Chapter 3

-Hinata's POV-

I was under the impression a person could only cry so much, but I was wrong.

"Fuck you. I wish I never met you."

My nails dug into the skin of my chest as I curled in on myself and sobbed, grabbing the area because it hurt like my heart was trying to burst out. Sasuke, my Sasuke, said those words. He said them to my face with so much hatred and disgust that it made me want to crawl under a rock and die.

My plan to speak with Sasuke one on one to explain to the best of my ability that I'm not breaking up with him because I want to failed. It failed because I chickened out.

I still love him. God, I still love him, but I hurt him so badly that I can't blame him for lashing out.

When I said I was breaking up with him, the look on his face will haunt me till I die. It took over a year of building trust for him to reach the point we were at because of his past trauma. What he feared, the reason he'd been so hesitant, happened. I betrayed him, at least in his eyes.

The others are hurt, too. Gaara's circle of loved ones is small, but I was still a part of it. Was. And Sakura…. I think I broke her heart, too. How will I make it through the next six months when I can't imagine looking any of them in the eye again?

I did what I did because if I didn't, all three of their lives would be ruined. I can't sit and watch the first people to accept and love me for who I am suffer on my behalf.

Slowly, I ended my sobs and wiped at my wet cheeks, sitting up and looking around at the hotel room where Itachi left me. He said he was told to bring me here by higher-ups, meaning my location is known by the awful men who're to blame for everything.

If I just keep reminding myself of the alternative option I was given, I can do this. The tears didn't stop, but at least I could breathe again. Thinking about how I've protected my loved ones helped me calm down.

When I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I realized how awful I looked and decided to shower. Hopefully, these dreadful feelings would wash down the drain with the water. In truth, I did feel slightly better when I climbed out, dried off, and pulled on a bathrobe.

Opening the door to the bathroom, I stepped out while drying the ends of my hair with a towel, only to freeze and drop the item in shock, "H-How did you get in?!"

The last person I wanted to see was lounging casually on the bed, Toneri. His tie was loosened, and the first two buttons of his shirt were undone, but other than that, he still looked ready for a business meeting.

Propping himself up with his hands behind him, he didn't bother averting his gaze, "They gave me a key."

Toneri's expression was somewhere between serious and intrigued, with just a tiny bit of amusement sprinkled in. Bright blue eyes danced over my appearance with little hesitance, his mouth neutral as he waited for my response.

Tears welled in my eyes, just as I was sure I'd stopped them for good, "We agreed not to get married until March, s-so what are you doing here?"

To my surprise, Toneri finally averted his gaze to look around the room absently, but his tone was almost empathetic, "Our parents expect us to act our parts until that time comes. That means we have to be seen publicly. Won't it feel more natural if we get used to one another now?"

My brow furrowed, "Why are you acting like you were forced into this, too? I know this was your plan from the start. It's why you were acting weird around Sasuke."

Toneri's brow twitched, and his eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze onto me once more, "I admit to knowing your Father and Mr. Uchiha's plans, but that doesn't mean I offered myself up as a candidate. If it were up to me, I'd wait to find a wife until my career's further along."

I rolled my eyes, walking over to my gym bag to procure some clothes. It feels incredibly uncomfortable to only be in a robe in front of this man, "Pardon me if I don't feel bad for you."

The white-haired man ignored my statement, "As for Sasuke, I just don't like that brat."

Coming to a complete stand, I turned to face him, glaring, "He's a far better man than you."

Toneri looked offended and angry for a few moments before taking a deep breath and sitting up straight on the edge of the bed, "I won't force you to be loyal to me because I'm not going to change my lifestyle for an arranged marriage, but I don't want you having contact with Sasuke Uchiha for any reason other than your work, effective immediately. You can entertain anyone else you'd like once we're wed."

My blood warmed as my anger flared, "I-I don't give a damn what you do or don't want! This marriage will be on paper only. Don't expect anything else from me."

The man searched my face with narrowed eyes before lifting a brow, "And what of your marital duties? Our parents will expect an heir eventually."

The heat in my blood shot up to my face. Instantly, I felt light-headed, "An h-heir? B-But that means…."

