Chapter 67

         Priscilla's POV 

I closed the door forcefully, my tears flowing uncontrollably. Collapsing onto the floor, I questioned why fate had played such a cruel trick on me. Why did Max have to fall in love with me? Why did misfortune always seem to find me? And why did that girl have to ruin everything at my birthday? Now, I lived in constant fear of being arrested for a murder I didn't commit. These men could find me at any moment, seeking revenge for their brother's death. With all the chaos in my life, how could I possibly allow myself to love someone or accept their love? I refused to drag anyone else into my chaotic existence.

"Priscilla, I'm sorry. I will never talk about love again, but please stop crying because of me. Please open the door," Max's voice reached me from the other side.

I hastily wiped away my tears, realizing that I had been crying for too long. It was time to move on. I got up from the floor and opened the door, revealing Max standing before me.

"I'm so sorry, Priscilla. I didn't mean to make you cry. I was just trying to express my feelings for you, but if you don't like it, then I will stop. We could be just friends," he said, his eyes filled with hurt, despite his attempts to hide it.

"It's okay, Max. We can talk about anything in the world, but we will never talk about love. You and I are nothing more than friends," I replied, trying to make things simpler and less awkward.

"Fine then. We are friends and nothing more than that?" Max asked, trying to conceal his pain.

"I'm feeling so hungry now. How about we have breakfast?" I asked, ignoring his question as I headed towards the dining room. He followed me, and the table was already set with a mouthwatering breakfast. I quickly pulled out a chair and sat down, ravenously dishing food on my plate. The two of us ate in silence. There was nothing to say, and I could tell that he was stealing glances at me from time to time.

"Um... Do you have plans today?" Max finally broke the silence, and I was relieved. The awkward hush between us had become suffocating.

"No, I've taken a week off work. I need to rest, you know. I'm almost 4 months pregnant, and my body is getting tired easily. I'm still trying to adjust to all these changes," I explained honestly. My body was going through unfamiliar changes, and I needed time to understand everything – the pain, the cravings, and the rollercoaster of emotions.

"I'm sorry," Max apologized calmly, and I scowled. Why was he apologizing?

"Why are you sorry?" I questioned, scrutinizing him in an attempt to understand.

"I got you pregnant without your consent, and all this time, you were all alone, even though you were pregnant. I should've been there for you," Max said, and I barely managed a smile. He was right; he got me pregnant. First, he disappeared for two months without a call or checking up on me, and now, he was the reason for my unhappiness. I don't typically forgive people who wrong me easily, but for some reason, forgiving him seemed natural. My love for him was eroding my hate, and I couldn't seem to stay mad at him, no matter how hard I tried.

"Priscilla, do you still hate me?" Max asked, and I was left speechless. It felt as if my words were caught in my throat, but I had to say something. I had to respond.

"You know, Max, the truth is I've never truly hated anyone in my life," I spoke, searching for the right words to explain.

"There are many people who have wronged me, and I'm not a saint either. I know I've wronged many people out there too. That's why I choose to forgive and forget. I can't hold grudges against people for what they've done to me because if I live a life filled with hate and grudges, it will consume me and prevent me from living the life I want. Life is too short to hate and hold grudges, which is why I forgive and forget the ones who have wronged me," I said, expressing my perspective. It was the truth: I forgave those who wronged me, but I also let them go and never wanted to see them near me again. If a person could hurt you once, they were likely to do it again, and I didn't want to get caught in a never-ending cycle of apologies and hurt.

"So this is why you don't want to be with me?" Max asked, and I shrugged. I had forgiven him, but I didn't know if I could ever forget what he had done.

"You can interpret it however you want. It's up to you to decide," I said, taking a big bite of the pancake on my plate.

"What if I can make you realize that you love me the same way I love you? Will you still reject me then?" Max asked, and I squirmed uncomfortably in my chair. Did he really just ask me that? An uneasy feeling ran down my spine. If I refused to give him a chance, he would know that I loved him. But if I gave him a chance, he might prove me wrong. It felt like he had put me in a tight spot.

I held my chin up, trying to appear confident so he wouldn't doubt me. "It's all up to you. I can't tell you what to do, can I?" I tried to sound nonchalant.

"Why do I feel like you're scared and trying to hide your fear behind this facade?" Max asked, and I gulped hard. It felt like he could see right through me.

"Max, I thought you said we wouldn't discuss this topic anymore. Are you breaking your promise already?" I redirected the conversation, desperate to change the subject.

"Sorry," Max said, and he fell silent. He looked sad again, and I feared he might drown his sorrows in alcohol, something I never wanted to happen because of me.

"Hey, Max, don't you want to watch a movie with me? I'm feeling so bored today, and I'm craving ice cream. Watching a movie while enjoying it sounds perfect," I suggested, hoping he would agree and cheer up a bit.

Max's eyes twinkled, and I was sure he had something in mind, but I was too tired to ask or think about it. "Of course, we can watch a movie. There are some recent movies I've been wanting to watch, but I never found the time," Max said, and it seemed like his mood had brightened again.

           ~~~~~~~~~

After finishing breakfast, I headed upstairs, leaving Max to do the dishes. I quickly took a shower and changed into a comfortable black loose short skirt and shirt to accommodate my growing belly. I wanted to prioritize the well-being of my babies and avoid any harm.

"Can I feel them?" Max's voice startled me from behind. I hadn't anticipated him coming so soon, and my heart raced as I glanced at him through the mirror. His gaze was fixed on me, and he wanted to touch my belly to feel his babies. How could I refuse him, even if it meant him touching me? Before I could stop myself, I nodded in agreement.

