Chapter 62: I Missed You.

Steven arrived home and, upon reaching the bedroom, was struck by the sight of its near emptiness. Almost all of Dua’s belongings had vanished. Feeling unsettled, he retreated to the living room, where Shane, Denise, and Desmond were engrossed in a movie. “Where is she?” he inquired, trying to mask his rising anxiety.

“Diane’s house,” Denise replied without looking up.

“What?” Steven’s surprise was apparent.

“So, she still didn’t tell you,” Desmond sighed, shaking his head.

Steven glared at Shane, who appeared unfazed. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded, frustration creeping into his voice.

“Didn’t you say you’re a man and I should stop interfering in your stuff?” Shane took a casual sip from his drink, feigning indifference.

“Telling me about her whereabouts isn’t interfering!” Steven snapped back.

“Should I be stalking her, then?” Shane raised an eyebrow, his tone playful yet serious.

“I didn’t say to stalk her! She told you where she was going; you should have told me. I even called you this morning on my way home and asked about her. All you said was, ‘she’s fine.’”

“That’s because you asked about her well-being, not her whereabouts,” Shane shot back, receiving a piercing look from Steven.

“Put those eyes down, young man. Have you forgotten I’m your elder brother, and the person in question here is your wife?” Shane’s tone was authoritative, but Steven looked away indignantly.

“If you’re this upset about not seeing her at home—and you’ve spent the whole time away asking about her—then you don’t need a soothsayer to figure out what’s going on with you and your next step,” Shane observed calmly.

With a heavy sigh, Steven glanced at Dua’s siblings, who wore worried expressions as they witnessed the drama unfold. Without another word, he dashed out of the house, adrenaline coursing through him as he drove to the Sierre residence, thoughts of Dua consuming his mind.

Arriving at the Sierre residence, the guards and workers around bowed at his presence, trembling as he strolled pass them into the house.

As he entered the living room he was greeted by trembling workers and the words he was hearing from the dinning room.

"I'll go get them," a worker in the house said.

Steven raised his hand in gesture for the guard to stay put. He was enjoying Dua's confident and fearless responses to whatever was thrown at her. "I shouldn't have worried too much, you're handling things just fine," he chuckled to himself.

Not long after Sandra stepped into the living room pausing in her steps, standing frozen as her eyes settled on Steven.

"Where's my wife?" Steven inquired.

Few seconds later Mark entered the living room, taken aback by Steven’s presence. “Steven Levi?” he said in disbelief.

“I... I... I'll go get her for you.” Sandra finally managed to utter some words, nervously eyeing Steven.

“Take me to her,” Steven demanded firmly, needing a moment alone with Dua.

“What?” Sandra hesitated, her heart sinking at the request. But one look from him silenced her objections.

“Sure! This way,” she said, leading the way as Steven followed closely behind.

Upon entering the bedroom, Steven was met with Dua’s icy glare. “What are you doing here?” she shot at him, her voice laced with resentment.

“Why did you move out without telling me?” he countered.

“Leave. I don’t want to see your face,” she replied coldly.

“That’s not the answer to the question I just asked,” he said.

Dua scoffed, “Look who's here playing the good husband. You traveled for two whole weeks without a word!”

“I asked Shane to check up on you,” he replied, as if that excuse held any weight.

“I don’t want Shane checking up on me! I want you! I’m married to you, not him!” she yelled, emotions flaring.

“Then how am I supposed to check up on you when you shut me out?” Steven yelled back, his voice raw with feeling.

“I shut you out because you shut me out first!” Dua’s accusatory tone rang in the air like an echo.

"I never shut you out!" Steven retorted, disbelief filling his eyes.

“Oh, please,” Dua rolled her eyes, pushing back her feelings.

“That’s your problem: you never listen to me!” he exclaimed, his voice trembling.

“What am I supposed to listen to? That you can’t reciprocate my feelings because you’re dying soon, or that you can't let go of your first love, which I don't even want to hear about?” Dua lashed out, her words piercing Steven like arrows.

He clenched his fists, her accusations hitting hard. She didn't realize those were the reasons he held back his heart.

“I shouldn’t have come here,” he said finally, his tone subdued.

“Yeah, you shouldn’t have,” Dua agreed bitterly. “Why did you even come?” A slight scoff escaped her lips, betraying the turmoil within.

“Because I missed you,” he admitted, sincerity lacing his words.

The air between them thickened with tension, her accusation slicing through the silence like a knife, while his admission hung heavily, bittersweet and unresolved.

“I think I’ve grown accustomed to your drama and tantrums. Spending two weeks without you was just… boring,” he continued, attempting to lighten the mood. “And I’ve realized I missed that one person who drives me mad, yet still somehow attracts me.” His voice remained steady, breaking through the fortress Dua had erected around her heart.

For a fleeting moment, something softened in Dua’s expression — a flicker of vulnerability — but just as quickly, she masked it. “And you think I’m going to be moved just because you said you missed me? I doubt your sincerity,” she shot back, crossing her arms defiantly.

Steven let out a soft sigh, feeling the weight of her disbelief. “I’m being genuine, Dua.”

“Even if you are,” she retorted, “saying you miss me doesn’t fix everything that’s been broken. Do you even know how alone I felt while you were away? I lost my mom; it was when I needed you the most. But you shut me out and went on your stupid business trip! I’m not saying you shouldn’t have gone, but a call or a simple text would have made a world of difference. Knowing you cared would have provided me with some comfort!” Her voice trembled at the end, a crack that revealed the raw vulnerability hidden beneath her anger.

With each of her words, Steven felt a pang of regret gnawing at him. Her accusations pierced him, and he didn’t mean to hurt her; he was paralyzed by his love for Crystal and worried about how Dua would cope once he was gone. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice filled with regret.

“Don’t give me that meaningless ‘sorry,’” Dua hissed, rolling her eyes, anger washing over her once again.

“Then should I give you this instead?” he said, taking a step closer.

“What?” She raised an eyebrow, her defenses still firmly in place.

Steven stepped closer, his gaze softening as it met hers. With a tentative movement, he brushed his lips against hers, enveloping her in a warm kiss. Dua initially resisted, her heart in turmoil, but as the kiss deepened, the walls she had built began to crumble. With each gentle press of his lips, her resolve and defenses softened until she found herself responding, leaning into him.

After what felt like an eternity, he pulled back,  as he gazed deeply into her eyes. “I’m not shutting you out because I want to. I’m trying to protect you from future hurt,” he murmured, his voice filled with an earnestness that cut through the tension. “I don’t want you to become too attached to me only to face heartbreak when I’m gone.”

“Let that be my headache, not yours,” Dua replied, trying to maintain her façade of strength, though doubt flickered across her features.

“Dua, you don’t understand what you’re signing up for. You don’t know how it feels to lose someone you love deeply. It’s death and hell itself,” he said, his voice choked with emotions. “Trust me, I’ve been there before, and I’m still living it.”

“Did she die?” Dua’s question hung in the air, heavy with uncertainty.

“Who?” Steven asked, confusion clouding his expression.

“Crystal,” Dua clarified, her heart pounding as she braced herself for his response.