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"I never even knew I was capable of love until you, Sisi," he starts, "I've always been a selfish, self-serving bastard.Until you.I never cared about human life, never gave a damn about who I killed.Until you. I've never cared about anyone's happiness before, mostly going out of my way to causeunhappiness.Until you.And I certainly never cared about pleasing anyone before," he releases a harsh breath, "until you."

He gives my hands a gentle squeeze.

"I don't know if thisislove, since I have nothing to compare it to. But youarethe most important person in my life, Sisi. You're the only reason I'm still somehow alive. The only reason I'm trying to get better… To maybe deserve you at some point in the future." His words ring in my ears, the sincerity behind them unmistakable.

"Vlad," I call out his name, overwhelmed by his declaration.

"I know I made a mockery of your love for me, when in truth, it warmed me where I didn't know I was cold.Youmade me warm, Sisi." He pushes my hands over his heart. "You made this Goddamn organ do something else besides barely keeping me alive. You made itwantto be alive," he continues, his neck strained with tension.

"So please, Sisi,please,let me show you Icanlove you above all. Because I know I would take on theentireworld for you."

My own knees buckle, and I fall beside him, my teary eyes searching his features for confirmation that he is speaking the truth.

"You're my special, hell girl. Theonlyone. And I don't know if that's how normal people feel love…" I stop him, pressing my finger against his lips.

"It is," I whisper, "because you're my special too," I say and watch in wonder how his expression changes right before my eyes. A face ravaged by pain suddenly becomes steeped in joy, his mouth pulling up in the most gorgeous smile I've ever seen.

"I love you, Sisi," he repeats, and those words alone have a way to move me beyond belief.

"I love you too, Vlad," I say the words back, moving closer to him and wrapping my arms around him, soaking in the feeling of finally being whole.

Because he completes me in an indescribable way.

"So much." His voice caresses my senses as he holds on to me.

And I do feel it.

I do feel his love, and retrospectively, I can see it in his every action.

He just didn't know it was love.

"Please forgive me," he whispers against my hair.

My hands tighten in his shirt as tears rack my body.

"I'll do better. I promise you I'll never hurt you again," he continues, slowly rocking with me, his arms tight around my waist, his face in the crook of my neck.

"Okay," I find myself saying. In spite of my rebelling mind, in spite of my entire history, I find myself giving in.

"I forgive you," I whisper, knowing the words to be true the moment I utter them.

I may have lost myselfthatnight, but his words of love served as a beacon to bring me back to myself.

And because I do feel his love, in every conflicting action and in every misspoken word, I know I can never let go of him again.

"I'm entrusting you with my heart. Please don't crush it again," I tell him.

I don't know if it's the right decision. In fact, I'm not sure of anything else but the fact that I love him. And maybe for once I should let myself be led by my heart, not my mind.

We stay in silence like that, just holding on to one another.

"I'm sorry about the baby," he eventually speaks, and I feel a pang in my chest. "Even if it wasn't mine," he continues, and I feel his heavy breath on my neck. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

I sniffle a sob, leaning back to look at him.

God, he really means it!

"It was yours," I admit, suddenly ashamed of my lie. "Nothing ever happened with Raf. I lied. I wanted to hurt you somehow…" I trail off.