I LOVE YOU, LIAM

Daniella sprinted into the terminal in a way that people around thought that she was being chased by something they couldn't see but only she could see.

She kept darting her eyes around as she ran, not paying heed to the security man running after her advice to slow down.

"Ouch!" she suddenly yelped out, bending in two and holding her right leg.

She'd just tripped on her foot.

"The reason I urged you to stop running, Miss," the security guard enunciated, catching up with her and holding her to steady herself.

Daniella spared him a grateful look and started walking lamely, holding the man's hand tightly for support.

Soon, they got to the airline front desk where two beautiful women sat behind, greeting passengers and checking tickets.

The security guard stepped forward and asked, "Has the Spain flight taken off?"

"Yes. It just took off five minutes ago," one of the women answered eloquently and returned to her business.

It felt like a stab in Daniella's heart and if the security was still not holding her then she would have fallen vulnerable to the floor as she'd become completely broken and powerless.

Her throat tightened and she struggled to swallow around the lump that gathered thick.

"I'm sorry, Miss," the security guy expressed, staring at her pitifully.

Without pronouncing a word, Daniella began limping toward the waiting seats in the terminal, and the man followed her and helped her sit down.

"You can take your time here before you leave," the man intoned.

This time, Daniella looked up at him with a warm smile on her face but full of bitterness.

"Thank you so much," she let out in a low voice, stubbornly blinking back the tears that sprang to her ears.

The security man accepted her gratitude with a nod of his head and then walked away.

Long after the man had walked away, Daniella was still looking at his faded figure, allowing the tears to have their way out of her eyes.

"Now explain to me why you're crying, Ella?" she asked herself with a grunt, "If you had run after him the second you heard that he was leaving, then you would have caught up with him, wouldn't you?"

Right after she was done reproaching herself, she buried her face into her palms in defeat and wept bitterly.

She wept like someone whose life was coming to an end with her shoulders shivering uncontrollably.

"Ella?" the soft familiar voice met her ears as soon she felt a figure enveloping her.

She withdrew her hands from her face in an instant and looked up to see the only person who should be held responsible if perhaps she died an untimely death standing a few inches from where she sat.

His strong frame was sporting a white collared polo shirt. Strong chiseled jaws. Prominent chin. Beautiful sharp nose, firm desirable lips, and a wide forehead.

Not even a strand of his jet-black hair was out of place. He wore it long, the ends touching his neck-just like a Greek god.

He looked really good enough to eat.

"What are you doing here, Ella?" Liam concealed his surprise better but his face still betrayed a hint of astonishment he couldn't suppress.

Then, Daniella sprang to her feet, having been convinced that he was truly standing there.

However, her hurting foot betrayed her stand, and just as she stumbled and wished to lurch onto the seat, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist-pulling her close.

Their gazes locked and the world around them stood still. Shivers ran down her spine, her heart skittered to a stop, stalled, and ran away from her chest.

"Let me go now. Why are you holding me? And what are you still doing here?" She was glad her voice came out as hard as she wanted it to, not as breathless as she was feeling because of his close proximity.

"I can't bear to leave you, Ella. Are you mad at me?" Liam asked in a sad gentle tone, his gaze roaming on every inch of her face.

"And why would I not be mad at you?" Daniella yelled out and squeezed out of his grasp at once. "Tell me, do you think there's a way I'm going to survive without you? Are you that heartless?" She whispered, affection rode out. Fierce and unstoppable.

"I'm sure you did that on purpose because you're very much aware that my life without you has no meaning. So I can't bring myself to understand why you'd planned to leave the country without me?"

"Do you even care to know how'd survive these past days? I thought you cared so much about me. Dad. I thought our love for each other was even but it turned out that I'd been deceiving myself. I hate you. I hate you!"

She now cried out hysterically, hitting Liam's chest with her both fists.

"I'm so sorry, Ella. Even though I wanted a chance on the moon with you but after everything I've done to you and your mother, I thought that there was no chance for me and you'd only resent me for the rest of my life," Liam explained with his eyes lowered.

Tears blurred Daniella's eyes while an unamused laugh slipped up her throat, "Unbelievable, Dad! So, you'd prefer to be with another woman than my resentment toward you?"

Liam fondled his ear and looked away from her face nervously. He had no words because he'd never thought of being with another woman.

"Fine," Daniella exhaled a shaky breath, "You just prove to me now that you never loved me,"

"No, come on, Ella. You know I love you more than I love myself. I mean, there's nothing else I love apart from you, baby. Nothing at all," Liam confessed, his hands reaching out for her.

"Then why did you want to leave?" A sob escaped her throat before she covered the distance between them and hugged him to her chest.

Liam's arms went around her immediately, holding her as tightly as she held him.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie. I promise not to ever make such an attempt again. I'll always remain by your side through thick and thin. I promise not to look at any woman the way I look at you and I'll always love you and you alone, Daniella,"

Daniella's heart flipped over and she wept even more at that promise delivered in a deep growl.

Like that, Liam disengaged from the hug. Their eyes met and everything fell away.

"I love you," Liam murmured as he raised his hand, used his finger, and collected the tear that dropped from her eyes.

Like that, Liam dipped his head closer and took her lips into his-he kissed her with such gentleness that fresh tears gathered in her eyes.

The kiss became savory, searching and so sweet that it swayed Daniella's world. It went for just a short while before the tempo of the kiss changed to fast and hungry. Ella gave as good as she got, kissing him with all the pent-up hunger of the past few days.

The kiss went on and on until they were both panting.

Gradually, they stopped kissing and pressed their foreheads together, trying to get their bodies under control.

"I love you more, Liam," Daniella admitted, beaming.

Liam's smile slowly came to a halt and he blinked severally as if he was offended.

"What did you just say?" he asked, his eyes becoming mist.

He appeared fierce in Daniella's eyes, meanwhile, she had no idea that his head was already reeling, filled with excitement.

"I love you, Liam," she repeated, her lips curling up.

She was taken aback when Liam suddenly grabbed her both arms, shaking her passionately, "I can't hear you, Ella. What did you say?"

Daniella laughed amusingly. Undoubtedly, Liam has been looking forward to hearing his name from her mouth for a long time.

"I love you, Liam," Daniella raised her voice, grinning from ear to ear.

As if that was not enough for him, Liam stepped away completely from her-bumping into someone from behind but he didn't even spare the person a look let alone apologize.

He'd never felt this kind of excitement in a long time.

"I can't hear you, Ella. What did you say?" he shouted from where he stood afar.

"I LOVE YOU, LIAM," Daniella shouted back, beaming so hard.

Their lovey-dovey exposition seemed to attract a lot of people's attention in the terminal and most of them were now clapping their hands while others watched them with adoration.

They were so cute.

Noting this, redness clawed up Daniella's neck and splashed her cheeks.

"I still can't hear you, Ella. What did you say?" Liam screamed, skipping and standing in the waiting seat.

"I LOVE YOU, LIAM. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. LOVE YOU. LOVE YOU. LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU FOREVER, LIAM,"

Daniella had cushioned her mouth with her hands and screamed repeatedly, enthusiastically euphoric when her voice echoed.

Liam scampered back to where she stood and unexpectedly grabbed her by the waist, whirling her around and around.

"Ah!!!" Daniella shrieked, elated, "No, no, no. Put me down already." she laughed, holding his hands that were clutching her waist.

When Liam stopped doing that, he directly took her lips into another long kiss and another applaud echoed in the air.