“I want a chance to prove to you how much you mean to me. How you’re the only woman in the world to me—-”
“Do you know how crazy that sounds?” she interrupted wildly. “Do you?”
“Yes.” Marcus’ voice was hollow. “I do. But it’s the truth.”
She laughed wildly, choking out, “And that’s all you have to say?”
Instead of answering her question, he went on an altogether different line, saying quietly, “I never tried to approach you the past year because I thought you needed time to heal.”
“Afuckingunderstatement.” The words just burst out of her, and Anneke was appalled right after. She had never sworn so in her entire life.
But it was as if Marcus hadn’t heard the words at all or if he did, then he had chosen to ignore it as he went on in the same quiet, driven tone, “I also felt I didn’t deserve to approach you.”
“You still don’t!”
But Marcus ignored this, too. “So there were things that I did to...prepare myself. I wanted to be a better man for you.”
“You can’t.”She couldn’t help feeling snide and hated herself for it. She thought Marcus would ignore it, too.
But he didn’t.
“Maybe.” Marcus’ tone was unreadable this time. “But I’d still like a chance to prove myself even so. And I thought I’d let you know that, to give you fair warning.”
For several moments, Anneke simply struggled with her disbelief. “Do you really believe you have a chance?”
“I like to believe I make my own chances.”
Oh God.His sheer gall blew her away, and it just left her feeling crazier and crazier. “I’m not withdrawing my petition for a divorce.”
“Be my guest,” Marcus said politely. “But neither am I withdrawing from my intention to court you.”
“You’re insane.”
“About you, yes.”
“Oh my God.” She couldn’t help laughing. And a moment later, she realized that she couldn’t help crying either. “Oh my God.” It was the only thing she could say. “Oh my God.”
And to which Marcus only had four words to say—-
“I love you, Anneke.”
Anneke laughed harder. Cried harder. “Says the man,” she choked out, “who left me on our wedding night – tofuckanother woman.”
The pain in her voice nearly undid him, but Marcus told himself he had to stick to the plan. If their earlier meeting had taught him anything, it was that she wasn’t ready to hear what he had to say about that night.
He had to take things slowly.
He had to show her he deserved her, had to at least prove to her that no other man could love her more –
And only then he could he tell the truth about that night.
Only then could he reveal the sick truth about himself.
Only then could he risk losing her completely.
“Mi dispiace, amore mio.” His voice was harsh and bleak the same time. “I am so damn sorry I keep hurting you, but I simply cannot give up without trying one last time.”
The words were everything sheused todream about.