chapter 30

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Chapter 30:

Nadia's POV:

I was waiting for Zack to start asking questions all evening but he was so patient, I guess it was due to Mrs. More's words before we left the orphanage; her words made me feel like I was responsible as well of Jake's death, and all the joy that I felt after spending the entire afternoon with the kids vanished away in a blink of an eye.

However, when I opened my eyes and found myself in front of the penthouse, I knew exactly what he was doing but still feigned confusion, I knew that he was doing his best to break all of the walls that were separating us by taking me to an important period in his life: his past, which unknown for the majority of people except few people.

Back to the moment when he gestured at the rocking chair and we started walking toward it, I was sure that his curiosity hit the ceiling by then and he was trying so hard to keep it within control until that moment, and it caused a stupid grin to cover my face, because the old Zack, would have stormed at me the moment he saw the recognition in the kids' eyes when they saw me.

"How did everyone in the orphanage know you? Because I took you there to surprise you but I ended up by being surprised" He questioned, his eyes boring into mine intensely.

"First of all, I just want to say that I was pretty confused when you told me that you were taking me to your little secret"

"Why so?" He raised his eyebrows at me, questioningly,

"Because I had no idea that you knew the orphanage" I answered, remembering how I felt when I realized where he was taking me "By the way, how did you know it?"

"My mother and I, had a tradition of visiting the children every once in a while, and after mom died, I made sure that the tradition wouldn't die with her, what about you?" He said as he reached for my hand and started stroking my skin with his thumb, sending goosebumps all of over my skin.

I bet he didn't even realize what he was doing...!!!

"In fact, the orphanage belongs to my mother but I am the one, taking charge of it" I answered him, recalling the day when mom said that she wouldn't look after it anymore "I took it as my duty the kids because I knew how it feels to lose a parent and abandoned by one" I added the last part, sadly, referring to my mother.

"I do it for the same reason; I personally know the feeling of living in a happy feeling but they don't, it's like a big part of their life is a white page, they want to fill it so badly but they have no pen to write the so nonexistent memories" He murmured, tensed a little bit because I could tell that he was catching his breathe from his chest's movement.

"Damn, it's like you were reading my mind" I chuckled, making him release the breathe he was holding "From now on, we'll go together, the kids were so happy to see us together"

"The kids were absolutely in love with you" He pulled me closer, as if it was even possible, and kissed the top of my head "I confirmed something"

"What?" I asked him, feeling butterflies erupting my stomach.

"I confirmed that as long as I am with you, I would fall in love with you for as many as times as I can't even count" He confessed, trailing soft kisses from my cheek, forehead and even my hair "You know how?"

"How?" I mumbled, barely concentrating in his words since his movements were hooding my vision and everything else besides him.

"Everything about you is captivating me, your smile, your laugh, your snores, the way you treat people equally, how you managed to break through my walls" He spoke calmly, bringing his hands to my waist, turning me so that I was facing him "You haven't just made me feel things I have never before, but you made me see life in a new angle, and I can't even find ways to thank you for that"

"I..." I stuttered, tongue tied of what he just admitted then what he said hit me "I don't snore"

"You're really something Nadia" He started laughing at my confused face then he hugged me closed, in a way that our bodies were completing one another "My Nadia"

"Caveman again?" I teased him because I knew how much he liked it when I start doing it.

"It sounded so good because it's true" His face became serious out of a sudden "You are, right?"

"I'll have to think of it" I faked seriousness and looked away but I was suddenly jerked in the air and landed on his lap. Feeling chocked, I bit my lower lip and glared at him "What was that for?"

"You belong to me" He said, his eyes holding a warmth that captivated my heart.

'Could I fall for the same person more than times that I would remember?' I questioned myself but the answer was laying there in front of me in his eyes 'I would always find something new to love in him' I admitted to myself, proudly because I was nonchalant about my confession.

To say that I was on the clouds, would be underestimating, I was flying without wings, I was losing my mind with every second that passed by when I was with him, with every touch and every look. I was changing to a dependent person to Zack, and I liked it.

I never thought I'd be happy if I ever became like a lovesick fool but I was.

Time stopped at that moment under the moonlight and stars with Zack's company, I was captivated in his eyes and the intensity they held, however, I felt uneasy because he was so good in expressing his feelings and how he felt for me, while I was always tongue tied and hid behind my comments and speechlessness. Therefore, I gathered my strength and courage, and just spoke up.

"You remember that day in the library before we took grandpa to the hospital?" I questioned and he nodded in agreement so I proceeded talking "As I was having the staring contest with you, I noted to myself that you were way far from being my dream guy"

"Why's that?"

"Because I had always dreamed of falling in love with someone caring, thoughtful, kind and gentle with me" I paused for a brief moment to check his expression.

