ORION.
"Can I ask you something?" Harro asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"You just did," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but he caught the humor and raised his brows.
"You're very cunning, and really not as good with humor as you think," he said playfully, and I couldn't help but laugh. I wanted to tell him so badly that he already knew that, that he had once been privy to my innermost thoughts and feelings, but I held my tongue.
"Anyways, can I?" he asked again, his eyes locked on mine, and I felt a surge of curiosity. What did he want to know?
"Of course, go ahead!" I told him, my voice a little softer than I intended.
"Why did you call off your engagement?" he asked, his tone curious, but also laced with a hint of concern. "She seemed like a good catch," he added, and I swallowed thickly, feeling a lump in my throat. Why is he curious about that?
I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The joint statement Athena and I had released was carefully crafted to maintain our public image, but Harro's question had caught me off guard. I didn't want to reveal the truth about our fake relationship, but at the same time, I didn't want to lie to him either.
"It was mutual." I replied, trying to sound convincing, but Harro's piercing gaze told me he wasn't buying it. He kept looking at me, his eyes searching for something more.
"Yes, but why?" he pressed on, his tone gentle but persistent. "Saying it's mutual is what people say so they don't appear bitter or look like they lost when people break up. But there's always a reason, a real one." he said, his words striking a chord within me.
I knew he wasn't going to let it go. Harro had always been perceptive, and I could tell he sensed there was more to the story. I wish he could regain his memory so I wouldn't have to explain things like this to him again. I took a deep breath, trying to decide how much to reveal, but before I could respond, he spoke again.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." he said, his voice soft and understanding.
"Tina and...I mean, Athena, and I grew up together, so it felt like we might work, but we realized we were better off as friends, so we called it off." I wasn't exactly lying, but I wasn't telling the whole truth either.
Harro's eyes narrowed slightly, his brows arching in skepticism. "It took you two that long to figure out you weren't going to work out?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
I sighed inwardly, feeling like I was being cornered. "Our relationship was based on convenience," I said, trying to sound nonchalant, while hoping that would be enough to satisfy his curiosity.
Harro's eyes locked onto mine, as if searching for more, but then he nodded and took a sip of his tea. "I guess that makes sense," he said, his tone neutral, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I had managed to deflect his questions, at least for now.
"So what will you do now?" Harro asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us.
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
He leaned in slightly, his eyes sparkling with interest. "You called off the engagement because it wasn't going to work, right?" he asked, and I nodded, wondering where he was going with this.
"So what are you going to do now?" he pressed on. "Will you find someone else?" His question caught me off guard, and I chuckled, trying to deflect the sudden seriousness.
"Do I have to find someone else just because my engagement is off?" I asked.
Harro's grin turned cheeky, and he replied, "You don't have to, but it wouldn't hurt if you did, right?" His words were laced with a hint of teasing, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to his question than met the eye. Where exactly was he going with this?
"Why are you interested in my romantic life anyway?" I asked, trying to sound casual despite the growing curiosity inside me.
Harro's smile was like a slow-burning fire, warm and inviting. "I'm not interested in your romantic life," he replied, his eyes glinting with mischievousness and I raised my brows, confused.
He laughed, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "I'm interested in you," he said, his voice low and husky, making my heart skip a beat.
I felt like I was drowning in the depths of his eyes, unable to look away. "I need to know you're not attached to anyone or if anyone thinks they're attached to you," he continued, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "that way, I won't have to share you with anyone."
My mind reeled as I tried to process his words. "What...what are you saying?" I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper, as if I was afraid to break the spell that had been cast between us.
"I'm saying I want to you, Orion," he replied, his voice low and husky, as he stood up, his eyes never leaving mine. "You don't have to say anything right now or think about it too much, just allow your instincts to do the work." His words hung in the air like a promise, or advice.
He started walking towards the door, and I followed, still trying to wrap my head around what he had just said. How could he still want me, even after losing his memories? It didn't make sense, and yet, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Harro bid me farewell as he stepped into the elevator, his dazzling smile lingering in my mind long after he disappeared from view. I stood there for a while, frozen in time, trying to understand why this was happening again. I felt a whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me - happiness, confusion, and terror all mixed together. What do I make of this?
Finally, I dragged myself back to my sitting room, where I collapsed onto the couch, my mind reeling with thoughts and emotions. I sat there in a daze, trying to process what had just happened, but my thoughts kept circling back to one thing - Harro still wanted me, and I had no idea what to do with that.