Sign Here for Vengeance

Chapter 57: He Loves Me

OLIVIA

"I love you, Olivia. Damn it, I'm so in love with you it hurts."

My whole body froze in time. The world before me stopped moving altogether. Only my heart was alive at that moment, beating faster, chasing after the echo of the words he just said.

"W-what?" I whispered, trying to confirm what I just heard.

"Don't make me repeat it like this. It's embarrassing—"

"Please Judah..."

I heard a snuffle from him before he slowly lifted his head from my shoulder. His gaze remained on the floor but his forehead only rested a few inches away from mine. A few seconds of silence lingered as he collected himself before he spoke again.

"I said... I love you, Olivia," he let out a strained chuckle as his eyes shifted to me. "I'm in love with my wife. Isn't that fitting yet strange?"

I couldn't utter a word. I just stared at him, completely overwhelmed.

He groaned in distress as I stayed silent, "Please say something."

Still, no words came out. But tears did. Without a warning, I just started sobbing uncontrollably in front of him, wailing as if I'd been terribly hurt. It was far, far from that, yet the emotions I felt were just as intense.

He started panicking, "H-hey... are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. I'm sorry... it's just..." I stammered as I searched for proper words in between sobs, "You love me? Do you really love me?"

"I-I... Well, yes. I just said it, didn't I?"

My tears kept running, "I'm loved?"

And he just stiffened, eyes wide and full of discernment, because that was it— what made his words more meaningful and priceless than he thought— or never thought it—would be. All those years of being alone, seeking validation; half of my life wasted on unrequited love and efforts; all those time suffering with the pain of losing everything, everyone who cared about me even a little.

At last, I have someone.

Finally, I'm loved.

And finally, my love will be returned.

He sighed, "Olivia, I know you're—"

"I love you too."

Again, silence. I was still crying, so I think my sobs muffled my confession a bit. He asked me again to repeat, as I did to him.

"W-what did you just say?"

But I didn't repeat it. Instead, I smiled as I latched onto his sturdy frame in one quick move, putting my arms around his neck and sinking my lips into his. He quickly held me in the warmest embrace in the world, adjusting my body so that I could properly sit on his lap in a straddle, my legs bent under me.

I parted from him for a moment to speak, "I love you too, Judah. I'm sorry. I was just so afraid to say it. I was so afraid to feel this again because I thought you'd leave me and—"

"I would never leave you!" he stated firmly as he cupped my tear-stained cheek. "Never, you hear me? You..."

His next words got stuck in his throat as he just gazed into my eyes, a smile of delight and disbelief forming on his face.

"You love me too?" he asked in a whisper. "Do you really?"

I nodded, laughing, "I just said it, didn't I? I'm in love with my husband. Isn't that fitting yet strange?"