Page 169 of Sweet Obsession

His voice falters, and he steps closer, like he’s trying to close the distance between us, but he stops himself.

“I let you slip away. I see that now. I should have shared the load earlier, let others carry it, and made you my priority. I’m free now, Luna, free in a way I never was before. And I should’ve done this from the start.”

I swallow hard, the weight of his words sinking in, but I don’t speak. I can’t. Not yet.

“I didn’t understand what I had until you left. I thought I was invincible. But when you walked away... I realized I was the one who was broken. The one who didn’t know how to keep the most important person in my life by my side.”

He reaches for me then, his hand trembling slightly as it hovers near mine. “I’m sorry, Luna. I’m so fucking sorry for abandoning you. For thinking I could do this without you. I can’t.”

I feel the heat of his apology, the sincerity in it. I want to hate him for what he’s done. I want to push him away and never look back. But something inside me won’t let me.

I can feel my walls starting to crack, the anger and resentment fading just a little, replaced by the vulnerability that’s been buried deep inside me.

“Why?” I manage to say, my voice shaking. “Why should I believe you? After everything?”

His eyes search mine, pleading. “Because I’ve learned. I’ve learned that family comes first. You come first. I would give up everything to have you back in my life. I’ll spend every single second of the rest of my life trying to make it right. Not just because I want to, but because I need to. I need you.”

I want to yell at him but the sincerity in his voice is enough to stop me.

“I... I don’t know how to forgive you,” I whisper. “I don’t know if I can.”

“I don’t need you to forgive me right now,” he says, his tone steady but full of hope. “I just need you to know that I’m not giving up on you. I’ll wait as long as it takes for you to forgive me.”

I stand there with him, trembling, a mixture of fury and longing tearing me apart.

And then it happens.

I break.

I don’t know what makes it happen, the way he’s looking at me, or maybe the softness in his voice, but I start to cry. Silent tears at first, and then they come harder, crashing over me in waves. I feel the rawness of everything I’ve been holding in. All the pain, all the hurt, all the memories I’ve buried.

Misha reaches for me then, and this time I don’t pull away. He pulls me to him, his arms wrapping around me, and I let myself fall into him. His hands move over my back, soothing, like he’s trying to hold me together as I break apart.

“I’m sorry, Luna,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. “I swear to you, I’ll never make you cry again. Never. If you give me the chance, I’ll spend my life making it right.”

I can’t speak. I can barely breathe, my chest tight with everything I’ve been holding in. But somehow, in that moment, I feel like I can’t keep running anymore. Like I have to face this—him, us—head on.

“I... I still love you,” I whisper through my tears. “I always have.”

His hands freeze on my back, and he pulls away just enough to look at me, his eyes wide with shock. He’s shaking, too, his chest rising and falling with the weight of everything that’s just been said.

“I never stopped loving you,” he whispers back, his voice hoarse.

There’s a moment of silence, and then he pulls something from his jacket pocket. A small box. He opens it, revealing a ring. It’s simple, elegant, but there’s something about it that makes my heart stop.

“I want to do this right, Luna,” he says, his voice low and serious. “I know I don’t deserve you, but I want you to know that I will never force you into anything again. I want to marry you. With your consent this time.”

I stare at the ring, my breath catching in my throat. It’s too much. All of it.

“I... I can’t...” My voice falters as I try to find the words. But he’s already kneeling in front of me, holding the ring out.

“Please,” he says, his voice breaking, “marry me. In your own way. On your terms. Let me prove to you that I can be the man you deserve.”

I close my eyes, the tears still falling, but this time, I don’t try to stop them. I’m too tired to fight. Too tired to run.

“I love you... so much,” I whisper, my voice breaking.

He presses his forehead against mine, and I feel his relief, his gratitude, his love, all wrapped in that single moment.