcomed her body, and she unconsciously hugged it as she walked towards the cemented rails. She looked at the sky and saw the stars shining brightly amid the night. Amidst looking at it, she remembered the conversation with her mother after they signed a document about Henrick passing half of his shares in Jung's family towards Coleen and him having rights to their company affairs.

"I have something to talk to her about. Can you leave us alone?" Georgina said after they clarified the contract.

"Are you sure?" Henrick asked.

"Yeah, It won't take too long." He stared at her with those worried looked but still left the room with her Uncle Rex.

As another awkward silence engulfed the room, tension arose as their gaze met.

"What's this? You want a mother and daughter talk?" Coleen chuckled.

"Do you expect me to treat you like a mother? Dream on. The way you hated me as a daughter, it's the same way I hated you as a mother." She said. "I'm here because of your ridiculous stunts against Van."

"It's him again. Don't you learn a lesson? I know the two of you met in South Korea. You're the one who didn't follow your own words."

"What the f*cking hell are you saying? You're the one who keeps breaking your promise. You told me you wouldn't go after them if I married Henrick, but why are you still trying to blackmail his parents? What do you still want? You have everything you wish to have."

"Everything? No. You're still happy living your life with Jung's family protection. I made a mistake choosing Henrick, I thought he'll go against the wedding and make your life like hell, but the man has a soft side and a terrible running mouth."

"So, you won't stop pestering Van to make me miserable and even using the law against them and indirectly threatening me?"

"Of course. Where did you get that information? Did his father run his mouth, or is it Margarette?"

"F*ck. If you have ways to know everything I've done, then expect me to have the same way too. If you dare f*cking underestimate me, you'll lose."

"Don't kid me." Coleen chuckled and looked straight into her eyes. "You have nothing without those people helping you. You and Giovanni can't even lay a finger on me."

"Shut the f*ck up, evil witch. Stop threatening his family or even him. I have nothing to give you, so what do you still want from me?"

"If you give me your share in the company, then I won't accuse them or use it against them."

"What did you say?"

"You have a week to decide. Else you'll know what will happen soon. Congrats on your upcoming wedding."

Their short conversation seems longer. Even Georgina's words kept popping into her mind that she couldn't sleep.

If she gives up her share in their company, her mother will have the upper hand again. But if she didn't give it up, Giovanni and Jin won't get accused of criminal harassment for stalking with malicious intent. They can't fight with their clear evidence.

She heaves another deep sigh and looks at the sky again.

After a long silence, she decided to call Giovanni. It rang for a few seconds before someone picked it up.

"You didn't change your number... I'm talking to you, right?" She said while chuckling. "The weather's good, I can see the stars above, but it's cold."

She looked at the phone's screen, but luckily he didn't end the call though he won't say a word. It's still calming for Georgina to hear his breathing through the phone.

"You don't need to say anything. I'm just having a lot of thought." She said. "Did Jin tell you about the plan? I'm going to marry Henrick next month."

Georgina let out a forced laugh as tears fell from her eyes.

"Sorry for breaking my promise for the nth time. I hurt you a lot that you'll think of me as an inhuman woman. Van, if you told me to stop, I'll stop, but if you refused to say it, then..."

"Do you like Henrick?" She jolted out when she heard him talk.

"W-what are you saying? I-It's not..."

"You ran after him when he needed you. Back in Korea, you keep worrying about him while looking after me. Gia, do you still love me, or am I your responsibility?"

"V-Van..."

"Stop talking to me if you're still undecided because it's hurting me more than hearing the truth. Please..."

"Van..."

"Dad told me that someone talked to him, and it's Zairus Serrano. Your mother threatened to accuse me and Jin of criminal harassment if he didn't give up our company. Dad wanted to give up the company. They spend blood, sweat, and tears to make it. But for our sake, he'll give it up." He said. "I'm breaking my engagement with Kiela since we don't need them to help our company. It's enough worrying about my family matters, Gia. We've done enough, and this is the limit of it."

"No, I'll do everything I can. I already talked to that evil witch and..."

"You believed her to stop troubling me? Don't get fooled for the nth time. It's enough. I still want to get revenge on her for ruining my family, so I'm still in with the plan, but it's enough to help my family. I don't want my family to suffer because of this matter."

"S-sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Van. I didn't mean to involve you with this matter." She couldn't maintain her calmness after hearing his words and burst out crying.

"Gia, do you still remember the promise we had before we first broke up? I already asked you this before. Do you remember?"

"Hmm... I promised not to take all my problems alone and let myself get ruined..."

"Besides, you promised me to go where you belong even if you lost your way."

"W-what?"

"You broke the first promise you had. But at least you found your way to a place you truly belong."

"W-what do you mean?"

"It's late. Clear your mind and sleep. We shouldn't talk while our minds aren't clear. No. Let's stop talking to each other unless it's about the plan. Congrats on your wedding."

"W-wait, Van, you're getting the wrong idea here. Van..." She looked at her phone, but the call ended.

"You're sneaking a call with your ex while I'm asleep? Aren't you too much?" She almost jumped in shock when she heard Henrick'd voice behind her. She looked at the entrance and saw him leaning on the side—crossing both arms.

"T-this... A-ah..."

"I'm not asking too much from you. Stop talking to your ex, at least until we file a divorce. Can't you stop talking and worrying too much about Giovanni? I won't gain anything from helping you, but at least focus on me."

Georgina couldn't utter a word and looked down, fidgeting. "I-I'm sorry."

"I know you are still in love with your ex. I can't force you to stop loving him. I hate to admit it, but I'm f*cking jealous. Whenever you're out of my sight, you keep talking to him, meeting him secretly, and thinking about him. It's always Giovanni here and there. Even your things have a connection with him. I'm jealous that I don't have room to enter insid..." Henrick swallowed his words and looked away. "Argh. I don't want to argue with you, so let's sleep."

He went back inside the room first while Georgina watched him. She's not stupid not to notice—the change in their attitude and feelings. It's awkward to say it with their mouth.

She wiped her tears away and followed him. She saw him lying on the bed—facing his back while his lower body got covered with a comforter.

"Besides, you promised me to go where you belong even if you lost your way."

"Congrats on your wedding,"

Those words came out of her mind, though it was out of nowhere. She can't think straight. Giovanni's words seem to reassure her that it's okay to love someone other than him, but she can't give up her feelings for him.

"You ran after him when he needed you. Back in Korea, you keep worrying about him while looking after me. Gia, do you still love me, or am I your responsibility?"

Responsibility? Love? 'Did I forget the difference between those two?' Georgina bit her lower lip because of the thought, suppressing her urge to cry again.

"V-Van asked me if I still love him or if he's only my responsibility. What's love? What's responsibility? Did I mix those different words that made me in this kind of dilemma? I don't understand my feelings..."

"Gina, I can't answer you because I have the same situation here. But, if you want to understand your feelings, you should get ready to let go of someone to let the other in. In that way, you'll understand the difference between them."

"But..."

"Shall we give it a try? Let's have a proper relationship, though I won't force you. It's up to you. Sleep now."