Toneri rolled his eyes this time, "I know Sasuke's had his way with you already, so quick acting innocent. Besides, it's just sex. People sleep together without feelings all the time."

I wiped my tears as they fell over, "There's a big difference between having sex and having a child!"

Bright blue eyes bore into mine as his voice became firmer, "It's going to happen whether we want it or not, so we should prepare ourselves accordingly."

I stepped back, hoping he wasn't insinuating what I thought he was.

Toneri stood, buttoning his shirt and fixing his tie with steady hands, "Itachi gave us the news of your breakup with Sasuke. Out of respect for my future wife, I'll give you some time to grieve, but we can't put it off forever."

I shook my head, not bothering to wipe my tears anymore, "W-We're waiting until after the wedding, at least!"

The white-haired man lifted his cold gaze onto mine again, "What part of me telling you we're expected to begin playing our parts immediately did you misunderstand?"

"We'll just tell them we d-did it."

He sighed, appearing to lose his patience, "We're to cease interactions with other partners until the wedding, and I'm not going six months without sex just because you're in love with someone else."

He walked toward the door, "It's time for both of us to grow up and get over it. Be grateful I'm waiting at all. Some of the others might not have."

Then he was gone.

For a few moments, I stood in a stunned lull, but eventually, my anger flared up, and I threw my handful of clothes roughly on top of my bag, hot tears falling heavily.

An entire day passed. I didn't leave my hotel room once. Instead, I had food delivered so I wouldn't have to see anyone. When I first realized I didn't have my phone, I was upset, but now I'm grateful because I can self-isolate without the temptation of contacting anyone.

The thought of having children never crossed my mind. Having sex with that awful man will be bad enough, but bearing a child for him? ….I don't know if I can mentally handle something like that. My thoughts have already begun taking a dangerous turn. It's taking everything in me not to dwell on them. What if it gets so bad that I succumb to them? It's plausible even if it's not my wish as I am now.

It was late on that second night in the hotel, well past midnight, when the phone rang. I wasn't asleep anyway, finding it hard to keep my eyes closed with my mind reeling like it was. Confused, I answered, "Hello?"

"Pardon the late call, Ma'am, but there's a delivery for you. Shall I send them to your room?"

A delivery? At this hour?

Whatever it is, it was likely sent by one of the powerful men who pretty much own me now, so I don't have a choice but to accept, "Yes, that's fine."

"Very well. Have a good night, Ma'am."

I hung up the phone and sighed heavily, rubbing at my eyes as I got out of bed and fixed my robe so it was tightened correctly. A knock came at the door a few moments later, and I ran my fingers through my hair to make sure it wasn't messy before opening it, "What is-"

My mouth stopped moving mid-sentence as I lay eyes on Sasuke.

He looked angry, but more than anything, he looked tired. The bags under his eyes were almost as dark as the irises themselves, his hair was messier than usual, and his clothes were ruffled as though he'd thrown them on in a hurry.

My lips snapped closed when tears welled in his eyes, and I sucked in a breath as my face began to warm.

"Fuck you. I wish I never met you."

He didn't mean it.

Hinata, you know he didn't mean it.

Before I could blink, we were kissing. Sasuke closed the door behind him, holding my jaw with shaky hands as though he expected me to pull away and was ready to prevent it. A slight sound of grief left my chest as I realized he really was here, and then I was crying again. Trembling, I grabbed his wrists, saying his name against his lips in a heartbreaking voice that didn't sound like me.

Sasuke's hands left my face, sliding down my sides as I ran all my fingers into the hair at the back of his head.

His voice was strained and unfamiliar when he spoke between kisses, "I'm so sorry, Hinata. I'm sorry."

We moved simultaneously, him picking me up and me wrapping my legs around his hips. I all but sobbed as he deepened the kiss, holding him as close and tightly as possible. Slowly, he carried me to the bed, where he laid me down, remaining above me. My ankles uncrossed, and I parted my legs further so he could press more closely against me.

For some reason, all I wanted was to feel him like I had before. Sasuke apparently had the same idea because he took it off the moment I tugged at his shirt and moved on to his pants. Desperate sounds left both of us as we undressed hastily, and then we were connected.

His movements were desperate and uneven, accurately representing my mental state and likely his. This was the first time we'd had sex where it didn't start hesitantly because of my lack of experience. It also lacked any verbal communication, but it didn't matter.

