Chapter 83 I Plan to Focus on My Happiness

Emily woke up scared, she got out of bed suddenly, dazed, looking around, lost, had she died? why she was sure that her father had shot her.

Then he felt a pair of warm and large hands that wrapped his, when he turned around, he saw Aiden kneeling next to the bed, with a faint smile and his eyes shining, it was evident that he was relieved and happy.

Which meant that she hadn't died, she was still alive.

"Aiden?" What happened? She looked at herself, looking for any wounds, but found nothing.

"Don't worry, you're fine..." Aiden gently clenched his hands.

"And my father?"

"Máximo will take care of him, don't worry about that. Aiden replied with a casual tone that could not hide the concern in his eyes.

"Oh God, I thought he was dead..." she murmured, her voice trembling, as tears began to fill her eyes as she remembered what had happened.

"I would never have allowed it..." Aiden slid a hand down his cheek, wiping away a tear that had begun to drain.

"Don't be ridiculous..." she murmured, lowering her gaze. "How would you have avoided it?"

"First, I would have run like a desperate man to take you to the best clinic in the world, I would have forced the doctors to save you anyway..." Aiden slid his hand to his chin, lifting his face. "I would pray for a miracle... And if none of that works, I'd find a way to be with you on the other side...

"Aiden..." she whispered with a mixture of wonder and excitement, looking at those deep, mesmerizing blue eyes.

"You saved my life, princess..." Aiden hugged her with all his strength, feeling the warmth and sweet aroma he had missed so much. "I owe you my life, although..." anyway, it was already yours...

Emily pulled away suddenly, pushing him. - You left me...

"Yes, I'm sorry..." Aiden sighed, looking down in embarrassment. "But I needed to...

- Máximo and your cousin sent you to investigate my father, didn't they? She asked, surprising Aiden.

“At first, it wasn't like that. I just walked away because I was mad at you..." Aiden clarified, causing her to frown.

"Because of what I said about your cousin?" Do you prefer Isabella to me? Is that it, Aiden? Emily's voice reflected pain.

"No, Emily, no!" “He sat on the edge of the bed, in front of her. "It's not that I prefer anyone... It's just that, I..." Aiden became very serious. - I've always told you; I don't agree with your arrogance, I don't like people to believe themselves more than others... You treated Isabella badly just because she had a hard life, but it wasn't by choice. People go through bad times and it's not because they want to, nor does it mean they should pay for it..." Aiden spoke with authority, as if scolding and advising a little girl. Emily looked down, pursing her lips. “When someone is going through a bad time, they need a helping hand, not an accusing finger...

"Aiden..." she muttered, feeling ashamed of her past actions.

"I thought you could change." We spent wonderful moments together, you are the most fascinating woman I have ever met, so much so that you stole my heart... But then, that day we argued, I realized that you hadn't changed, you just avoided saying what you thought so as not to make me angry. Deep down, you still held your prejudices...

"Aiden..." she muttered again, with the lump in her throat.

- I love you; I love you very much, princess, but the truth... I couldn't stand it. I was so angry with you that I decided to walk away. I thought that in the midst of my frustration and anger, I could make you feel bad, like that day we argued. I didn't respond to you in the best way and ended up leaving you alone..." Aiden confessed with guilt in his eyes.

She muttered again, her voice breaking, and her heart agitated.

"I'm sorry, I ended up leaving you without explanations and that was wrong, I know, I apologize, princess, I really hope you can forgive me..." Aiden closed his eyes tightly, his expression showed guilt. "But I needed to think things through, princess, I needed a break and then, Isabella asked me to investigate your father and..."

Emily pounced on Aiden, hugging him, he was speechless, surprised, she was crying, and he didn't understand why.

How many times had Emily been wrong? She had always judged Aiden for womanizing, and he was actually a good man, a gentleman.

Yes, he had done wrong to walk away, but in part, wasn't it her own fault, and yet there he was, begging her forgiveness and explaining.

Besides, she had also judged Isabella for living as a homeless person, she had judged her by her appearance and by her financial situation, but Emily had already learned the hard way that that wasn't the only thing that defined people.

Aiden was right, she had behaved terribly and during the time he was away, she could tell that.

But now, Emily saw her mistakes clearer than ever, having learned the truth from her father, from her own family.

She always judged people by their lineage, power, and money, precisely in that order, and her own father had none of that.

"Aiden..." she whispered into the young man's ear. - I'm so sorry, forgive me, for all the things I said, for all the times I made you or Isabella feel bad, I'm very sorry.

Aiden smiled when he heard those words, his heart was dancing in his chest, he exhaled relieved that Emily now saw everything from another perspective and the first step had been to apologize for her mistakes, a very big step for a person who was used to believing himself more than others.

But they would do it, they would move forward, of that he was sure, little by little, step by step, they would be able to understand each other. And he would not leave his princess again, who was now the only and definitive owner of his life.

Aiden pulled her away slightly, looked her intensely in the eyes and then wrapped her lips with a tender kiss that made both of them goosebumps, their bodies automatically responded to the closeness, their breaths were agitated showing their longing.

After a while in which the kiss became somewhat more passionate, Aiden abruptly separated.

"I'm sorry, princess, but we'll have to leave this conversation for another time..." Aiden exhaled, trying to keep a more prudent distance.

- What?! Emily complained, clearly disappointed.

"You need to be checked by a doctor first, and your brother should be going up any day now." Aiden explained, and Emily understood immediately.

No one knew about their relationship, and the fact that she had declared her love for him a while ago made her blush deeply.

"Did Max say anything?" Emily asked, with some anxiety.

- No, but... He will surely come at any time to ask for explanations. Aiden smiled mischievously.

"Very well, there's nothing to worry about, we're adults..." Emily shrugged, although deep down she was worried, not because her brother could forbid her from the relationship, but because she wanted Maximo to give them his blessing.

"In the meantime," Emily continued.

"What?" Aiden looked at her curiously.

"You owe me a lot of explanations...

They spent a good while, during which Aiden revealed to Emily the real reasons why Isabella had sent Maximilian to investigate. Isabella had already told Aiden about her visit to Marian and all that she had discovered. That story had become Aiden's greatest motivation to unmask Maximilian. Like Isabella, Aiden wished to free Marian from the life she had been forced into.

As Aiden narrated as tactfully as possible, Emily was horrified to learn of the atrocities her father had committed against his spouse and mother of his children, Marian. The magnitude of her mother's suffering filled her with helplessness and made her feel like a terrible daughter for not having noticed it sooner.

"So, Isabella thought Max would do all that to her?" Emily asked incredulously. "Now I understand why you got angry that day..." She commented, thoughtfully. "I'm sorry for what I said..."

- Okay... You didn't know...

“No, it's not right. I told you it was normal for my brother to send her to a field, and look... Look at everything my father did to my mother, I have been very foolish and cruel. Maybe I'm a lot like him..." Emily felt embarrassed.

"No, don't say that..." Aiden looked at her seriously, holding her by the shoulders. - Princess, you are what you decide to be. Just because that man is your father doesn't make you the same kind of person. Understand? Emily pursed her lips. "Emily... Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, I know...

"Good..." Aiden let go of her a little more calmly.

"But now, Isabella knows that Maximo wouldn't do that, right?" Emily asked with concern.

"Yes, she already knows, she told me that they talked, and she solved it... The truth is that I am happy for them, and I hope they are very happy... Because from now on, I also plan to focus on my own happiness... By your side..." Aiden looked at her affectionately, reaching out to give her a passionate kiss, because they had already talked a lot, and he needed some closeness.

When the door burst open, Máximo had arrived, and his wrinkled brow did not look very good.