Chapter 59 Yes, I lose this time
After spending some time driving, Danieru finally arrived at the agreed-upon location. He immediately rushed to the center of the park. There was a stream and a long ivory bridge there, making it a perfect place to enjoy the sunset.
This place was also the place where he and Rachel first met, and it was also the place where Danieru had confessed his feelings to her. It was indeed heartbreaking to remember the past, but it was clear that he couldn't change anything now.
No matter how hard he tried to erase the memories, they only pierced him deeper. Danieru had once thought death would be better, but for a moment, he wondered if it was all for nothing.
Central Park is a large public park in Manhattan, New York City. It covers 3.41 square kilometers and is rectangular in shape. Approximately twenty-five million people visit the park annually, making it the most visited park in the United States.
Danieru's steps quickened, hoping Rachel hadn't arrived yet. I don't know... he's always loved waiting for Rachel to come, and strangely enough, that habit hasn't changed.
Danieru was now thinking only about Rachel, the anxious feelings in his heart slowly fading as he made his way further into the park. He didn't know how to explain this strange sensation, but he certainly felt relieved by it.
Not long after, Danieru stopped. His eyes were fixed on a beautiful woman standing, gazing out at the flowing river. She was dressed in white, her hair neatly tied back. Beautiful... that was all Danieru could think of.
Danieru took another step, but this time, he wasn't running. He smiled slowly, feeling his heart beat faster.
"You lose this time," the woman said.
Danieru, one step closer to the bridge, stopped. "Yes, I lose this time."
Rachel, who had been waiting for Danieru for a long time, stepped forward. The woman smiled, standing not too close to him.
"How are you?" Danieru asked. Honestly, he was a little nervous; looking into Rachel's eyes made him a little embarrassed. The man lowered his head and took a deep breath.
"I'm fine," Rachel replied.
The woman's voice stunned Danieru. It still sounded as gentle as ever, and honestly, he liked that. While Camilla always blurted things out in various ways, Camilla's voice could also be soft, too, too loud, and harsh. But Rachel... his first love always spoke softly and calmly. Rachel's manner was also very graceful and composed; every step she took, she always carried herself with elegance.
"What do you want to talk about?" Rachel asked.
Danieru lifted his head, looked at the beautiful evening sky, and smiled slightly.
"You're still the same." Rachel crossed her arms, shook her head slowly, and chuckled as Danieru looked at her.
"What's still the same?" Danieru asked.
"That smile, that look in your eyes, and the way you talk to me."
Danieru was quite surprised by Rachel's words. He then remembered that he had come this time to check on her troubled heart. The man then took a few steps forward, finally standing very close to Rachel.
Rachel, seeing Danieru's behavior, felt confused and tilted her head, as he was indeed taller than her.
"What do you want—" Rachel's eyes widened as she felt Danieru's lips touch hers. She swallowed hard, and suddenly closed her eyes as Danieru began to devour her lips and embrace her. It was warm, and of course, very comfortable. Rachel hadn't expected Danieru to do that to her.
Danieru, having kissed Rachel, felt relieved. He then closed his eyes and began to devour her lips. The man felt no resistance; he hugged Rachel even tighter, feeling a very strange fluttering.
The feeling was still the same, the sensation was no different. He was lost, completely immersed in their soft kiss. As the wind blew slightly harshly, he hugged Rachel even tighter. He wanted to protect her from the chill of the afternoon breeze, and he felt like he never wanted to let her go again.
Rachel, beginning to realize that they shouldn't be like this, pushed Danieru away quite forcefully. And when their kiss broke, she stared deeply at him. Her heart fluttered, and she swallowed hard.
"Sorry," Danieru said, looking away. He could see Rachel blushing slightly, and Danieru began to wonder if he had been dreaming.
"I understand," Rachel replied.
Danieru bit his tongue, the pain bringing him back to the surface. This wasn't a dream; he and Rachel were no longer the same.
"Want to spend some time with me before going home?" Danieru asked. He was a little hesitant, but he also wanted to end their meeting with something meaningful.
"Ah... no problem," Rachel replied.
Having received the answer, Danieru immediately took Rachel's hand, leading her along, and tightened his grip. He was certain now that his feelings for Camilla were just a fleeting feeling. He couldn't continue dwelling on fleeting feelings. He might never be able to let Rachel go, and this was the answer he wanted.
