Chapter 200 - Stupid Pregnancy Harmones

"Killian must be very happy," Persephone wondered out loud. She was applying moisturiser on her hands, sitting on one side of the bed. 

"Very," Santiago smiled as he recalled Killian's happy expressions when he discovered Emy was his own niece. He was staying in the master room as Callum was occupying his room. 

Persephone tried to apply the moisturiser on her feet but she felt difficulty in bending. 

Santiago immediately moved to help her. He took cream on his finger and gently massaged her feet. 

She let out a moan as his hand rubbed a sensitive spot and he had to control the urge to kiss her right there. 

"This feels so good," She couldn't help but utter. 

"Really?" Santiago's voice was hoarse as he was staring at her. 

Her eyes were closed, face devoid of makeup, lips appear shiny and soft as he had noticed her applying something there. 

She nodded her head, refusing to open her eyes. 

"I can massage your feet regularly if you ever feel uncomfortable," He found himself saying. 

A beautiful smile stretched on her face as she heard him offer his service. "Sometimes I don't know which is the real you. The brooding Alpha. The heartbreaking jerk. Or the sweet and kind you." 

"I don't know either," he murmured, resisting the urge to take her in his arms. 

"Santiago, have we ever met before all of this?" Persephone questioned him in a soft voice. Her voice was soft as if she was on the verge of falling asleep. 

"We did, "He whispered. "You were very young back then. I don't even know if you remember." 

Persephone didn't open her eyes but she did ask the question. "What were we like back then?

She believed that they had met before. The day they got married, she had found some old sketches in her room. All the pages included sketches of a pair of blue eyes. 

Those distinctive blue eyes which were tattooed on her heart too. 

It couldn't be a coincidence that Santiago's eyes were identical to those sketches. 

And let's not forget her obsession with blue eyes. 

"We were very close," Santiago smiled, recalling the first time they met. "You appeared like an angel that time. The first time you talked to me, you asked if my injury hurt. Although I said no, you still insisted on kissing my knee to free me of pain. And magically, it didn't hurt after that." 

"I was in that basement you found me that day for several months and every day when your mom will be occupied in her studio, you would sneak out to talk to me. Eventually, we became friends and then best friends," He added. "I still remember how you would bring me food." 

"Did you love me then, Santiago?" Persephone questioned him. 

"Do I love that angel? The light to my darkness. Only beautiful and sweet memories of my childhood?" Santiago asked himself. As if he suddenly had all the answers. "I did. I still do. I always wanted to be best for her but I couldn't be."

"Then, why did you hurt me?"

"I never meant to hurt you," He whispered. "I wanted revenge so badly. I dragged you to hell, Percy. I was guilty. I know that you were emotionally attached to me. But I had always known that you were meant to go back to your world. You had no future with me. I could hide you for one day, one month or perhaps for one year but I couldn't hide you my whole life."

Santiago had always known how attached she had gotten to him. He wouldn't lie that he felt nothing for her. If he didn't care about her, he wouldn't have sent her back. 

Staying with him meant, end of her life. The life which had yet to begin. 

"Even if we would accept the connection and the chemistry we shared, it still wouldn't have brought us anything but harm. So, I sent you back to your father."

Clearing her memories was a cruel step but only he knew how important it was for her back then. 

"I had to make you forget me. Still, I couldn't bear you not remembering me. I approved of the hypnotism as long as you forget the month you spent with me because it would be easier for you."

Hell, if he knew the hypnosis would have side effects on her. Instead of forgetting him, she forget everything. 

"I never mean to deprive you of your right and choices. However, if depriving you of these two things meant your survival, I would choose your life a thousand times over any other thing."

Perhaps, he now understood why she hated him. 

"Your father would not hesitate to kill you just to get answers from you. But when you lost your memories for a short time, he had no one to blame but himself. I just wanted to choose a path which will ensure your survival and so I did what made you hate me." 

"If you sent me back, then why did you come back? Why did you marry me?" Persephone couldn't help but ask.

"To fulfil your wish," Santiago smiled. "Your fifth wish was to be free." 

It was Persephone's turn to be shocked. 

He did all this for her? 

Why? 

"I laid the trap and made Alessandro reach me and offer me her daughter's hand," He told her. " I know Sophia loved Nicolas but the man was hell-bent on marrying you for some reason but he liked Sophia and so I pushed him to marry her and so I get to marry you in the end. Everything went as I had planned." 

"I had planned to take you away from here," He further added much to her astonishment. "We will divorce and you will live the life you always wanted. Away from the cold and weary New York." 

"You wanted to give me freedom?" She found the words to utter. 

"I do," Santiago smiled. 

"You have a strange way of expressing everything," Persephone uttered. 

"I don't know how to communicate. It's my fault for letting you think what comes to your mind and not being able to clear your doubts. I do things my way. They might complicate in the beginning but everything turns well in the end," Santiago said, smiling at her. "I have signed the papers you placed by my pillow that day. I never mean to curtail your freedom, Percy. You can do whatever you wish for. No one can stop you. You are Persephone now. You don't belong to anyone. You are your own person." 

Persephone sadly smiled. "Santiago, what would you do if I never wanted a divorce?"

"Then, we would have just stayed married, raise our child together. And I would have pampered you and the little guy to death. As simple as it." 

Persephone opened her eyes and saw a look of certainty in his eyes. He wasn't lying. He was telling her the truth. 

She couldn't stop herself from throwing her arms around his neck and cried. 

"Why are you crying?" He was restless seeing her in tears. 

"Stupid pregnancy hormones." 

Santiago patted her back and consoled her. "Don't cry. Don't cry." He caressed her tummy and murmured,"Rock star, you aren't allowed to make your mom cry." 

Hearing him say that Persephone laughed too and wiped her tears. 

She was so overwhelmed. 

She didn't know where this confession took them. 

But it broke the ice between them. 

Something changed today and nobody knew. 

However, it was still not enough for their happily ever after. 

.... 

End of Volume 2 ????