Chapter 31 Misunderstanding Lifted

(Lena's POV)
I don't know how I should face Rafael.
Come on, God, I don't think anyone can easily forgive each other after they've been hurt so many times.
I expected that Raphael would do something to me that I didn't want to do, as he once did, but I was a little surprised by the results.
Rafael walked over to me after letting Miller out.
I pulled my gaze back. Yes, I wasn't brave enough to look at him.
Rafael is a man who has brought me both pain and luck, but I probably fear those pains even more now.
"Lena." Rafael looked at me and I could feel his burning gaze, and it made me want to get out of here even more. Of course, that wasn't possible.
"Three years ago, something happened between us."
When I heard him about to bring up what happened three years ago, I turned my head to look at Rafael. My gaze was very calm, and he was just as calm and restrained. The two of us were talking about ourselves, but, more than anything, I felt that the matter might not have anything to do with us.
I looked at Rafael and nodded gently, two days of slumber had left me in a very irritable mood, a feeling that was intensified after seeing Rafael, and which reached its peak when he brought up something I didn't want to bother with. I exploded, "Yes, Rafael, three years ago, we really should talk about what happened three years ago."
Rafael took a breath, and I thought that he should probably be able to understand my anger.
"Lena, I know, that video had nothing to do with you, but if it didn't have anything to do with you, why did you disappear in the first place? Why didn't you wait for me to come to you?"
I looked at Rafael, whose face had shown some pain. I have rarely seen Raphael show such an expression, but what made me feel even stranger were the words that came out of Raphael's mouth.
Did I not wait for him?
My memory goes back to that winter three years ago when I stood in the cold, it was a late-night, winter, and I was standing alone in the street, waiting for Raphael to come, and until the end, Raphael didn't show up.
It was on that day that I lost another one of my family members in this world - my grandfather passed away.
My eyes had once again filled with tears: "Raphael, I waited for you, I've been waiting for you, the place we agreed on, but I didn't wait for you, and I thought, isn't that the answer you gave me? You're probably tired of me, aren't you?"
Rafael's brow furrowed and he suddenly moved closer to me. Raphael reached out and held my shoulders as his eyes widened, "Lina, what are you talking about? Wasn't it you who escaped?"
If it's not my memory that's faulty, then it's Raphael that's wrong.
I understood that there were too many people in front of us who wanted to stop us from being together. My eyes widened as I looked at Rafael and finally calmed down.
"But, Rafael, I didn't leave, I was there for you that day until the next day - my grandfather died, and I thought at that time that you didn't love me at all, so I went straight back to the place where I used to live."
I always thought I was the one who was left behind.
I couldn't hold back my tears any longer.
This matter has been stored in my heart for too long. I thought I could let it go, after all, it was just a past, but I couldn't. The first time I saw Rafael, I understood the matter.
It used to torment me like a demon, making me suffer all the time.
Raphael's promise made me fear evermore, and I could only force myself never to recall it.
Until today -
Rafael suddenly opened his arms and he took me into his arms, hugging me tightly as if we would never be apart again.
"I'm sorry, Lena, I went back, I went, I followed my father back to New York after Christmas, I thought you betrayed me, I always thought that was what happened."
I felt Rafael's trembling, my body shaking uncontrollably. And Raphael was kissing my forehead, he patted my back, trying to comfort me.
But I could feel that even Raphael was already intimidated.
We lived together in fear and pain for three years.
Three years later, I heard Rafael and I say, "I'm sorry, Lena, I'm sorry."
"No, Rafael, you are not wrong, none of us are."
I told Rafael everything that happened afterward.
When I returned, I made arrangements for my grandfather's funeral, and after that, I became very ill. I thought that even if it didn't work out, I should still seek a full ending to the relationship, but when I tried to find Rafael after I got well, I found it so difficult to find someone in a huge city. I backed out, I didn't want that ending. I didn't want to reopen my scars, and just like that, I thought it was over between Raphael and me for good.