He was holding his breathe like earlier...

"I used to think that you were quite the opposite, but since the day of our arrangement, you managed to break all of my standards, with every little thing that you did for me or for others, you managed to break the ice around my heart and you made me see that you are the one for me" 

"I'm glad you realize that because I'm not letting you go" He smiled at me, leaning down and planting a quick kiss on my lips, then he pulled back and questioned "Did you take Col there with you?" 

"Jealous?" I winked at him, wiggling my eyebrows at him. 

"Just answer" He looked at me blankly, and I realized that he was being serious. 

"I didn't" I answered, honestly.

"Why didn't you, isn't he your best friend or something?" He required, obviously forcing the second part.

"I don't know" I thought of an answer but I couldn't find one "Maybe because I wanted it to stay hidden"

"Were you ever going to take me?" He nuzzled the skin beside my ear, tentatively.

"Honestly, I haven't thought of it just yet" I pulled back just a bit and looked at him "But I would've sooner or later"

"Thank you"

'you are more than imperfectly perfect for me' I wanted to say but instead I decided to show him because actions speak louder than words. 

*****

      Opening my eyes slightly, I brought myself to my feet, wore my robe and started walking to the door, the sound of knocking became louder and more insistent. Zack was grumbling and asking me to go back to sleep and ignore the knocks, but I already knew that it was Mrs. Collins, as expected so I had to open it. 

      As I opened the bedroom door, a sigh escaped my lips at the sight in front of me, Mrs. Collins stood there with a smug look covering her face, accompanied with two girls, holding huge bags in their hands. 

I was frightened of what was going to happen...

The day of Gala...!!!

      When Mrs. Collins called me the day before to tell me that she would come to prepare me for the Gala, I thought that she would come at 3 pm or maybe after, not at 10 and a half in the morning. She was so excited that she kept talking on the phone for about an hour, telling me the list of guests and what every single one of them was doing in his/her life, along with their importance for the company. 

"Good morning my dear" She rushed to me and hugged me so tight that I could barely breathe.

"Morning grandma" I greeted her back.

"Where is Zack?" She asked as soon as she stepped back.

"He's still asleep, I'll go wake him up" I told her, turning in my heels. 

"Yeah go, I will be right over here" She waved her hand in the air.

      I walked to the bed and stood beside it, looking down at the sleeping Zack; he was peacefully asleep, hugging the pillow beside him as if his life depended on it. I bent a little bit and reached for his hair, nuzzling my hand in its soft locks, enjoying the feeling of it.

I wonder how he could go back to sleep so quickly... 

      He started yawning and moving his head from side to side like a kitten seeking for attention, which made me move my hand to his face. However, he opened his eyes out of a sudden, held my hand and did the one thing that made me lose my balance for him, he smiled...!

"Morning beauty" He greeted me, huskily.

"Morning" I replied, looking down at him "You grandma is here"

"So?"

"We have to..." I started talking but I could barely finish what I was saying because he started trailing soft kisses all over my hand.

"Yeah?" He winked at me mischievously and pulled me so that I ended up falling beside him on the bed.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" I turned to face him and found him staring at me as if he was memorizing my face's features "Your grandma is waiting"

"She can wait, I still haven't got my morning kiss" He moved closer and intended to kiss me but I turned my head and he ended up kissing my cheek "Hum... avoiding kisses ha!"

"You know that if we start, we would stay here for an hour or more" I told him, feeling heat rushing up to my face.

I would be as red as a tomato...

"Is it a bad thing?" He questioned, daring me with his eyes because he knew that my answer would be positive.

"Not when there are three people outside, waiting for us"

"I would leave you for now, but you owe me one or two" He winked, devilishly, then he started pouting at me like a baby "Now I just want a small one"

"Promise?"

"With my pinky finger if you want to" He grinned, widely.

        I lifted myself and settled on my elbows, leaned down just a little bit so that my face was only an inch away from his, and paused there because I wanted to tease just like he used to tease me before. Then, I grazed my lips on his for a brief kiss and pulled away, only to be caged in his arms out of a sudden and his lips were crashed on mine, with an urgent heat.

       My mind was ordering me to pull away because Mrs. Collins would barge in a matter of a minute but my heart was pushing me to return it, and that's what I did. Nevertheless, my assumptions were right because as I started feeling my insides melt, the door burst open and Mrs. Collins entered.

"Am I interrupting anything?" She chimed-in with a haughty voice.

"Grandma, couldn't you at least knock?" Zack grumbled at her as I buried my head in crook of his neck from embarrassment.

"I thought you'd be wide awake, I didn't think I'd find you in this situation" She retorted, obviously flying from happiness. 

She was so into romantic movies. 

