Mia awoke again in an extraordinarily warm and comfortable environment, greeted by a pure, pristine white world. Strands of soft, snow-like silk gently brushed against her face, lying across her.
Blinking sleepily, she was first surprised, then incredulous, and finally, she lifted her head in panic…
A pair of deep blue eyes gazed at her tenderly!
"Ah!" Mia gasped. As she tried to break free from this unexpected embrace, Arthur swiftly locked her tightly in his arms.
"Mia, I'll never give you another chance to escape from me," Arthur's deep, husky voice murmured as his searing kisses grazed her ear.
This wasn't a dream!
Feeling Arthur's burning embrace and hearing his heartfelt words, Mia finally realized that the Arthur she saw last night wasn't a dream…
Wait—she… the things she said and did last night were things she'd never dared imagine before. She was mortified, wishing she could dig a hole and hide.
Not only had she confessed her love to Arthur, but she had also shamelessly reciprocated his… advances… and kept demanding more from him… So now, her body ached all over, and the places where their bodies pressed together bore the slick evidence of their passionate night…
Boom! Recalling last night's events, Mia felt like she was exploding, overwhelmed by her own shame, her head spinning and vision blurring.
Arthur sensed the body in his arms stiffening. Alarmed, he looked down at her.
Mia's face was flushed, her dark eyes glistening with embarrassment and indignation. Arthur gave a roguish smile, knowing exactly what she was thinking. His handsome lips brushed against her flushed ear, teasing her in an even more provocative tone, "Mia, you were so passionate last night, constantly enticing me. I couldn't hold back, couldn't control myself with you… again…"
"Stop talking!" Mia frantically covered his mouth with both hands before he could finish. Her eyes, previously veiled with a light mist, now shimmered with tears ready to fall. Her once rosy face now flickered between pale and flushed.
Realizing he had gone too far, Arthur felt a pang of guilt. He gently lifted Mia's hands from his lips, intertwining his fingers with one of hers while his other hand cradled the back of her head. Then, his lips pressed against her tear-streaked face. With each kiss, he whispered an apology, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
Hearing his sincere apologies, tears welled up in Mia's eyes, falling one after another.
"Mia!" Her tears sent him into a deeper panic. "Mia, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I said too much!"
Her tears seemed to tear at Arthur's heart. Just like the night before, he gently kissed away each one as they fell.
But Mia stopped him. Her voice trembled with sobs, tears streaming down as she said, "Arthur, if you don't love me, don't be kind to me. It only makes it harder for me!"
"Mia, you still don't believe that I love you, that I love only you?"
Arthur sat up in disbelief, pulling Mia close to him. He cupped her tear-soaked face in both hands, forcing her to meet his gaze. "What do I have to say to make you believe I love you?"
Mia shook her head, crying, "How can I believe you? Your heart belongs to the woman in the portraits at Stayheart. I saw the plaque you wrote: 'To Stayheart's Beloved Spirit'!"
She would never forget the moment she saw that plaque. All her hopes shattered and vanished in that instant. Arthur's true love was gone, forever lost to him. His heart had stayed at Stayheart with the woman in the portraits, and she could never have it. If that was true, she would rather leave him than stay with someone who didn't love her.
"It's you! That person is you!" Arthur insisted. "Didn't I already tell you—"
"How could it possibly be me!" Mia snapped, furious that he was still deceiving her. She tried to push him away, but he didn't budge, instead pulling her tightly into his arms, making it impossible for her to break free. Unable to escape his embrace, Mia collapsed against him, sobbing. "I'm alive! I'm not dead! Besides, you've only known me for three months. How could you have painted so many portraits of me in such a short time!"
Arthur lowered his head in silence.
Seeing him like this, Mia cried even harder.
Mia had always been a stubborn girl, her emotions calm and composed. Even when wronged, she never cried in front of Arthur. But when she thought she was about to die and saw Arthur in what she believed was a dream, she let herself weep, mourning her love. Though she later realized it wasn't a dream, she had already cried in front of him once. Now, her tears flowed uncontrollably again.
Watching Mia's endless tears, Arthur, silent no longer, stopped overthinking. He wrapped their bare bodies in soft, warm blankets, then held the still-sobbing Mia tightly.
Unlike his earlier embraces, Arthur now seemed to be afraid of something. Mia, held so close, could clearly feel his slight trembling. As she wondered what was happening, his low, husky voice, filled with pain, reached her ears: "Those paintings weren't created overnight. Since the founding of the Moore family, on lonely, empty nights, I couldn't help but paint them. The portraits at Stayheart were drawn over more than four hundred years. Every stroke was a memory, a longing. I painted you slowly, recalling your every expression, your every gesture, yearning for your every movement. That's why I created so many portraits of you. Each one is filled with my memories of you, each one an expression of my love for you…"
"Arthur, what are you talking about? Why this man… and… you, me… four hundred years?" Mia was so shocked by his strange words that she forgot to cry, staring wide-eyed into Arthur's deep gaze.
Ignoring her confusion, Arthur gently embraced her, securing her limbs and restricting her movements.
He decided to tell her everything. Whether she could accept it or not, he would never give her another chance to escape. After searching for her for over one thousand years, he had finally found her. No matter what methods he had to use, he would never let her leave him again, never let go.
The first time Mia left, it was through death, and he was consumed by despair. The second time, she left without a word, breaking his heart. The third time—he would never let it happen again!
"Mia," Arthur said, his eyes fixed on hers as she stared back, "I know this sounds unbelievable, and because it's so hard to understand or accept, I've never been able to tell you. So many times, the words were on the tip of my tongue, ready to spill out, but I was afraid of seeing fear in your eyes, afraid you'd reject me because of it. So, I've always kept it buried in my heart…"
"Arthur, what are you trying to tell me?" Mia's chest tightened under his piercing gaze. She tried to move her body to shake off the stiffness, but found even lifting an arm was nearly impossible.
"Arthur…" This realization filled Mia with an inexplicable fear, and she softly called out to the man holding her captive.
Arthur ignored her pleading look, his gaze still locked on her. "Mia, now I'm going to tell you everything. No matter what you think, I won't let you leave me again."
The truth he had been too afraid to share had become a barrier between them. Mia had left without a word, nearly freezing to death in the icy snow. Only now did Arthur realize that his silence had caused all of this. If he had known, why would he have hidden it?
By revealing the truth, he might at least have a chance to gain Mia's understanding and acceptance. After all, Mia was such a kind person.
Mia, captivated by the sorrow and determination in his eyes, could only stare blankly at the man before her…