I will never hurt you again
Dora barely had time to process the sound of her father’s voice before his sharp words cut through her like a blade.
"Do not say a word until I am done speaking."
Her chest tightened. James had never spoken to her in that tone before. The weight of his anger crushed her, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"You did not think to inform your parents that you were staying with him?" His voice shook with disappointment. "You…You…"
He seemed to struggle to contain his fury, and Dora felt her throat tighten. She wanted to explain, to tell him that it was not what he thought, but she could not bear to hear that tone of reproach again.
"Dad, I…"
"Be quiet! Just be quiet!" James snapped.
Her hands trembled as she clutched the phone, her legs barely holding her up. Austin noticed immediately. He moved closer, gently guiding her to sit on the bed. She resisted, but he ignored her protest and placed the phone on speaker.
"You were always my good daughter," James continued, his voice lower but no less cutting. "Yet, this morning, I had to hear from a neighbor that you were gone. That man was in my house, and you said nothing."
The way he stressed "my house" sent a fresh wave of guilt crashing over her. She squeezed her eyes shut, her heart aching. She had never meant to hide anything from them. Everything had happened so fast.
Austin, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke. "We are still legally married. No one has the right to interfere in our matters."
Dora’s breath caught in her throat. She reached out to stop him, pressing a hand over his mouth, but it was too late. The damage was done.
There was a long pause before James scoffed. "Legally married? Where were you these past two years? Dora may try to forget, but I never will. I watched her break, piece by piece, while she tried to convince herself she was strong."
His words cut deep, each one landing like a strike to her soul.
"Did your wife tell you that she was in the hospital the same week you abandoned her?" James’s voice wavered with rage. "Did she tell you how she struggled alone?"
Dora felt her father’s pain. But what hurt even more was knowing he had found out about her and Austin from someone else. For James, honor and respect were everything. And now, because of her, their family’s name had been dragged into gossip.
"We are coming back the day after tomorrow," he said at last, his voice heavy with finality. "And I expect my daughter to be home when I arrive."
The call ended. Silence filled the room, thick with emotion. Dora broke down, covering her mouth with her hand as sobs wracked her body. This was not how she had wanted her parents to find out. She had known they would be upset, but she had not expected this kind of fury.
"It is okay," Austin murmured, rubbing slow circles on her back. "I am here."
"He has never spoken to me like that before," she choked out between sobs.
"He is upset because we did not tell them," Austin said gently. "He just needs time."
Dora shook her head. "This is my fault. I should have told them. I should never have stayed with you."
"No," Austin said firmly. "If anyone is to blame, it is me. I insisted you stay. If your father wants to hold someone responsible, let it be me."
She lifted her teary eyes to his. "You are not talking to him."
"Dora—"
"No," she said, more forcefully this time. "I will talk to him first."
The words felt foreign even to her. What was she supposed to tell her father? She herself did not know what she felt. Just that morning, she had been bound to Austin by nothing but a bet and a condition to stay for three months. But after he saved her, after she saw the terror in his eyes at the thought of losing her, everything had changed.
Was this just the aftermath of what she had been through? Or was it something real?
She looked at Austin, searching his face for answers. Could she trust him? Was he playing with her heart again?
Reading her thoughts, Austin took her hand. "Just give me one chance. I promise, I will never hurt you again."
Dora did not respond right away. Instead, she leaned into him, resting her head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It was comforting, familiar. A reminder of what they once had.
"Let us eat and rest early," he said softly.
She nodded.
The evening passed in silence. They ate quietly, and later, Dora helped Austin redress his wound. When it was time to sleep, Austin lay still, lost in thought. But then he felt a soft warmth press against his arm.
He turned his head to see Dora curling into him.
His breath hitched, but he said nothing as he wrapped an arm around her waist. The moment he did, she pressed closer, her fingers fidgeting with the fabric of his shirt.
"Can I trust you this time?" Her voice was very low.
"Just one chance," he replied.
She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."
A flash of disbelief crossed Austin’s face. "Really? Will you give me a chance?"
She bit her lip, cheeks turning pink. "Yes."
A slow smile spread across his face. "I love you, my catty. I will not let you down."
She lowered her gaze, unable to meet his intense stare. He gently tilted her chin up, his thumb brushing against her cheek.
"I will erase every bad memory," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I will make up for every lost moment."
He kissed her eyelids, his lips trailing softly down to her nose. "I will never let you feel pain again."
His gaze dropped to her lips. He paused, his breath mingling with hers as he whispered, "I will love you the way you deserve."
His lips found hers, moving with a tenderness that sent shivers down her spine. His arms pulled her closer as if he was afraid to ever let go again. Dora melted into the warmth of his touch, her hands sliding into his hair as their kiss deepened.
Austin moved above her, momentarily forgetting his injury. His hands traced the curves of her body, a silent promise in every touch.
"Austin," she breathed, arching into him as his lips traveled down her neck.
Desire crackled in the air between them. The way he held her, the way his hands explored her, it was overwhelming. It had been so long.
But just as his hand moved lower, reality hit her. The weight of everything crashed down all at once.
"Stop!" Dora gasped, pushing against his chest.
Austin stilled instantly, his eyes searching hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, he exhaled and nodded.
"Okay," he whispered, pressing a final kiss to her forehead before pulling her into his arms.
Dora lay still, listening to his
heartbeat, trying to ignore the confusion on her own.
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