Chapter 105 A Vague Proposal
Later, Peach was free and decided to pay Luke a visit who was wrapping up his work and about to leave for his hotel.
“Ma’am-”
“Oh Hush,”
Ignoring the assistant that tried to stop her, waving her hand gracefully, she entered his cabin playfully, blowing a kiss at Luke.
“Luke~”
“What do you want, Peach?” He sighed, covering his face with his file to block the air and continued to wrap up his things.
Pouting, she placed her hand on the table and leaned forward, observing him setting things up like he won’t return, confusing her.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing to do anymore. Just thinking about returning to America,” He replied nonchalantly.
“Why?”
Whining, she jumped, clinging onto his arm, not liking how his departure sounded.
In fact, if possible, she would happily ensnare him in her domain.
“Why not?”
“Start a new chain here. What is left in America for you? Your brother, your sister, and your future wife, everyone is here,”
Mumbling, her cheek pressed onto his arm, refusing to let him go, highly discontented at the mentioning of departure.
Luke glanced at the woman who held him firmly with bored eyes, unable to tell if it was genuine or just a play.
“So what if they are?”
“Shouldn’t you be with your… family?” She asked innocently, lifting her emerald gaze, a frown etched on her pretty features.
Returning the same frown, he removed her hand gradually with hardened features.
“What should I do? What is left in my life? Everyone is with the person they love, they have their happy endings. They no longer need me,"
Maintaining a fair distance from Peach, he loosened his tie, fingers running through his soft locks, making them messy while sharing his disheartened perspective.
“What about me? Suffer and feel lonely? Am I going to be left all alone? Is there no one-”
The second his back faced Peach, she became deadpanned and grabbed his arm roughly, forcing him to link his dejected gaze with hers.
“Am I not?”
“What?”
“Am I not here? For you?”
Returning the same seriousness, Luke freed his arm and held her elbows to bring her dangerously closer.
“Forever?”
His question was stern but simple yet it made Peach shiver. Blinking, her gaze softened, thinking- believing she misheard.
“What?”
His grip tightened, hitching her breaths at the unforeseen austerity.
“You are here, yes. But, now. For how long will you be? Forever?”
She knew Luke resented the talks of their ‘forever’ hence why she pestered him but the no sign of declination, turned her mind blank.
‘What should I do now?’ Gulping, Peach tried to avert her gaze.
But sliding his index finger under her chin, he ensured she won’t break eye-contact and continued strictly.
“You, who came to me whenever she wanted. Left me miserable whenever she wanted. Will you be there for me forever?”
Her breaths hastened, hesitation coated her glimmering eyes. At first, she wanted to believe it was a question out of desperation.
But, his inscrutable aura displayed otherwise.
As if Luke also wanted someone to be by his side too. Everyone had one- Why not him too? Especially the one who was with him in his worst.
When she saw the desperation to have someone by his side too, she gradually placed her hand over his chest and whispered shyly.
“...If you want me to be,”
He pressed her into him, “I want you to be,”
“Come again?”
“You told me you are not unlovable, right? Prove it. You said you won’t leave me this time, prove it,”
Peach considered it a deception of her mind but the stoic expressions, the way his breaths blended with hers, gripping onto her without any intention of leaving- it indicated it was real.
She couldn’t help but to chuckle nervously, “Where is this coming from?”
He growled desperately, “Because I am sick of everyone having what they desire except for me. Why does everyone have the one they love and I don’t?”
She asked immediately, “So do you love me?”
“You don’t?”
“Don’t twist my words, Luke,”
“You don’t play with me either, Peach,”
Switching the places, he pressed her against the table, amplifying her heartbeats.
She was about to shift back but placing his hand across, he trapped her in his proximity, labeling her breaths as his.
“If you are here to be forever then stay and if not, then don’t show me your face,” He said huskily, securing both hands beside her.
“In fact, you don’t have to do that either, I am going back anyways,”
His tall form hovering over the timid woman who was consuming some time to register the keenness. Her shoulder tense, senses losing control as she stared at him worriedly.
“I won’t come back to your guys anyways. Live your lives happily, however you want,”
“Don’t,”
The mention of separation made her heart pump madly. She held his shirt tightly, pleading with him in a whisper.
“Don’t go, Luke… Please,”
“Then what should I do, dammit!?” He yelled, hitting the table furiously when all he found was solitude for him everywhere.
“Will you stay by my side and help me forget my pain!? Will you stand with me?!”
Snarling, he was about to pull back but wrapping her hands around his waist, Peach's body reacted on its own, embracing him firmly.
“Yes! Yes, I will!”
Immobilized, his eyes went wide, standing still when she requested sincerely, burying her face in his chest, voice breaking.
“I will be with you till the end, I won’t leave you this time but just… don’t go, not this time,”
Lifting her teary gaze, she whispered, holding her stunned man.
His heart skipped a beat. Throat dried when she was slipping out of her wicked composure, becoming vulnerable.
“I want you to accept that I am not unlovable or undesirable…”
Swallowing hard at her hopelessness, he gradually held her shoulders. Uncertain to pull back to embrace her back but those watery eyes weakened him.
Impotent to pull back, he decided to hug her back, leaning down to whisper in her ears, “Prove it to me,”
Closing her eyes, swaying along the warmth of the moment.
Peach gathered her determination and smiled when fate provided her another chance to make Luke hers.
“Okay…”