"Don't worry, I have my ways." He said as he left, leaving Amelia startled by his words.
Christian then went to the shop where Sophie works, he hasn't seen her for years. He wants to see how he looks. He entered the grocery shop she used to work at. His eyes fell upon a smiling face who was working earnestly. A smile crept upon his lips when he saw her. How can he forget these big hazel eyes filled with hope? He brought a chocolate and went to her counter for billing. She smiled as he stared at her.
"Is everything alright, Sir?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He shook his head and turned and left. 'Just when did you grow into a woman from a kid?' He thought to himself and left.
Christian then went to Tyler to tell him.
"Man! Do you even know how young she is?" Tyler said agitated.
"At least I am not taking her into my home and using her as a thing."
"You are using her. Man I get it she can help you but how are you supposed to make her marry you? You are certainly not think of giving her a sudden marriage proposal, do you?"
Christian remained silent as he stood up and left before saying, "I just came here to tell you that I have decided to fulfill my promise."
Then next year, after preparing everything to make her his bride, he first made her lose her job from the shop so that she faced money problems. But soon she got another job and he knew it's not enough. He made sure it won’t and then he sent the marriage proposal to her. He was so amused to know that she tore his card the moment she came to know about the terms of marriage.
And he saw her for the first time, she was angelic, pure. Her innocent self was a source of entertainment for him. She obviously declined his offer but a little intimidation was enough to make her agree to marry him and then his phase of fears started.
Even when Amelia came to know about the reason of their marriage- she went to Christian,
"What the hell is that about?!" Snarled her.
"What?" he said as if he is not even aware about what she is talking about.
"Why the hell are you making your marriage just a game of lust?"
"This has to be like this."
"Listen Christian, Sophie is my daughter. She is not a toy. Don't you dare to comply on that contract."
"Aunt, An intercourse between a husband and wife is inevitable." He said monotonously.
"Christian.. just what the hell happened to you?" She spoke sadly. He gave her a bored look as she said, "At least.. promise me to protect her.."
"Aunt, I have made enough promises. I have no intentions of making more."
"Please.. protect her.. never defile her.." Amelia began to sob. Christian gulped hard and turned his head away, "I'll try my best."
Scared...
He was scared to love her. Even though he fulfilled his promise but he was lost in his apprehension that she might not fall for him as he broke her. He never wants to feel loved again and lost in that delusion, that to push her away from him, he has to make her hate him and to break her and he did. He shattered her. Just to avoid love and not face the pain of losing her, he did what he considered best even though it was his other mistake. But then he soon realized his mistake as he began to try his best to make her feel secure in his arms.
Caring...
Filled with penitence for his deed, he began to desire forgiveness, he wanted to turn this dusty relation into something memorable. He devoted his life to correct what’s wrong, to build the broken heart with his love. He tried his best to make her feel relaxed in his presence. He wanted to become her salvation. He wanted to remove that feeling of being defiled from her. He tried his best to care.
And during this time, Eugene woke up and he told her everything about their marriage and about Sophie to him. Eugene was devastated at first to come to know that Sophie is his step-sister but he loves her a lot, he knows how desperate she was for him to wake up. And no matter what, Eugene wants his sister to be liberated from those shackles of imprisonment. He loves her dearly. He was angry at his mother for not telling them anything but he decided to remain silent and at the right moment he burst his emotions and left to find a way for Sophie to be released.
And after all these tribulations and prevailing obstacles together, Christian is now finally freed. Free from that malevolent love of Merlin, from that cursed money he earned, free those terrors. He is Loved.
Receiving the love of her wife, the intense feeling of affection from her. The ultimate sweetness of her. The holy rapture that fills his whole being. The blessing of having her as his wife. She made him feel loved- once again. She ignites his heart with the flares of her love. She melted the ice of his with her fierce fire. He knows what melts his heart, it wasn't love.
It was their toxic marriage that poisoned both of them with lethal feelings that longed liberation and those feelings of being free caused both of them to be loved.
But an uneasiness always lingers in his heart because he thought that if Sophie ever came to know about the reason for their marriage, she would leave him but when she said that will never leave him, he felt like he got everything in this world. The lamentable has become their salvation. Their toxic marriage is not toxic anymore. It is now an eternal source of gratification.