Chapter 29 Ariele

"I don't want to hear this anymore, Cassandra," I told her before leaving her room, trying to distance myself from that toxic conversation. I didn't hear her voice anymore, and I was thankful for that.

I left Cassandra's room feeling drained. The blonde woman was cruel and malicious, and our conversation had left me shaken. On my way, I encountered Eric, who wrapped his strong arms around me. I didn't know I needed his embrace until I had it.

"What happened, Ariele?" he asked with a deadly and threatening tone. His once intimidating cold eyes were now like a balm to my uncertainties and frustrations.

"Cassandra and I had an argument," I replied, trying to keep my voice calm.

"What did she say?" Eric asked, looking even more concerned.

"It doesn't matter; just get me out of here," I responded, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. I hated being so fragile and weak.

Eric remained silent for a moment, looking at me with a penetrating gaze. Without saying a word, he gently kissed my forehead and said, "I'll always protect you, Ariele. I promise."

I smiled at him, feeling safe in his arms. I knew Eric was capable of terrible things, but I also knew he would do anything for me. And I would do the same for him.

I was so happy when Toni's mother finally decided to spend some time with her daughter. It meant that I could have a pleasant evening with Eric. He had prepared a special dinner for the two of us at home. Candles illuminated the table, and the food was delicious.

As we dined, Eric gazed at me with passionate eyes and said romantic things. He talked about the future and how he wanted to be by my side forever. I felt so loved and happy.

After dinner, Eric led me to the couch, put on a romantic movie, and we cuddled under a blanket. We laughed and kissed, and I knew I was falling for him. I no longer thought it was wrong, and I certainly wouldn't return to the convent.

Eric firmly held my hand, and I looked into his eyes, feeling a wave of confidence wash over me. He spoke with a soft and determined voice, "Ariele, I want to help you find your parents, and the ring could be the key to uncovering the truth about your origin. I want to be the one to finally help unravel this mystery. Do you trust me?"

I looked at the ring he held in his other hand, and after a moment of reflection, I replied with conviction, "I trust you, Eric. More than ever. And I really want to discover the truth about my parents. And if you're by my side, I know we can find this answer together."

Eric smiled at me, that smile that always made me feel like I was the only person in the world to him. He pulled my hand closer to him and caressed my skin with his thumb.

"And while we search for the truth, we can enjoy our time together, Ariele. We can create new memories, do things we've never done before. Like tonight, for example..."

He leaned closer to me and kissed me with passion, and I felt my soul ignite with the love I had for him. I was trying to get closer to Eric in a more intimate way, but he kept evading, kissing me and holding me tenderly but not going further. Finally, I couldn't hold back my frustration and asked him what was going on.

"Eric, what's happening? Just a few days ago, you seemed so interested in me, and now you're always avoiding. Is it because of the ring? Do you still think I stole it?"

Eric held my hands and looked deeply into my eyes.

"Ariele, it's not that. I never thought you stole the ring. It's just that there's a lot going on in my life right now, and I need to sort some things out before we can move forward together."

I felt relieved to hear that, but I was still a bit confused. I wanted to give myself to him; I wanted him to be the first. I wanted him to be the first man and the only one in my life.

"What do you mean by 'sorting some things out'? Is everything okay?"

Eric sighed and seemed to hesitate before speaking.

"Ariele, I don't want to worry you about this right now. I just want you to know that I'll do whatever it takes to protect you."

I felt reassured hearing that, but I was still curious about what was going on.

"Eric, can you at least tell me if it has anything to do with the ring? Do you still believe I didn't steal it?"

Eric smiled gently at me.

"Ariele, don't worry about the ring. I trust you, and I know you didn't steal it. Now, please, don't worry about any of that and just enjoy the night with me. We can talk more about all of this tomorrow if you want."

After his request, we didn't touch on the subject anymore, and I allowed myself to relax again. I woke up in the middle of the night in Eric's arms, feeling safe and protected, and my mind was completely at peace. It was a wonderful night, even though we didn't go beyond the kisses.

As I admired the beauty of the man sleeping beside me, I wondered if he felt the same way. Was he also happy that we were together? Did he also want our relationship to evolve into something more intimate?

I nestled closer in his arms and felt his warm body enveloping me. He was still sound asleep, so I decided to stay quiet and savor the moment.

I closed my eyes and surrendered to sleep again, knowing that Eric was there to protect me and make me happy. It was an incredible feeling, and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have him by my side.