Chapter 58 FIFTY-EIGHT

Chapter 58 FIFTY-EIGHT
J A D E

"Let's go for a ride," he suddenly said, a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Where are we going?" I asked, even though I had a pretty good idea.

"It's a surprise."

"Well, okay. But only because you're so charming."

We made our way to the parking lot, and he helped me into the passenger seat. The car purred to life, and he sped off, the streets blurring by.

We drove for a while, with him blasting the speaker with music and me singing at the top of my lungs. We were having fun, and for the first time in a while, the world around us was forgotten.

I was lost in the moment, and so was he.
The road was free so he stepped on the pedal and sped up. It was a thrill, the wind blowing in our faces, the feeling of being alive.

When we finally arrived, I couldn't help the gasp that escaped from my lips.

The view was stunning, the mountains and the forest, the night sky littered with stars.

"It’s so breathtaking, how did you know this place?" I asked, as we stood in the clearing.

"I've always liked this place. It's peaceful, away from all the chaos and noise. I used to come here a lot when I was a young adult. Only thing I liked about the human city. Definitely not the people."

I could tell the memories were bittersweet, a mixture of happiness and sadness.

"My parents never had the time to take me places like that before they died," I murmured, my mind drifting back to the past.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

I shook my head, not wanting to dwell on the sadness. "It's fine. Let's just enjoy the moment." I immediately changed the topic.

He nodded, seeming to understand my need for a distraction.

"So, how did you find this place?"

"One of my old friends used to work in the human city. He was the one who brought me here. He said it was a special place, and he was right."

"It's amazing. The view is incredible."

"It is. But it's not the only reason why I like it so much."

"What's the other reason?"

He paused, and I could see the struggle on his face. He seemed to be battling with himself, trying to decide if he should tell me.

"You can trust me," I said, giving him a small smile. "I won't judge."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"My friend, the one who brought me here… his name was Kaelan. We were really close, and he was the one person who knew everything about me. He was my confidante, the one person I could count on. When we came here, it was a special place. It was where we talked, where we shared secrets. It was the one place where we could just be ourselves."

His words were heavy, filled with pain and loss. I could tell it was a difficult memory, a wound that was still raw and fresh.

"What happened to him?"

"He died. In a car crash. The roads were slick, and he lost control of the car. It was an accident, but I still blamed myself."

"Why?"

"Because he was coming to see me. He was driving here, and if he hadn't, maybe he would still be alive."

His voice was choked, and I could see the tears threatening to fall.

"It wasn't your fault, Markov. It was an accident. You can't blame yourself for that."

"But I do. I blame myself for a lot of things."

"Like what?"

"Like how I couldn't save your parents. How I couldn't save him. How I hurt you. How I’m such a monster. The list goes on and on." 

The confession hung in the air, and I could see the guilt weighing on him. He was carrying the burden of so many lives, and it was too much. But I still hadn’t completely forgiven him for the death of my parents, so I would be a hypocrite trying to help ease his guilt when I still held grudges against him.

"I'm sorry, Markov," I whispered, not knowing what else to say.

"I'm sorry too. For everything."

The moment passed, and we turned our attention back to the stars. We watched them twinkle, their beauty illuminating the night sky. A shooting star passed by, and I wished for forgiveness.

Forgiveness for my parents, for the ones who had taken them away. Forgiveness for the ones who had taken a part of my soul.

Forgiveness for myself.

For being so weak. For being a victim. For allowing myself to be used.

I knew it wasn't my fault, but it was still hard to let go of the guilt.

"You're not weak, Jade," Markov's voice cut through the silence. "You're the strongest person I know."

I turned to him, surprised. "What?"

"You heard me. You're strong, and you've survived things that would have broken most people. You're a fighter, and you never give up. That's why I admire you."

"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Well, it's true. You didn’t deserve half of the things you've been through, and you've endured them all with grace. I'm proud of you, Jade. And I love you."

I couldn't help it.

Tears streamed down my face, and I buried my face in his chest, the emotions too much.

"Hey, don't cry," he said, his arms coming around me. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I know," I sobbed. "But I can't help it."

He held me, his embrace comforting.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"For what?"

"For everything. For the things I've done, the things I've said. The way I've treated you. I've been such a bitch, but it’s been so hard, you know? Grieving my parents death and finding out the man I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with, is responsible for their death. Sometimes, I think of how they would be feeling, seeing me loving a man who took their lives. My mom would hate me. She wouldn't understand. I've been hating myself for so long."

"No, don't say that," he said, his voice firm. "You're not a bad person, Jade. You've done things you regret, but that doesn't make you a bad person. And your parents, no matter what happens, they'll always love you. They're proud of you. And I'm sure, wherever they are, they're happy that you're happy. They'd want you to be happy."

His words were like a balm to my wounded soul, and I felt a sense of peace wash over me.

"Thank you," I murmured, my tears subsiding.

"You're welcome," he replied, his voice gentle.

We stayed there for a while, just enjoying the moment. It was a precious moment, and I cherished it.

It was the first time in a long time that I felt at peace.

We stayed there for a few more hours, talking and sharing stories. It was the perfect way to end the night, and I knew I would never forget it.

"I guess we should get going," he finally said, glancing at his watch. "It's getting late."

"Yeah, I guess so."

He helped me up, and we walked to the car, our hands intertwined.

We drove home, and immediately fell asleep, cuddled up in each other's arms.