He still loved Rachel deeply; he couldn't just erase his first love. No matter how badly Rachel had hurt him, because of the sincerity of her love, he was able to forgive her. Love was the medicine that kept Danieru feeling okay, and it was also what had kept him from bothering Rachel and Hatsu all this time.
"Danieru, does Camilla know you came to see me?" Rachel asked suddenly.
Danieru stopped walking. “No... even if she knew, Camilla isn't the type to get jealous. She prefers to see things positively, and she's also a very understanding woman.”
Yes... that was the truth. Camilla really wouldn't care if he met anyone. She was fine, and he knew she'd never be jealous because she didn't love him. Danieru remembered when Camilla slapped him, and at that moment, he realized he shouldn't have told her he loved her.
“Camilla is very unique,” Rachel said.
Danieru stepped back, smiling in response to Rachel's words.
“She also seems very relaxed about some things around her.”
“Yes, she's a kind and understanding person. She's also good at everything except cooking,” Danieru replied.
Rachel, hearing Danieru's answer, smiled back and quickly matched his pace.
“What about you... does Hatsu know you came to see me?” Danieru glanced at Rachel. He froze as Rachel smiled, reverting to his love for the beautiful woman.
“No. You know that Hatsu is the exact opposite of Camilla,” Rachel replied.
“I understand, Sister-in-Law.”
Rachel, hearing Danieru's words, quickly shifted her attention and met his gaze.
"Did I do something wrong?" Danieru asked.
"Don't call me that."
Danieru nodded. "Let's spend some time together before midnight."
"Okay, I haven't had a good time in a while either."
The two of them then spent time together, planning many things and smiling together. They felt carefree, free from their cage.
Danieru completely forgot about Camilla when he was with Rachel like this. He was also sure Camilla wouldn't care what he did outside. As for Rachel, she also seemed to be enjoying their time together. She laughed, smiled, and looked truly happy when she was with Danieru.
Do they truly still love each other? Perhaps they do, only they know.
"Danieru, I'm sorry for hurting you."
"It's okay. Let's spend time together like this more often," Danieru said.
"Are you sure?"
“Yes, I’m absolutely sure.”
“Okay.”
...
While Danieru and Rachel were spending time together, Camilla sat at the dining table, waiting for Danieru to return. She exhaled softly, her stomach churning with hunger.
“Where did that idiot go?” Camilla muttered. She rubbed her stomach; feeling so hungry was a pain, but she didn’t want to eat alone.
The woman poured herself a bottle of water, and she tried to quell her hunger by drinking a lot. Her stomach ached slightly, but to apologize to Danieru, she held back. She wanted to eat with him, making her first meal an apology gift.
Camilla slowly laid her head on the table, glanced at the clock, and exhaled again, a little raggedly. She had called Danieru several times, but he hadn’t answered her calls.
“I’m so hungry… it’s already eight o’clock. Where did that idiot go? Is he that angry because I slapped him?” Camilla closed her eyes, then opened them again.
"Did he forget that he had a lot to discuss with me soon? Ah... I'm hungry... Stupid doggie! You should come back soon," Camilla said again.
The woman stared at her food; it was already cold and clearly wouldn't taste as good if it got any colder. Her appetite had suddenly disappeared, but her stomach was also throbbing with hunger. Perhaps it would be better to reheat the food, and she could do that when Danieru returned.
"Should I go to bed?"
Camilla immediately stood up, grabbed her phone, and left the dining room. She couldn't entirely blame Danieru; she had also gone too far in being violent with her husband. She hadn't expected her right hand to react so quickly. Camilla stopped, raised her right hand, and stared at it.
"You shouldn't have done that," Camilla said, staring at her right hand.
"If you act like that again, I'll punish you!"
The woman then lowered her hand, walked over to the sofa in the living room, and immediately lay down.
Camilla closed her eyes, feeling extremely weak and uncomfortable. Perhaps this was the effect of the drug she had injected herself with. Camilla had done this deliberately so she could discuss things with Danieru and not spend the rest of the night in bed with her husband.
She got the medicine from Jay and was grateful that he understood her situation. She had some injections Jay had given her that afternoon, which Camilla could use to stop herself from having to play with Danieru every night.
Soon, Camilla fell asleep, hoping Danieru would return soon so they could talk about many things. Maybe even exchange stories as close friends. Camilla didn't even hear the sound of the heavy rain, completely lost in her dreams.