Chapter 58: Emotional Turmoil.

Sinking in the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, Dua decided to take a stroll in the house to relieve herself of some things.

Upon entering the wine cellar, she met Steven grabbing a bottle of wine from a shelf. "You're back?" She was surprised. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You were asleep when I returned, so I didn't want to disturb." He replied.

With no further words, he went back to his study, and she followed him.

Steven gave her a questioning look, silently asking her why she was following him.

"May I stay with you for a while? I kinda feel lonely," she requested and he gave her a simple nod, walking to his chair.

Dua strode to the couch and sat on it, watching him as he put on his glasses to work. Her lips curled up into a slight smile, she always liked the look the glasses gave him.

Steven poured himself some wine, taking a drink from time to time as he worked, while Dua kept glancing at him.

"You got anything to tell me?" He asked, noticing her constant glances at him.

"Don't you have anything to tell me?" She asked him in return.

Steven took a moment to think of what she possibly wanted him to tell her.

"I confessed my feelings for you yet you said nothing about it." She said, her face reddening in shyness.

"Oh, that," he said in realization.

"This is the reason I didn't wanna say anything about it," he continued.

"What?" Dua asked.

"Your face looks like a tomato," he replied and Dua's face reddened the more.

"I pretended to not acknowledge it so you wouldn't feel embarrassed. Although I wasn't expecting you to confess quickly and definitely not in the situation we are. But just like I told you, I accept and honour your feelings... Just don't expect me to reciprocate it," he said.

"And don't love me too hard..." he added.

"It's not love yet. I only fell for you," she murmured timidly.

Steven let out a little chuckle, "whatever it is, don't let it to be too hard... I won't be with you forever."

Dua's heart pained from his last words. "With surgery, you can live longer," her voice was low.

"I won't, even after the surgery. So what's the point? It's better to live like this until the last breath." He replied with a casual tone.

"Why? How can you be so sure? Is there something you're not telling me?" She bombarded him with questions as her eyes turned wet.

It was the one thousandth year of the curse on him when he would finally die. So even with surgery, there was no guarantee that he would be alive after the day the curse is completed.

Steven sighed deeply, his heart bitter as he watched the hurt expression on her face. But he couldn't tell the truth, at least not now.

"Let's leave it this way, Dua. Just like you said, we were never meant to be... we're a couple born from error, so you shouldn't bother." he said.

A scoff escaped Dua's lips as rolled in her tears. "You're right, why did I even bother?" She stood up and left his study, slamming the door behind her.

Steven took off his glasses, his hand running through his face tiredly as a sigh escaped his mouth. "Women and their issues."

He wore his glasses again and got back to work, but he couldn't fully concentrate. His heart kept tugging hard at him.

Finally he rose from his seat and left the study. Getting to the bedroom, he met Dua adjusting herself on the bed to look composed with that ancient hair pin that seemed very familiar to him, sitting in her  hair. He was about questioning her about the hair pin, but he refrained from it. It wasn't the right time for him to question her.

He walked further into the room and grabbed a chair, bringing it to sit in front of Dua.

"What?" Dua asked him.

"Stop crying, it's..." he was saying.

"It's making your bedroom ugly," she interjected.

"No..." he objected. "it's making my heart ache for an unknown reason."

She looked at him, shock etching her features. She never expected him to say such words to her. Feeling the weight of the moment, Dua blinked back her tears, her heart fluttering in response to his unexpected words. "You… you care?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

With his gaze fixed on her face as he observed her, get responded. " I care about you, Dua—I always have. But that doesn’t mean I can offer you what you want."

Dua scoffed again, crossing her arms defiantly. "So all of this—this back-and-forth, this emotional turmoil—is only supposed to lead to heartbreak? You’re saying you care while simultaneously pushing me away?"

"Dua...," he was about explaining himself but she interrupted him. "I went to Diane's family today, and I've given them the money."

"Dua," Steven called again.

"After my mom's surgery tomorrow, I'll be moving into the Sierre family house."

"What? Why?" Steven asked.

"If I have to solve the mystery behind Diane's disappearance, I have to do extreme things," she replied firmly.

"Why? You can't wait for her to return?" He asked.

"Yes! I want her to return as quickly as possible so you both can reunite together and I'll go back to living my peaceful life," she retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Didn't you tell me earlier today that you don't wanna leave me even after Diane returns?" He raised a brow at her.

"I changed my mind," she answered with a frown on her face and he burst into laughter.

Dua was taken aback for a while, it was the first time she saw him laugh, and she smiled.

"The fact that you've fallen for me, or the fact that you love me already, which do you want me to believe?" Steven said as he ended his laughter.

Dua looked away, her eyes dropping in embarrassment.

Steven smiled as he raised her head to face him. "I'm not just pushing you away because I want to..." He paused, searching for the right words. "There are things in my life that you don’t understand. I can’t let you get too close, because it wouldn't be fair to you."

Dua took a deep breath, feeling the tension crackle between them. "Then play it unfairly..." she replied.

"What?" Steven asked.

"If you become unfair with me, it'll let me get closer to you." She replied.

"Dua, you don't understand..." He tried explaining to her.

"I do, and that's why I'm gonna stick with you," she replied.

"Dua...," he called her.

"I'm gonna stick with you no matter what you say," she cut him in.

"Will you listen to me and stop being a silly teenager?!" He yelled, venting out in frustration.