A darker aura controlled the atmosphere this time, but the sex also somehow felt the most honest. There was no worry about what sounds I might make because my mind could only comprehend Sasuke: his body, his scent, his taste, his voice. The Uchiha man was being nearly as vocal as me. Each deep, breathy sound that left his lips met my own where our lips met.

Relief. That's what was affecting us both so strongly.

I'm relieved that he didn't mean those awful words he said. I'm relieved he somehow found me and came to see me even though the hotel's cameras undoubtedly saw him. Most importantly, I'm relieved he doesn't hate me.

The only thing I'm sure he's happy about is that I didn't slam the door in his face. I can speculate the nature of his other emotions and what causes them, but the only way to be sure is if he tells me. And he's trying to, with his body, at least.

The rope inside me coiled and tightened wildly, making my emotions flare further. Tears still flowed down my cheeks, but I rolled us over so I was on top. Sasuke aided my effort. He gripped my waist so tightly as I finally parted our kiss and sat back so I could move properly.

Our lips parted, but our eyes met and didn't stray. Holding myself up with one hand, I ran my hand up his chest and neck to caress his jaw as I moved.

Sasuke's face was beautiful, half contorted in pleasure and half in grief. It was just as tragic as it was handsome, though, and it made my chest tighten with angst as I was reminded of why we're so worked up. We can't be together from now on. This might be the last time we're able to see each other one-on-one, much less while committing an act such as this.

My tears fell more heavily as my thoughts left me distressed. They dripped onto Sasuke's face and neck, making him halt all movements. "Hina…."

Removing my hand from his jaw, I squeezed my eyes closed and gingerly brought my fingers to my lips while shaking my head, "P-Please don't stop."

He sat up, encircling my body in his strong arms as he rested his forehead against mine, "Say it."

I was confused for only a moment before realizing what Sasuke wanted to hear, and it only made me cry harder. His breathing pattern stuttered for a moment, making me open my eyes to see that his eyes were full of tears.

His voice cracked, "Say it, Hinata."

Suddenly, nothing else mattered but the man in front of me. He could've asked anything of me at that moment, and I'd give it without a second thought. He can have it all.

"I love you."

-Sasuke's POV-

An hour didn't pass throughout the night that I wouldn't wake up, see the empty side of the bed, and get upset again. Come morning, I was angry and exhausted with no available remedy. It was at a hotel in town: Hinata.

"Tenten and Ino are on their way. Gaara and I are gonna break the news to them. I understand if you don't want to be a part of that," Sakura spoke gently as though I was going to snap at her like I did yesterday. I no longer have the energy to pretend she's done something wrong.

I shook my head, staring dead-eyed into my coffee mug, "I'm sorry about yesterday."

Her boyfriend was nearby, and I sensed his turn to look our way.

The woman beside me replied, "You don't need to apologize. I know you only lashed out because you were hurt." She surprised me by wrapping her arms around me, kissing my shoulder, but I didn't look at her and kept my gaze down.

"We'll find her and figure this out, Sasuke. For now, if you don't want to run into the others, you should go upstairs or maybe for a drive to clear your head, okay?"

Sighing, I sat beside Gaara on the sofa with my coffee in hand.

Ino and Tenten showed up five minutes later. Sakura had them sit with her at the dining table, and I thought Gaara would join her, but instead, he sat silently beside me. They reacted similarly to how the rest of us did, saying it wasn't true and that Hinata would never do something like this.

My vision glazed over as I listened to them argue. Yesterday, I was so distressed that I could barely breathe, but now I just feel sad and hollow. If one night without her is this bad, what will it be like for the next six months?

Someone stood before me, snapping me out of my daze, and I stared at Ino as she faced me with a frown. I thought she would yell at me because Sakura didn't leave out any details from yesterday, but instead, she broke into tears and walked around the coffee table to throw her arms around me.

Wide-eyed, I remained frozen as her shoulders shook.

"You must be hurting so badly right now."

That's right. I forgot that Ino's known about my feelings for Hinata for a long time. She saw my search history the night of the sleepover. It'd been full of searches related to the Hyuuga woman. At the time, I'd been a little panicked at having been found out, but Ino didn't tell a soul. She kept it to herself, the last thing I'd expect from her.

