"YOU'RE so obvious earlier, Bianca," Hanna said beside me. She volunteered to wash the dishes and stayed here with me in the kitchen while Gideon walked Penny out.
The woman said she had another appointment this afternoon.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, not looking at her.
"You're obviously jealous, Bianca."
"Me? Jealous?" I dried up my hands and cocked my head to her side.
Hanna raised her brows at me. "It's written all over your face, Bianca. It wouldn't require a genius person to figure that out." She sighed. "Now, are you going to deny that you're in love with your husband?"
"I…" I wanted to deny Hannah's claim but my own mouth was failing me. Was I really jealous of Penny earlier?
"See? You can't even deny it anymore…"
"But how…" I muttered, my voice almost a whisper. "H-how could I fall in love with someone I hated so much?"
If I was indeed in love with him, how did I fall in love with the new Gideon when I hated the old him?
Hannah's lips curled up in a small smile. "You see… love is a very mysterious thing, Bianca. People can't really choose who they fall in love with. It just happens. Everything is possible with love."
I shut my eyes as my mind kept struggling with my own feelings.
Am I really in love with Gideon? But what about Charlie?
I remembered my reaction when Gideon mentioned his brother in front of Penny earlier. I didn't feel anything.
But when Penny looked and smiled at Gideon, I saw red. I suddenly had the urge to throw the woman out of the house.
"I… Am I really in love with him?" I whispered, more like to myself.
"What happened earlier, Bianca?" I was reading a book on the patio when Gideon interrupted me.
Hanna already left a while ago.
I put down the book I was reading on the table and turned to him. He was standing in front of me.
"What do you mean?" I stood up from my seat and tried to hide the loud beating of my heart.
"You were obviously rude to Penny at the dining table earlier. Why is that?"
"I wasn't rude, Gideon." I swallowed. "It's just that… I wasn't in the mood. Excuse me." I said, trying to walk past her. I didn't want to talk to him until I hadn't figured out my feelings for him.
"I'm still talking to you, Bianca." He gently held me at the wrist.
Despite the chaos in my chest, I tried to meet his eyes.
"I already answered you, Gideon. Now, let me go. I need to… make coffee."
His blue eyes pierced me. I immediately felt the loud thumping of my chest. How he was able to affect me like this, I didn't know.
"Tell me, were you jealous earlier, Bianca?"
I felt cornered. "I…" My mouth parted. "What are you saying? Jealous? I was not!"
He raised his brows, his eyes never leaving mine. "Then why did you act like that?" he asked, full of gentleness that I could feel my knees slowly crumbling.
I swallowed. "I told you I wasn't in the mood."
"Really?"
"Yes, really!" I insisted. "Will you let go of me now?" Before I melted right here in front of you?
"No." Gideon shook his head. Slowly. As if we had all the time here in the world. "You can't fool me, my wife. You're jealous. That's the only reason—"
"Well, who wouldn't be jealous when you clearly enjoy talking to her!" I snapped. This time, I have failed to stop myself.
"She's flirting with you and you're flirting back!"
Gideon's lips parted. "I did not, Bianca. I was only doing business with her. I don't even find her attractive." His voice was still gentle, but there was a ghost of a smile on his face. "So, you finally admit that you're jealous?"
"I-I'm not jealous," I averted my gaze.
I felt his hand on my chin. "The words already come off your mouth, sweetheart."
My chin wobbled. His voice was smooth as butter. The way he called me sweetheart was making my knees weak.
I've never felt this way before. No man had this much of an effect on me. Not even Charlie.
"Admit it, you're already in love with me." He tilted my chin to meet his gaze. "Admit it, sweetheart."
"No!" My hand pushed his chest away. "I'm not in love with you, Gideon!" I said it to his face.
Gideon's eyes continued to look at me. "Tell me, Bianca. Is it really hard admitting you're already in love with me?" he asked, his eyes red from unshed tears.
I bit my lower lip. I shook my head as I felt tears burning my eyes. "I… I'm not in love with you… You've hurt me. How could I possibly be in love with a man who ruined my life?"
"Yeah," he whispered in a pained voice. "I've hurt you. And I'll be forever sorry for that…" His hand went on my face. "But please, I'm no longer the Gideon you knew. I'll promise to take care of you. I'll never hurt you again. Please, trust me this time."
"I…" A tear fell from my eyes. Then another. And another one. Until I couldn't stop them anymore. "I don't know, Gideon… The pain you've caused me, it's too much!" I looked at Gideon. He was slowly getting blurry in my eyes.
"I don't even know if I have already forgiven you. Then now, everyone around me, including you, is insisting that I'm already in love with you. Don't you realize how confusing and scary that is for me, Gideon?"
I bit my lower lip to stop myself from sobbing. The last time I'd cried like this was when I lost my baby.
"I didn't know what to think anymore, Gideon. I didn't want to think anymore."
"Hush, sweetheart."
Gideon whispered before pulling me into his arms.
"I'm sorry…" He kept on saying as I continued to cry on his chest. "I'm sorry for everything I've done in the past. I'm sorry for giving you a hard time right now. I'm sorry, baby."
I didn't know how long I stayed inside his arms.