"Lina, I ......" Raphael seemed to want to say something but, when I questioned him with my eyes, he just smiled softly at me, "Lena, let's forget all about the past, we're married, we've made up for all the regrets we had three years ago, let me take care of you for the rest of my life, okay?"
I couldn't believe what was happening in front of me.
I must admit that I have never forgotten Raphael. I loved him, so deeply, but instead, when I was loved by Raphael, I felt a little like it wasn't real.
Perhaps, Raphael sensed my fear.
He took me into his arms again, and I watched as he moved closer to me, and then, he gave me a tender kiss, the most tender kiss, I swear.
I nodded my head and accepted his promise. Before I got married, I had already said that I was not incapable of forgiving anyone, but that the other person must prove himself.
I will wait for Rafael to prove himself.
(Rafael's POV)
I even wanted to go back in time, to that night three years ago. I want to punch myself in the face and yank my collar and tell myself how much of an asshole I was.
Lena has been waiting for me for three years, and this proposal came too late.
But, fortunately, God didn't let us miss each other completely.
I knew she wouldn't believe me so easily. All this time, I had been suffering from what I had done to Lena. When I learned the truth, I was afraid to sincerely feel repentant for the mistakes I had made.
We soon returned home. The hospital environment made Lena look in very bad shape, and I agreed to her request to hire Miller back home as a maid to take care of her exclusively.
Soon after, I reached out to Landon.
I knew that it wasn't enough to just unravel the misunderstanding between us. Lena and I were both waiting for the truth, a truth that would completely explain everything that had happened three years ago.
A month later, Landon sent me all of his findings. There were discrepancies in a large part of the information, and Landon told me that this was the most detailed he could find. Three years ago, too much time had passed, and it was completely impossible to get a complete picture of what had happened.
I thought this would go on forever until one day, Landon sent me a message from a girl.
I looked at the picture of the girl and raised my eyebrows.
(Ava's POV)
I had already planned to spend a very good time abroad, and everything here has allowed me to relax completely. To stop suffering, you have to learn to leave everything behind properly, and I chose to leave some of my past behind.
Of course, this was quickly defeated by reality.
On the seventh day of the trip, I got a call from Raphael.
He said he had some things he wanted to ask me and we were going to meet directly.
This day has long been on my mind, from the first day I met Lena, I understood that it was only a matter of time before this day came.
But I didn't expect it to be so soon.
Rafael does have good taste, but of course, I can't appreciate it. If I hadn't taken a look at the menu, I wouldn't have imagined that things here would be so expensive.
Sitting in that chair made me cringe a little.
Of course, they were on Raphael's treat, and I was in a somewhat happier mood as a result.
"Miss Garcia, because of the time, I think we can just skip the pleasantries."
I nodded pleasantly, which is what I was hoping for.
"I heard that you and Rachel went to school together in Los Angeles back in the day?"
"That's right, we were classmates in high school, but we rarely see each other after college, of course, she still contacts me the most, after all, besides me, she should have no one she can trust."
When I say these words, I'm not actually in a happy mood.
I recalled my high school life of drinking, gambling, and fighting, most of which, of course, I did for Rachel. My grades weren't great, and Rachel needed just the right kind of person like me to be her friend.
"I've also heard that you're also very good with computers."
"Mr. Hill, are you trying to ask me if I did something not so nice back then?"
Rafael nodded. It was clear that we were both well aware of the content of this conversation, and Raphael was slightly relieved that I was so clear about it.
I raised an eyebrow: "Obviously, Rachel and I are not very similar, of course, I am not the same as Lena, I also need money at that time, and Rachel is considered my only friend, this is a win-win thing, of course, I will help her do, except, I did not expect that the main character will be Lena."
I had heard about the furor over Raphael's wedding, and the video that was played out at the wedding venue was made by me.
I have no regrets, and if I had to say that there is something I would like to change, I would prefer that I never met Rachel.