I took a shaky breath before patting her back a few times so she'd let go. She did, wiping at her eyes.

Tenten spoke suddenly, and I realized she and Sakura were standing before us, "So, what's the plan?"

For some reason, I was surprised that everyone's first response was to help search for Hinata, but I shouldn't have been. If there's one person that can weasel their way into another's heart, it's her. She has me wrapped around her little finger, after all.

"She dropped her phone when she was leaving, but I can't figure out the passcode."

After fetching the device from my room, I handed it to the girls. Ino sucked her teeth, "It's one of those that locks if you mess it up three times."

I nodded, sipping my coffee, "I tried the debut date, the day she auditioned, and her birthday, but they were wrong."

To my surprise, all three women and Gaara shared looks of disbelief. I looked between them, confused. Sakura shook her head, smiling softly, "When is your anniversary?"

"Anniversary for what?"

Tenten shook her head disappointedly, "When did you two start dating?"

"January 20th," The date left my lips quickly. A slight warmth rose to my face, and I averted my gaze to my mug before I could see their reactions.

"It worked!"

My eyes jumped up to see Sakura swiping through the device. I thought she'd look relieved, but instead, she appeared unhappy, "Her phone's all messed up. She must've dropped it or something."

I held out my hand, and she handed it over instantly. My teeth gritted together when I realized she was right. The screen wasn't cracked, but it was glitching. When I tried to click the notification I saw last night, it froze completely.

My forehead fell into my palm as I rested my elbow on my knee and set the device on the coffee table.

"Let me grab my laptop. We can access some of her stuff if we connect it, even if it's frozen," Gaara assured us.

When he returned, he opened the expensive, high-tech laptop Hinata had bought him for Christmas and plugged the phone into it. The rest of us watched him with bated breaths, only for him to frown, "It says her memory is completely full. I can look at all of her saved files except one. It's massive, so downloading will take a few hours."

His teal eyes lifted to meet mine, "You do it. She probably wouldn't want anyone else to snoop through her phone."

I peered at the screen when Gaara scooted the computer toward me. A window was open with dozens of folders, and the giant file he mentioned was downloading in the background. It's e.t.a. was over six hours. Nodding, I searched for anything that might hint at her current location.

The three women left to pick up lunch, leaving Gaara silently sitting nearby. The television was on for background noise, so he had something to pretend to pay attention to.

Flash forward, and I was nearly finished going through the lengthy files, most of which were work-related or photos. I never realized it before, but Hinata seems to have saved every single photo taken of us from the day she signed with Evolution, including those with Tenten, Ino, and Sai. It was no wonder her memory was full.

Tenten and Ino left around nine pm, and Gaara and Sakura went to bed around midnight. My eyes stung from staring at the screen for hours, but I kept on. I clicked the third to last file, the only remaining ones afterward being the one still downloading in the background with an eta of almost an hour and one other. Every time the file got close to finishing its download, the timer would extend and add an hour, as though the file was still getting bigger.

My spine straightened when it wasn't full of photos. Instead, it was a contract. A marriage contract. As I read it, my heart rose in my chest up into my throat. It wasn't the fact that it existed that left me stunned; it was the confusing clause at the bottom.

"Should the previously agreed upon and separately notated conditions fail to be met by Party A, Hyuuga Corp's ownership will be transferred in full to Miss Hinata Hyuuga, and Uchiha Corp's ownership will be transferred to Mr. Sasuke Uchiha."

Both her father's and mine's signatures were at the bottom. It was dated yesterday. On the following line of the contract was Toneri's signature, but underneath that was a list of names, some of which I recognized and some I didn't. On the other side of the paper was just one singular signature: Hinata's.

Thinking it wise, I saved the contract to Gaara's computer so we could review it more thoroughly later. Then I clicked out of that folder and moved to the last one I could. It was labeled " ".

Instantly, I tore the device off the cord and rushed upstairs to get dressed. It was full of files that auto-download from Hinata's email. Right at the top was a receipt for room service at a hotel I'm familiar with that's clear across town.

It was almost one in the morning by the time I arrived. Knowing her room was likely being surveilled, I parked a block away.