Max moved closer from behind, slipping his hand under my shirt. An electric jolt ran down my spine, as if I was being shocked. His touch was gentle and soft as he caressed my belly. I couldn't decipher if he was doing this to connect with his babies or to get closer to me. Everything felt confusing.

"You are taking good care of them; they are growing so fast," Max whispered in my ear. My breath quickened and his lips brushed against my ear, causing my heart to race with intimacy. I had never been this close to a man before, and it was strange that I didn't feel scared. In fact, I wished we could stay like this.

My whole body trembled as he continued to stroke my belly. I could feel warmth flush through me, though I couldn't understand why I was feeling this way.

"That's enough," I said abruptly, swiftly removing his hand from my abdomen. I was ready to walk away, but Max grabbed my hand, stopping me. My pulse increased, and I unconsciously parted my lips. What was he planning? I couldn't articulate what I was feeling.

Max turned around to face me, ensuring my gaze met his. "Are you running away from me?" he asked, while his other hand delicately traced my face. My heart pounded against my chest. What was he doing?

I tried to speak, but no words came out. I looked into his eyes, feeling foolish and unable to avert my gaze. My knees weakened as he leaned closer to my face. Was he going to kiss me? I needed to do something to stop him, but I felt paralyzed, unable to move. I closed my eyes as I felt his lips brush against mine. I couldn't explain why, but I wanted him to kiss me. I knew it shouldn't happen, but maybe it would be the only kiss I could remember when I was sober, unlike the day I was drunk. It would be the last kiss we shared.

"You can open your eyes, dear friend. I'm not going to kiss you," Max whispered against my lips. He pulled away and kissed my cheek instead. I felt warmth flush through my face. How could I foolishly think he was going to kiss me after I had rejected him twice already?

Summoning all the energy I had, I stepped back away from him. I couldn't say anything. My heart was pounding in my chest. How embarrassing!

"Your face is so red!" Max remarked, though it didn't seem sarcastic. I was convinced he was teasing me. "Were you expecting me to --" I didn't let him finish his sentence as I hurriedly left the room, completely forgetting about my pregnancy.

Max 1 Priscilla 0

If this was his way of proving that I had feelings for him, then he was already winning. I had never been so close to a man before, as I was always intimidated after what my father tried to do to me. But with Max, I felt no fear at all. I was more than comfortable, and I wanted him to touch me, which was dangerous considering I wanted to stay away from him. My mind was urging me to keep my distance, but my body and heart longed to be close to him.

          ~~~~~~~

Max and I were seated in the dining room while he was scrolling through movies on Prime Video. I didn't have a specific movie in mind to watch, since I hadn't watched TV in 5 years and forgot what genres I enjoyed. 

Max suggested a movie called "My Fault," which I assumed was a romance movie. After what happened earlier, I didn't feel comfortable watching it with Max. I asked if we could watch cartoons instead, but he insisted that we give the movie a chance.

I didn't have the energy to argue, so I reluctantly agreed. I knew I would fall asleep soon anyway and was unsure if I could even make it through the whole movie. I suggested the movie just to make Max happy.

I thought that I was going to fall asleep soon, but as the two of us continued to watch the movie, I ended up falling in love with the characters, and I couldn't just stop watching it. The chemistry between Noah and Nick was so intriguing that I couldn't resist. But it all changed when a scene I didn't expect appeared on the screen. They were kissing, I mean, I don't think it was a problem, but it became a problem when I started imagining something silly. I could see Max pulling me on the car boot and kissing me like that. A heat flushed through my face - what am I thinking? I better leave this sitting room and go to my room before I turn into a pervert.

"Max, I'm tired. I want to sleep. I don't think I can finish this movie. Please excuse me," I said, rising off the couch. Before I could walk past Max, he clasped my hand, yanked me to him, and I collapsed on his lap, instinctively wrapping my arms around his neck so I wouldn't fall.

"I don't want to watch the movie alone, so I think you should sleep here while I'm holding you. You will get to sleep, and I won't be alone continuing to watch the movie," Max said, his tone intense, deep and raspy, making my heart skip a beat. This shouldn't be happening. If I keep being this close to Max, then I won't be able to resist him any longer.

"Max, how can I sleep on your lap, I mean..." Max didn't let me complete my sentence before placing his finger on my mouth. I parted my lips in incredulity. What is Max up to? He never acted like this.

"We are friends, aren't we? It doesn't matter if you sit on my lap while I watch the movie. I get time to spend with you and my babies all at once. So don't be stubborn and sit here quietly," Max said softly. He turned his attention to the television while his hand slid on my shirt and rested on my belly. Fluttering feelings settled in my stomach, and his hand was so gentle that it was tickling my skin. I felt funny, and because of this movie, my mind was now filled with all the nasty thoughts I never knew I could think of. I had no choice but to turn my attention to the television screen, but luckily this time, it was not a kissing scene.

"Falling in love with your stepbrother is intriguing, you know," I said, breaking the silence between us. I would rather talk than let this movie make my heart flutter and make me dream of the impossible.

"I think forbidden love is fascinating. You get to fight for the person you love and make sacrifices to prove that loving that person is the most beautiful thing. Fighting for something we love, even if it's forbidden, gives us a reason to cherish that person forever. It's rare to find someone who will cherish you forever," Max said. I swallowed stiffly. I didn't understand everything he was saying, but I knew that he was directing it to me somehow. My pulse began racing. Deep down, I wish I could just give Max a chance to prove his love for me. But I didn't use my heart to think; I used my mind.