Chapter 92 Chapter Ninety Two Sydney’s POV Gently, Mark moved closer to the baby cot and lowered Aiden who had fallen asleep in his arms I to it. He covered him well with the blankets and still patted him for a while before he pulled away. He flexed his shoulders and rolled his n*eck and arm, that must have gone sore from carrying Aiden for so long. Then he casually perched at the foot of the bed, his hands briefly grazed my feet before he placed his hands on his thighs. “Why are you so keen on finding Lucas, though?” He asked as he faced the pole that was at the foot of the bed. He turned to me and his shoulders lifted in the briefest shrug, “I mean, it’s been so long since he contacted you or tried to reach out to you. He hasn’t made any attempt since he left.” “You can not say that,” I felt the stupid urge to defend him and I did. “What if something happened to him and he’s unable to reach out to anyone? What if he’s scared if reaching out?” I shrugged, “There are lots of what ifs, you know.” Η Mark bobbed his head in a nod, “you’re right. I agree with you on that aspect. There are always lots of what ifs but not for a man that’s madly in love with a woman. Trust me when I tell you very clearly that that man,” he m*uth twisted bitterly, “my uncle, does not love you anymore. No matter the circumstances, no matter how high and disciplined a man’s sense of reasoning is, when he is in love with a woman, at some point, all reasoning is unconsciously thrown in the air and they follow their heart which is always to go to that woman they can’t ever get enough of I managed a smile as I looked arhim, trying to hide the pain that came whenever I remembered Lucas. “You seem well versed in this topic, Mr Torres,” I teased. He shrugged, his expression still serious. “I guess I am. And I’m sure that Lucas doesn’t love you anymore, Sydney. I’m not saying this because I want you for myself or anything…” I blushed. Mark had really grown unashamed in declaring his love for me. Sometimes, it felt odd. And I just choose to not acknowledge it. I’m saying this because I care for you,” he continued. He took my hand that was closest to him. gently. “And I don’t want you to get hurt more than you already are. If Lucas loved you, he’d spend every of his free second, watching you vigilantly and preventing any male from approaching you and lurking around you.” I laughed at this. “What’s he? A private investigator? Come on, a man, even though he’s in love, has got his own life to live.” He lifted his shoulders in a shrug, a smug smile dancing across his l*p. “I know but it’s our natural instinct, it’s present in every man’s DNA.” “Ofcourse, just like you, always appearing around me uninvited,” I couldn’t help this thought in my head. However, I chose to keep it to myself and just nodded at his….preach? Forget the fact that I had just teased him about him insisting on loving me a few minutes ago, I always tried my damndest to avoid any conversation that dwelled around Mark’s love for me. Our relationship had grown into something beautiful as I’ve found a friend in him, a true friend but at the same time, it was delicate, like an egg. Any slight dent could ruin it and cause it to crash. I sighed and pulled my hands from his. “You’re right though, but.” I trailed off as I wrapped my arms around me, my gaze unnecessarily gliding toward Aiden in his cot Andi felt Mark’s gaze follow me. “But Lucas is very important to ime,” I kept my gaze trained on him as I spoke and if Mark felt Chapter 92 Chapter Ninety Two anything; hurt, disappointment? It didn’t show because he had his emotions on check. “Lucas isn’t just a boyfriend, I continued, “Or my baby’s father. He’s more than that to me…” trailed off,my brows creasing deeply as I tried to put what Lucas was to me, all that he meant to me. “Lucas made me. H–he made me into what I am today, Mark.” I shook my head and looked away as tears pricked my eyes. No,they didn’t roll down my cheeks. I didn’t let them. I never let it. I stopped shedding tears over him a long time ago. Now that Aiden was here.I needed to be strong for the both of us. I unwrapped my arms from around myself and dropped them to my lap. I looked down at my hands as I started again, in a small voice, “I need answers, Mark. I don’t want to spend more time guessing, assuming and regretting.” A painful laughter bubbled up my throat, “I don’t want to keep making silly excuses for him. That’s not me. I shook my head and whispered, but loud. enough for Mark to hear me, “Even if he doesn’t love me anymore, I want him to say it to face. I need him to clearly tell me where we stand!” I looked up. My voice quivered as I spoke, “we can’t just end again and leave everything in