I was about to climb out of my car when I suddenly remembered something Itachi mentioned years ago. He said that whenever he'd meet with women whose parents disapproved of casual relationships, he'd pretend to deliver something so the front lobby wouldn't think anything weird was happening.

Feeling a little foolish, I opened the glove compartment and pulled out the small gift bag the necklace I'd bought for Hinata came in. When I gave it to her, I'd hurriedly put it in my pocket and never got around to tossing the bag in the trash.

So it wouldn't look empty, I put Hinata's phone in the gift bag, sighed, and exited the car. With each step I took toward the hotel, my heart beat faster. I'm terrified of what she might say or do because of how I treated her, but I want to see her more than that. It's been less than two full days, but it feels like it's been weeks.

I miss her.

To my surprise, the delivery bluff worked perfectly, and I was even given Hinata's room number without having to ask. It took everything in me not to run because there were cameras, and the hotel staff would obviously notice a man sprinting through their hallways. So, I walked as calmly as possible until I came to her room.

My hand froze an inch from the door when I lifted it to knock. Silently, I prayed to whatever God may be listening to, please let Hinata be okay. Even if she hates me, so long as she's alright, I can leave here knowing I didn't destroy her like Sakura said I did. Taking one last strengthening breath, I knocked.

The door opened almost instantly, "What is-"

All the air in my body left when I lay my eyes on Hinata. Her eyes were dark with a lack of sleep, but they were also red and a little puffy, obviously from crying. What was worse was the terrified glint in her eyes when she realized it was me.

What have I done? This is all my fault. Who do I think I am, coming here? I don't deserve her after saying and doing what I did.

Hinata sucked in air like she'd forgotten to breathe this entire time, and I was suddenly kissing her and guiding her into her room so I could shut the door. I dropped the bag in my hand and held her face. I have to make her understand how much I regret what happened.

Even though she was kissing me back, it wasn't until a moment later that she finally reacted. Her fingers were cold and trembling as they circled my wrists, and her voice ripped my heart from my chest when she said my name.

Sakura was right. I broke this woman.

But I love her.

I picked her up, and she let me. My instinct was to undress her and show her my regret, but I hesitated because it might hurt her further. That's what I thought, but Hinata initiated it, surprising me.

When I finally slid into her, it was like everything in the past two days came rushing back to me. I hissed, accepting every gut-wrenching sound she made eagerly. She's so fucking warm. I missed her. I really missed her.

I love her. That's the only coherent thought I could form, and I desperately tried to explain that to her with my actions.

Hinata accepted it all, my selfish emotions, insecurity, and apology.

She moved on top and pulled away. For a minute, her gaze was cloudy, her expression dazed. But then something wet hit my cheek, making me flinch. I froze, realizing she was crying much harder.

Worried, I froze, "Hina…."

The beautiful woman stopped moving, too, and brought a hand to her mouth as she shook her head, "P-Please don't stop."

Understanding immediately, I let myself react without thinking twice for once. I sat up and held her closer. My brow furrowed as I pressed my forehead to hers. Surprisingly, when I felt how hard she was trembling, I found it hard not to cry and gritted my teeth.

"Say it."

Why did I say that? What right do I have to demand anything from her? I'm the reason she's so broken right now.

Her chest shook as she tried to keep it together, but she said nothing. Desperation thickened the tears in my eyes because if she didn't say it, that meant we really were over.

Those gorgeous, emotional eyes opened to lock onto mine, and I was reminded of how dull they'd been when she broke up with me. This is much better than that wall, even if it's only these tragic and angsty feelings.

I love her, and I know she loves me, too. She wouldn't be looking at me like that if she didn't.

It was damn near impossible to speak, but I had to try one more time, "Say it, Hinata." There was no hiding how unstable I was, so I didn't bother, and even I heard it in my voice, so I know she did, too.

The tortured expression on her face relaxed, and she pulled back ever so slightly to search my eyes. I held my breath. Something changed just now.

If this is it, if she tells me to leave her alone and that she hates me, I won't argue because I was the one who lost control of his anger. I'll accept her negative emotions because she deserves it.

The most beautiful voice whispered, slicing through my panic like a knife, "I love you."

And I know she meant it.