Chapter 92 Chapter 31.2
Heaven turned to face Desmond.
He stood there rigidly, his eyes fixed on her with an intensity that made her chest tighten. There was anger in his gaze—raw, unrestrained, and burning. It wasn’t the kind of anger born from irritation or misunderstanding, but something far deeper, something wounded.
What exactly was he angry about?
Was she truly the reason he had lost control like this?
“What are you talking about?” Heaven asked, her brows knitting together as confusion clouded her expression.
Desmond straightened and stepped closer to her. The sudden movement made Heaven instinctively retreat, her feet moving backward until she felt the invisible wall closing in around her.
“Do you still not believe me?” Desmond demanded, his voice tight. “I thought I explained everything clearly back then. I had people looking for you—but I never imagined my own mother would betray me.”
He stopped in front of her, his fists clenched at his sides.
“I understand why she chose to protect you,” he continued bitterly. “But did I really deserve to be treated like that, Heaven? As if I committed some unforgivable crime. I admit it—I made mistakes. I brought Macie into our home back then. But you know very well that Macie was the one I loved at that time. I never cheated on you when I finally loved you, didn’t I?”
His voice cracked slightly, but he forced himself to continue.
“Do you honestly believe I ran back to Macie the moment our child died? Heaven, I was left alone. Everyone turned their backs on me. Do I really deserve that? I know I didn’t cheat on you. If there’s anything I’m guilty of, it’s that I drank at the bar and let myself be dragged to a hotel by Macie.”
The words hung heavily between them.
Heaven turned her face away.
Was it really true?
Had he truly not cheated on her back then?
Her heart ached at the thought. Trust did not come easily to her anymore. Fear wrapped itself tightly around her chest—the fear of being hurt again, of allowing her heart to break for the second time.
“If I didn’t love you,” Desmond said quietly, his voice trembling beneath restraint, “if you weren’t important to me, do you really think I would waste time and money searching for you? I could have lived my life freely. I could have married Macie.”
He took a step closer again, but this time he stopped himself.
“When I learned how to love you, I let Macie go. Yes, I was confused back then. I loved you, and Macie still mattered to me—but in the end, I chose you. I wouldn’t spend money just to have you found if you meant nothing to me. Don’t you believe me?”
Heaven could feel the pain in his voice.
Should she trust him again?
Her gaze refused to meet his. She couldn’t bring herself to look into his eyes.
Desmond released a deep breath and stepped away from her.
“I won’t force you to believe me right away,” he said, his voice calmer now, exhausted. “But at least let me come closer. Let me make up for everything I failed to do before. Let me court you, Heaven.”
He paused.
“I never got to do that properly because you got pregnant. Let me do it now. Let me prove to you that what I feel for you is real.”
His jaw tightened.
“I’m still hurt by what my own mother did to me. But there’s nothing I can do now. She succeeded in hiding you from me. If you truly don’t want me anymore—if you really can’t love me again—then push me away. Say the cruelest words you can think of. Tell me to leave you alone, and I will.”
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“Just tell me.”
Heaven swallowed hard and lowered her head.
Was that really what she wanted?
What if Desmond was telling the truth?
What if she pushed him away now—only to regret it someday when it was already too late?
She couldn’t do it.
She couldn’t bring herself to push him away.
Desmond lifted his hand and gently held her chin, raising her face slowly until their eyes met. Heaven’s breath hitched. In his eyes, she saw pain—deep, undeniable pain.
“Please believe me,” he pleaded softly. “I’m not asking for a second chance. I just want to court you. And if, in the end, I still can’t win your heart—if you truly don’t want me anymore—I’ll leave on my own. I won’t appear before you again. I won’t bother you.”
Heaven was at a loss for words. Her heart raced violently against her chest, her emotions tangled beyond understanding.
“Sir—”
Heaven flinched and stepped back when Jake suddenly entered the office.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Jake said quickly. “I didn’t know Miss Heaven was here.”
Heaven turned away immediately and straightened herself, trying to compose her expression.
“I’m leaving anyway,” she said nervously. “You can talk to him now.”
Her voice trembled as she hurried out of the office and walked toward her own. Once inside, she pressed a hand against her chest, breathing heavily as if her heart might burst out at any moment.
Only then did she realize she had been holding her breath the entire time.
“What was that?” she whispered to herself, sinking into her swivel chair.
She replayed Desmond’s words in her mind—every sentence, every confession.
“Does this mean he found out that Mommy Shiermy paid the detectives he hired to look for me?” she murmured. “What does that have to do with me? I didn’t pay them to hide myself from him—wait…”
Her thoughts abruptly stopped.
“If that’s the case… does that mean he really looked for me after I disappeared?”
Heaven let out a deep sigh.
Macie’s face suddenly flashed in her mind. She remembered that Macie had wanted to say something to her when they last met.
Without hesitation, Heaven picked up her phone and called Shiermy.
“Heaven? Why are you calling?” Shiermy answered immediately.
“Mom,” Heaven said directly, “can I have the information of the detective you paid back then to keep Desmond from finding me? I just want to know something.”
Shiermy wanted to ask why, but she held herself back.
“All right, dear,” she replied. “I’ll send it to your email.”
The moment the call ended, Heaven opened her email and refreshed it repeatedly. A few minutes later, the message arrived. She took the number and dialed it.
“Yes, hello? Who is this?” the detective answered.
“This is Heaven,” she said. “I just want to ask something. Can we meet now if you’re not busy?”
“Heaven Velasquez?” the detective confirmed.
“Yes,” she replied. “I want to talk to you. If you have time, can we meet? I’ll send you the location.”
The detective agreed.
Heaven left the company and went straight to the meeting place. When she arrived, the detective was already there waiting.
“Mrs. Velasquez, please have a seat,” he said politely.
She sat down without delay.
“Let’s get straight to the point,” Heaven said. “Were you the one Desmond paid to look for me back then?”
The detective nodded.
“When did he start paying you to find me?” she asked.
“I don’t remember the exact date,” he replied, “but it’s been nearly two years, ma’am.”
Heaven froze.
That long?
Did that mean Desmond had already been searching for her even before she left the country?
“And when did Mommy Shiermy pay you to stop Desmond from finding me?” Heaven asked quietly.
“The same day Sir Desmond hired me.”
Heaven nodded slowly, her mind reeling.
Shiermy had never mentioned any of this to her.
When Heaven returned to her office, she was completely dazed. Her thoughts were in chaos, her heart caught between fear, doubt, and a truth she had never expected to uncover.