❁ She's strong because she knows what its like to be weak. She keeps her guard up because she knows what it's like to cry herself to sleep. ❁

" Noriana, wake up Love. " someone calls my name and I slowly open my eyes adjusting them with light to see the face of the voice.

It's Hans Nicholas Anderson!

He has brought soup for me. This is not earth, this is definitely hell. No, there's no reason why would I get hell. This must be heaven.

" Am I in heaven? " I question while trying to sit, to which he gives a chuckle, " No Darling, it's my house. " he apprises, while feeding me soup, which feels like bliss. After eating half of the bowl, I get some energy to think.

What the hell is happening? How and why did he save me?

" Why did you save me? " I ask and look up in his direction to find him dumbfounded on my question. After few seconds of maintaining an awkward silence and ' Typical Hans ' face he finally opens up, " I promised myself to keep you alive. "

Hilarious! What an irony?

" Don't make promises you can't keep. "

" What does that suppose to mean? " he winces making me realise I said something I shouldn't have. What the hell was I even thinking?" I- I mean, I know you want to keep me alive to torment me, but I will not let that happen. " I stutter to manage the situation.

He rolls his eyes and gives a sigh of relief to pretend he really cares about me. He's a remarkable actor, I must admit.

But why would he pretend to care?

" Sir, the dinner's ready. " a guy enters the scene. Hans helps me get up and walk to the dining room. Meanwhile, I look around on the graphical printed 3D tiled walls with a combination of grey and white. Golden embedded detailing on ceiling, and lucid white marbled floor.

This classy look reminds me of Williamson Mansion.

As we reach the dining room, Charlie, pulls the chair for me while Hans helps me sit, " It's okay I'm fine. " I tell not being able to handle such warm gestures and hospitality, especially from Hans Freaking Anderson.

He doesn't say anything but sit on the chair right next to me, while Charlie serves me white rice with Balti curry and I'm not gonna lie but the aroma of this Balti curry is a pure bliss. I used to eat it everyday while I was in college. However, never got a chance to eat it here in America.

Confession No. 32 - I'm a sucker for Balti curry.

" Shall we? " He asks to which I give a simple nod and indulge in the food. With each bite I feel I'm becoming more alive. I don't care how do I look while I eat. I don't care what he thinks about me, right now it's just me and my food.

As the food reaches down my stomach, I lean backwards on the chair and an involuntary burp escapes from my mouth, making Hans grin.

How embarrassing!

Should I apologize? Or just forget past 15 seconds of my life?

Before I could come to a conclusion, a girl in brown hairs, wearing an apron, brings dessert in two tall glasses. She serves us the dessert, while I give her a small smile and look down to find what is it.

It's the Cherry Jubilee!

" You still remember? " I look up at Hans face and blurt in reflex. My voice sounded much weak and polite than i expected it to be. His gaze still set on his dessert.

Why is he doing it? Why does he show he cares about me? If everything was pretense and fake then why does he remember my traits, my likes and dislikes?

" Mona, take it back. This lady doesn't want the dessert. " Hans tells that girl, and I gush in a heartbeat, " No, no need. Thanks Mona. "

I love sweets, as we all know I'm a very sweet person.

" You Meanie Bitch. " I whisper under my breath.

" I can hear that. "

" It is what it is. "

" Just finish your food and go to bed! ", he cut the argument off before it becomes a war, and I follow him reluctantly and stuff down the dessert.

***

" Hey, why the hell are you sleeping on my bed? " someone shouts making me flinch and groan in my sleep.

Confession No. 33 - Disturb me in my sleep and be prepared to rest in peace.

" Shut up, I'm trying to sleep! "

" But why in my room? There are five more rooms in this floor, go sleep somewhere else! " he again screams making me more mad. " I won't go anywhere, you go! " I cover my ear with a pillow while shifting my weight to the right side.

I can feel him jump to the bed by the upward movement of the mattress, he snatches the pillow from my ears and again yells, " Leave my room! "

I'm so done with you!

I too yell at him, " I won't! " and cover my face with the quilt, and for next 10 seconds I don't hear anything from his mouth. It makes me a little bit anxious about what's he thinking when I hear him mumble, " Fine, you asked for it! "

He's gonna do something!

I feel a sensation on my belly like someone is finger walking on my waist, " What are you doing? " I mumble as my heartbeat fastens while I get goosebumps.

He doesn't reply but slowly sneaks under the quilt in which I'm tugged in and my heart starts throbbing exactly the way it did when I shared my life's first night with him.

Now he's completely inside the quilt with me and I'm still dumbfounded, my eyes are as wide as a globe, but I somehow manage to repeat the question, " What are you doing? "

" Darling it's cold outside. " he whispers in my ear while his warm breath beside my ear lobe creates an urge in me to curl my toes.

Am I breathing so loudly or it's my ears that have got a sudden power of super-hearing?

" S- S- So? " I stutter not because of the cold outside but the warmth inside.

He softly wraps his legs around my thighs, pulls me more closer with my back facing his chest. Vanishing all the air gaps left between us, he drawls, " I'm just getting prepared for the night that you and I are going to spend together in this room, on this bed, under this duvet. "

" W- What? " I blab still confused why am I still talking to him and not pushing him away, maybe because his sensual touch is doing some sort of spell on me. I should push him away but I want to cuddle in his arms, this is the man I once loved with my whole heart, I gave him my life and what did he do...

" Didn't you say that you won't leave? So I think we should not waste our time darling. " whispering this he slowly places his lips on my right cheek and I can sense he's approaching my lips making me realise what is happening and I can't let it happen.

I can't let my gaurd down.

What happened two years ago was a mistake but this is clearly not. Back then, I thought it that was right but now I know it's not, getting close to him was never right, but if I still make the same mistake again, it wouldn't be called a mistake, it will be foolishness.

" Okay okay okay, I'm leaving I'm leaving. " I finally get control on my emotions, pushing him away I jump on my feet, " Seems someone couldn't handle Hans Nicholas Anderson's hottness. " he taunts.

" May you burn from your own hottness on this same bed. " I grit my teeth off while grabbing a blanket and a pillow from the cupboard, I walk past the room not before slamming the door shut and make my way to the hall downstairs where my eyes fall upon the big sofa.

I throw the pillow on the sofa and lie on it covering my body with the blanket, a sigh escapes my mouth as I know I can't sleep for a second after what happened a few minutes ago.

❤❤❤

Hello, to the reasons I smile on my bad days. ٩( ᐛ )و

❁ Last night, when I updated this chapter, I was so sleepy to write the Author's note. And I thought no one really cares about my midnight silly thoughts.

❁ But, said she likes reading my Author's notes, and I swear to heavens, I went to bed with a Gigantic smile.

❁ I just wanted to say, I hope you all liked the chapter. And you guys are the reason, I can get over my self doubt thing.

You know the power of a smile? As a kid I used to evaluate a problem by my father's smile. When he smiled, I knew we will get through that problem. But when he didn't, I used to panic the hell out of myself.

So smile, for your family, your truly loved ones. But don't be too harsh on yourself. You're a human ( I don't mind even if you're an alien) and you have all the rights to feel all the emotions.