"I love you, Crystal, please forgive me," he pleads, so quietly I barely hear it, looking up at me with those blurred blue eyes.
"Jack, get up, please." I try to make him stand again because I feel uncomfortable, especially when I remind myself that we're not alone.
"I can't let you go, Crystal," he says shakily, as if he’s ashamed. "I know you don't want to see me, I know you'd like to get rid of me for the rest of your life, but that's not gonna happen."
Jack kisses my fingers, and a shiver runs down my spine.
"I won't let you go, I'm sorry," he whispers, kissing my palms and wrists so tenderly, as if praying for mercy. "I'm sorry, but this will never happen because I'm dying without you."
For a moment, I forget that Sky is watching us. The world stops, and there's only two of us left in the universe again.
I place my palms on his face and lean closer to press my lips to his.
Jack is surprised by my actions, and he needs a second to realize that everything is happening for real before his lips part, and he answers my kiss.
He wraps his hands around my body and presses me closer to him.
A couple of minutes ago, I promised myself that I would never forgive him, and now I'm kissing him, praying this is happening for real.
When I break the kiss, I press my forehead to his, unable to let him go.
"You're such an idiot, Mr. Harden," I whisper into his mouth. "How could you think that I would choose money over you? I've never felt the things I feel with you…because I'm in love."
Sky gasps at those words, obviously shocked, and I laugh.
Jack pulls away from me a little to look into my eyes.
"Is this for real?" he asks, so surprised, as if he can’t believe this.
"How do you feel?" I ask in response instead of repeating myself.
He has to understand that everything I'm saying is for real.
"I guess it's time for me to take a walk," Sky says and gets up from her chair.
I nod silently, because I want to talk to Jack in private. There's so much more I want to ask him.
"Please, stay," Jack asks, and this time he’s talking to Sky.
Sky freezes in place, her eyes round with surprise, and so are mine.
Before I realize what’s happening, Jack is down on one knee and is pulling out a little box from his jacket’s inner pocket.
Sky and I both gasp.
Jack opens the box, and I see the most beautiful and captivating engagement ring I've ever seen. It's a large square diamond set in platinum surrounded by smaller diamonds along the curve of the ring.
I cover my mouth with my hands, unable to believe it.
"I thought I needed power," Jack starts, and it's evident that now it's even harder for him to speak than before. "I thought I needed money, success, achievements, and all of that would keep me from getting my heart broken. But as it turned out, angel, all I needed was love."
The tears are now running down my cheeks, and I don't even try to stop them.
"My heart was never broken," he continues, inhaling deeply, and his every word sounds like some kind of dream. "Because it was waiting for you. The second I saw your message and realized that I could lose you forever, my heart stopped beating. And it refused to start again until I got you back."
"Jack, I…" I don't know what to say. Thousands of thoughts rush around my head at the same time. My mind keeps telling me that it's too soon and I have to wait, but my heart…
My heart gave up the second this man fell to his knees in front of me.