Page 55 of Stronger Than Fate

“Dalina, go to the hotel and wait for me there,” he said with a firm voice.

“Why are you always so bossy?” I asked, but deep in my heart, his concern for me was an act of affection that produced a pleasant warmth in my soul.

I heard him laugh and I laughed too.

“See you in a bit,” he affirmed.

“Thank you,” was my response.

Without hesitation, I turned and began walking toward the hotel. I really wanted to see him, be with him, and take refuge in his arms. Until his call, I had felt a sadness so deep that it had chilled my body. Added to the disappointment of Sol’s attitude was the loss of her friendship, a friendship I always believed would last a lifetime, but that I now clearly understood I wouldn’t recover. Disappointments, when deliberately caused, showed us what kind of person someone really was, and although it hurt, although her friendship had accompanied me for almost my entire life, I was going to distance myself, because if she wanted to hurt me, what she felt wasn’t friendship. Friendship was a bond based on loyalty, and she had destroyed it. The more I thought about it, the more it hurt and angered me.

Henry’s call, but above all his attitude, his confidence in deciding to come see me, had given me that embrace of the soul that I needed, and that made me love him even more.

I could no longer deny it, I had fallen in love with Henry Woollardy.

Becoming aware that he mattered to me more than I could manage was terrifying, but I couldn’t keep denying that he had taken possession of my heart and there was nothing I could do about it. So many self-imposed barriers for him to break through and travel, without any effort, the direct path to my heart. He had broken down my defenses one by one. Recognizing it didn’t alarm me; I knew he had shaken my heart and awakened my body to passion. They say that first love always leaves a mark, that you love like never before without being very clear about what’s happening to you, and that you never forget it. Henry was my first love, and I was sure that the mark he would leave would be very difficult to erase. I didn’t know if he would be the love ofmy life, for now he was the love of today, the love of my present, but I wished with all my heart that he would become the love of my life. I was clear that I wasn’t going to confess my feelings to him, not yet, I was sure he wouldn’t want to deal with that, but I did plan to enjoy this relationship without speculating about the future. It was either that or distance myself to avoid getting hurt, and at that moment I decided to take the risk and enjoy what he was offering me.

Chapter 8

«Love is just a word, until the moment we decide to let it possess us with all its force. Love is just a word, until someone comes along to give it meaning»

—Paulo Coelho

When I arrived at the hotel, I was surprised to see him waiting for me. I thought it would take him longer to get there. Without hesitating for a second, I almost ran to him and hugged him tightly. I didn’t care that there were many people in the hotel lobby or that the receptionists were looking at us with astonishment; I just wanted to be in his arms, to feel his warmth and protection.

Henry was also surprised by my effusiveness, but he wrapped his arms around me and pressed me tightly against his chest. After a few seconds, he gently took my chin so I would look into his eyes.

“How are you?” he asked, looking at me with concern and without letting me go.

“A little better now,” I replied. I wasn’t sure if it was right to show him everything he meant to me, but I didn’t want to repress it either.

“That makes me happy. Do you want to go to your suite or would you prefer to go out for a walk?”

“I don’t mind, what I want is to be with you,” I affirmed.

“That also makes me very happy. Let’s do something—let’s go for a walk and then come back and stay here. Do you agree?”

“Yes, thank you.”

He put his arm around my shoulders and I hugged him by the waist as we walked toward the exit. Just as we were about to cross the hotel door, my phone began to ring. It was Bastian.

“I have to answer because it’s my brother,” I said.

“I’ll go get the car, wait for me here at the door.”

“Thank you,” I said, and I leaned in to place a soft kiss on his lips.

“You’re welcome.”

Henry walked away and I answered the call.

“Hi, Bastian.”

“Is everything okay, Dali?”

“Are you asking because I left the office?”

“You don’t have set hours at the office, you can come and go whenever you want. What worries me is that Cameron saw you crying.”