"Grandma, I was only getting the right motivation to leave my bed" He chuckled, making me hit his upper arm, lightly.

"Okay okay, take five more minutes, I have to steal her for a day" She said then she left right away.

"Couldn't you keep your stupid comments for yourself?" I pulled my head out of the crook of his neck and glared at him, tried to.

"I just wanted to give her something to talk about all day" He laughed, which reminded me that she would probably talk about the incident for hours.

"Thank you Zack, I'd be swimming in a pool of cheesiness all day" I frowned at him "I have to go, move your arms" I gestured at his arms, which were wrapped possessively around my waist. 

"She gave us five minutes, what do you think?" He winked at me, wiggling his eyebrows at me, suggestively. 

"In your dreams" I elbowed his chest then ran to the door "Morning babe" 

"Morning" He waved at me before, burying his head under the pillows. 

What a child!!!

        The moment I left the bedroom, Mrs. Collins sent me to have a quick lunch before she urged me to take a quick shower in one of the spare rooms, since she knew it would take me hours if I used our bedroom, and I couldn't delay the light she had in her eyes when she said it, she seemed it like she was on top of the world and no one could put her feet back on the ground.  

        After taking my shower, the two girls that came with Mrs. Collins busied themselves in 'fixing my nails' as they loved to call it. And that's how the entire say passed by; they were playing barbie doll on me, and all I had to do was close my mouth and just sit there, leaving them deciding what to do with my hair and my makeup. 

       In the previous Galas that I went to with grandpa, I always wore simple but yet classy dresses because I never wanted to be under the spotlights in those occasions. However, I always seemed to be caught off guard by everyone, and I would end up dancing with almost everyone there since no one would miss the chance to dance with the heiress of The Mathews, as one of the magazines stated once. 

     Magazines seemed to always show me as the heiress who loved the spotlights and always used her fortune to get what she wanted, but little did they know that I actually hated the attention that I got and I was only obliged to stick by the rules and keep my bright smile on, even when an old man would ask me for a dance in a party. 

       My mind drifted to what would happen if someone approached me in the Gala, Would Zack be okay with it? Or would he act like a caveman and keep me by his side?. I chuckled at myself because of what I was thinking, and wrapped up my mind on the second choice since Zack was the type of jealous partners, who loved to keep their women by their sides. 

       Speaking of Zack, he was kicked out of the apartment for the day because Mrs. Collins was determined on making him gulp his own saliva at the sight of me. He grumbled and complained for few minutes but at the end, he knew that he would always lose his battle against his grandma so he gave up and went, but not before he excused his grandma, took my hand and leaded me to the door. 

"I thought I'd steal one last kiss in case you end up dead after this" He chuckled, gesturing at the room where the girls were helping me. 

"Shush" I bit the inside of my cheek in order to kill my upcoming laughter. 

"By the way, I always catch my breathe beside you" He spoke huskily, sending his right hand to my cheek while the other one, rested on my waist and pulled me closer to him "I don't think they realize that but their efforts will go in vain" 

"So you're saying that you like me even if my hair is messy and my clothes are disarranged?" I suppressed my smile and waited for his answer. 

"I love you not like you" He tugged a stray of hair behind my ear and made sure to brush my skin, so tenderly that I felt my entire insides melting due to the simple touch. 

"Hum" I rubbed the back of my neck, to dismiss the overwhelming feelings and thoughts that started erupting my mind. 

"Don't do that" He inhaled deeply and tightened his hold on my waist.  

"Do what?" 

"This" He put his hand on mine that was on my neck and removed it "You're making it really hard on me to leave" He pushed my hair to the side and gazed at my uncovered skin "You've got a tender skin that would always drive me crazy" He leaned down and kissed a sensitive spot on my neck.  

"I'm about to lose my breathe" I blurted out. 

"I'm happy that I affect you this much" He chortled at me, annoyingly.

"So you basically do this on purpose because you like to see m..." I started scolding him but I never had the chance to finish what I was saying because he suddenly smacked his lips on mine, pulling me even closer to his chest. 

       Just like every other kiss we shared, he managed to dominate it while I was there on cloud nine, swimming in the pool of desire that was filling up with every touch and every word we uttered. I was literally screwed up and about to lose my mind but for once, I liked being in that position. It felt good to be carefree and loved.

"Promise me" He pulled back and gazed down at me. 

"Of what?" I asked, taken aback and completely out of breathe. 

"No matter what happens, you'll always listen to my side of the story" He answered me, his eyes trained on mine.

"We've already promised each other to listen first" I smiled at him, encouragingly since he seemed hesitant.  

"See you in few hours" He planted a tender peck on my forehead then left right away and closed the door behind him. 

'Why did he bring up that promise suddenly?!!!'  I wondered, staring at the closed door.

*****

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