"I don't know you anymore."

"Who are you?"

"What have you done to the love of my life?"

Our emotions are overwhelming us, overshadowing our sense rationality. We have thrown insults at each other, fighting and both losing to one another. But her words of love that was filled hate, longing, and confusion were the biggest blows in my gut.

I don't know myself anymore, too.

I don't know what I have become nor, do I have any idea on I've become the man you're with now.

I don't know what happened to us or how it became like this.

I want to fix this, but I don't know how.

Those are the words that I wanted to say yet was unable to. Those words aren't enough. Those words wouldn't even change the fact that I made her cry, and successfully made her hate me. I know I'm too proud to admit defeat. Too proud to apologize. Too proud to let her know that I have no idea what to do next.

So instead of saying anything, I just sat there. Leaning my back at her closed door. Listening to her quiet sobs. And wishing for her to open the door.

After what seemed like eternity, but only minutes in reality, I heard her sniffs. I heard her trying to even out her breathing and stop herself from crying. I heard her take a deep breath.

Knowing she had finally found her composure, I rose from where I was seated. The door slightly opened, signaling her willingness to discuss our current situation.

I was about to cross the threshold to her room when she appeared and stood in front of me. Her stance and the way she's looking at me tells me that I'm not allowed to enter her room or personal space. Raising her head in a proud and confident manner, she gracefully made her way back at the living room.

Instead of following, I just stood there, rooted at my place by the doorway. I know that in this hour, I will no longer be able to lie. That after this moment, she will know the full truth of my intentions.

"Why?"

There it is.

"Why are you lying?"

Silence

"Why did you lie about enjoying this when you really didn't?"

Silence

"Why did you use me?"

Silence

"Why are you so hellbent on making our lives complicated?"

Her voice went from calm and controlled to edgy to barely contained anger every time she is met by silence as an answer.

I know the answers to those questions but the answers will not please her. The answers will only hurt her further.

"Why aren't you talking? Why aren't you answering?"

Again, I am unable to respond.

"If you think that you're going to hurt me with the answers, just do it! I have been hurt enough!"

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTIONS! SPIT IT OUT!"

"I'm doing this for us," I simply said.

There was a moment of silence before she began laughing, but there is no humor in her eyes nor in that laugh.

"You're doing this for us?" she asked, trying to hold down her mirth. "No, Alexander. You're doing this for yourself."

"No... I..." I tried to protest. Tried to explain my end when she continued.

"Everything you is always for you, Alexander. Everything you do is to please your father. Everything you do is to please our parents. I don't even know if what you said to me back then was real or not."

I tried to banish our distance by walking and reaching out my arms towards her when she moved her head to the side.

"It was," I stated, hands falling down my sides.

"Really?"

"It was true then, and it is still true now."

"I find that hard to believe. A few minutes ago, I found out that you just lied to my face," she said, and I can hear the hurt in her voice. "So how can I be sure that what you said back then was really what you felt."

"I did those things for you."

She scoffed. "Don't you dare try and put this on me. You did everything you did for you, not for me, not for us, and not even for your dead mother! You did everything for you!"

"That's not true!"

"It is!" she said, exasperated. "No matter how many times you said you hate your father, no matter how many times you claim to not want to be like him, you always do his bidding. You always follow his orders, and you always made sure that he's proud of his boy. And now, you're becoming like him. The man you swore never to be."

Out of anger, I quickly stalked towards her and backed her against the wall. "Don't you dare compare me to him," I said dangerously.

She glared at me and tried to push me but I was too strong for her to even make budge. "Yes, you are."

Punching the wall next to her, noticing she never recoiled in fear, I leaned to her ear. "I have my reasons."

She faced me with her fierce glare. "Reasons that you would just lie to get through!"

"I'm broke."

One

Two

Three

I counted to thirty as the room was filled with silence.

"What?"

"I'm broke."

"Don't give me that crap! You're lying again!"

I glared at her. "Look me in the eye and tell me that I'm lying."

She did, and after a few seconds, she must have seen something because her faced morphed into a confused look.

"It can't be."

I pushed myself of the wall and started pacing the room. It's time.

"The company is falling apart."

"It can't be. My father merged our company with yours."

"Not anymore," I said grimly.

"What?"

"When I called off the wedding, or any future with you, your father decided to pull out his shares in the company, leaving us on the rocks for years. I have only made it where it was but just barely. My father was a wreck after what happened to mom. I was a wreck after that incident that hurt the two women in my life, killing the woman who gave birth to me. By the time, I decided to check on the company, the market stocks were already falling." I took a deep breath before I continue, "During also those times, my father made some pretty harsh decision, giving even more problems in the company. I have no choice but to seek your father's help."

I stopped and just looked at her. Seeing her reactions, confirming that her father never said anything, I continued again.

"By the time I arrived at your family home, I saw my father storming out the door, and forcefully grabbing my arm. On the way back, he told me his new plans. He told me to forget about you, and that you are the reason why the company was falling apart."

I paused and took in her emotionless face. "It wasn't your fault," I said, and she look up. "I am not stupid enough to believe that. But he was still adamant about it. He told me his plans on early retirement, on giving me the position earlier than expected. And also..."

With her eyes still fixed on me, I sighed. There's no wat out. "He also said that I should turn my attention to the princess of Switzerland."

I heard her gasp at this. She was about to say something when I interrupted. "She never knew about it. Her parents know, but she never did. By the time I told them that I would introduce myself, I was suddenly told that she was no longer in the palace. After learning that she would be out indefinitely, I decided to make some connections in the States. I already owned my father's company by the time I arrived there and was surprised that no one was aware of the fact that I'm broke so I played it cool. When I met the princess, I decided to alter some of my father's plan."

She was silent the whole time I was talking. Her nods, her eyes, and facial expressions are my only hint that she's listening.

"I did everything I did for you."

She abruptly stood and made her way in front of me.

SLAP!

"You keep saying that!"

I heard her say. The slap she gave me was hard. Hard enough for my head to whipped to the side.

"You keep saying that! But you know what? My response will always be the same. You did all of this for your own selfish needs. Stop giving me the excuse that everything you did are all for me. If you're going to say that you did all of those to be able to give me a life that I have always have, then don't bother!"

I looked at her and was about to say exactly that when I saw her face streaked with tears.

"If you know me, like really know me. You would know that I would never want any of those. You would know that loving me is enough for me. That all I want from you is the love that you promised me. I just want you. Do you have any idea how much I suffered after the incident at the barn?" I flinched at that. "I kept asking, praying and even begging everyone to bring you to me. But you never came. And they never did. Each day I wish for you to come walking in my bedroom door, but every day was a disappointment." I hear her sniff before she continued. "I just want you. You don't need to ruin someone's life just to make me happy. You just have to be with me."

Her words gave warmth to my heart. The room was once again filled with silence. Nothing was heard other than our heavy breathing. When she opened her mouth to say something, a knock came at the door. She looked at the door before looking back at me. I looked out the window as she opened the door.

I heard footsteps coming my way. Knowing that we are not expecting any guests, I composed myself and turned only to see two men in suits.

I looked Angel Face questioningly until one of the men spoke.

"We apologize for the intrusion but the King of Switzerland requests both your presence at the palace."