a blur, we can’t end and spend the rest if our lives wondering what might have or might have not, we can’t leave the puzzle unsolved and unfinished, wondering–wondering and wondering.” My eyes were filled with unshed tears that would remain unshed, especially before Mark. Being vulnerable had become a normal around Mark, but everything had a limit. my There was a comfortable long stretch of silence after I finished speaking. Mark reached out and gave my hand a comforting squeeze. I appreciated it. I always appreciated his presence in my life. “So, what do you hope for when you see him?” I smiled. My throat didn’t feel clogged again, I didn’t feel the pool of tears in my eyes again and most importantly, the trembling in my voice had stopped, “Naturally, I hope we can reconcile. If so, I will come back with Lucas, we’d spend some time here, packing up and tying loose ends then we’d take Aiden and go settle down in Italy.” This time,I actually saw a glint of hurt flash in Mark’s eyes. “Ouch. Sy “What?” I laughed and shrugged. “I must be honest. If you two reconcile, it would really hurt me. I can see that, I wanted to say but I didn’t. Ouch.” “Your reconciliation with him simply means that after I’ve bonded with Aiden, you’re going to cruelly take him away from me and completely cut off our chance of reconciling. Even now, I already feel attached to the little champ. Then get yourself your own champ.” I quickly continued, depriving him of the chance to say whatever was on his mind again. Which I was quite sure would run along the line, I want to have my champ with you.’ “But If he doesn’t love me anymore and doesn’t want anything to do with me, I will come back alone, raise Aiden by myself, and
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never bother him again.” “Frankly?” He raised his perfectly arched eyebrows and I nodded. “I hope you fail.” “Mark!” I exclaimed then I leaned forward and covered his m*uth. “Shut up, you jinx!” Mark’s shoulders shook as he laughed, unable to hold back his laughter. He raised his hands in the air in surrender after he had sobered up. “Okay, I will wish you a happy reunion,” he said but I saw him cross his middle finger and index finger on his lap. I didn’t know If he had meant for me to see it or not, either way, I just smiled as I looked away and made no comment about it. SIX MONTHS LATER I hugged Aiden to my ch*st and placed a k*ss on his forehead for the umpteenth time. Strings pulled at my heart when he made his nabay noises again. I made to pull him into another hug when Grace’s hand reached for him. Grace gently took him from me. “We would really appreciate it if you don’t suffocate the poor Chapter 92 Chapter Ninety Two boy with your excessive hugs and k*sses.” She placed him in his cot and turned to me with a soft smile. She gently hit me.on my forearm, before pulling me into a hug. “You will be fine,” she whispered, “And you already know that Aiden is in good hands so relax. I’m trying. I cried. Just then, my name was called through the airport’s loudspeaker, urging me to board the plane. in three minutes. I let go of Grace and bent to hug Aiden again. I gave him a feathery k*ss on his cheeks. “Mom will be back soon, I promise.” With all the willpower I could summon, I reluctantly looked away from him. Grace, with red eyes, hugged me again. “You had better come back safely, and remember to keep in touch with me every day.” “Yes ma’am.” “Good,” she chipped up her chin and I shook my head as I smiled and moved over to Mark. He handed me my handbag, he had held it for me when I wanted to hold Aiden in my arm. I took it from him then he opened his arm, a smile on his l*ps. “So, does an ex–husband not deserve a hug?” He asked casually,but I could see that he really wanted a hug. I laughed and went into his arms. It was actually the first peaceful and friendly hug since we knew each other. Our past hugs were either faked, forced or reluctant but this one? We both wanted it. I cleared my throat when Mark wouldn’t let go after about ten seconds. I broke free from him and lightly punched him on his ch*st . “You’ve already delayed me for too long. Mr Torres.” I had planned to leave for Italy after three months but Mark wouldn’t let me. He insisted that I stay and undergo the three months of emergency self–defense and shooting training that he booked for me. At first, I had thought he was joking until he got all serious. “Call me if there is any emergency,” he said hoarsely. “Then what?” I teased, “You’d fly to Italy?” “You can never tell,” he smirked. I gave him one last smile, my gaze falling on each of them. I steeled my heart and turned to walk towards the boarding gate when my name was called out again.