Erick and Thea were lost in their world at the dining table, exchanging loving glances and feeding each other morsels of food. The tension at the table grew apparent as Nick watched them with a mixture of irritation and disbelief, unable to fully comprehend how his best friend could be so fascinated with such a manipulative woman.
Nick had tried to ignore the lovebirds, but their constant affectionate gestures were getting on his nerves. He was about to say something when Erick's phone rang, breaking the awkward silence.
Erick asked Thea silently for permission to take the phone call. Thea nodded, her gaze remaining fixed on her plate.
As Erick stood up to answer his phone, the tension at the table became unbearably intense. Thea and Nick were left alone, neither daring to speak up. The sound of Erick's voice came in from the other room, but it did little to break the uneasy silence.
Thea finally made a throat-clearing noise to break the hush. She said, calmly and in a measured voice, "Nick." "I'm aware that you don't like me for Erick, but I want you to know that I don't intend to use him for my inheritance or coerce him into loving me.
Thea's abrupt honesty surprised Nick, but he was able to gather himself and respond, "Well, you can't blame us for not like you for our friend, especially after what you said to him before," with a tone of skepticism in his voice.
Thea met his gaze unwaveringly, showing no signs of backing down. "I understand your reservations, Nick, but I want to make it clear that my feelings for Erick are genuine."
Nick frowned, still unsure whether to believe her. "Then why did you publicly announce that you didn't want to marry him?" he asked, his tone accusing.
Nick's question hit Thea like a bolt of lightning, and she flinched involuntarily. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, trying to come up with an answer that would satisfy him. The truth was, she couldn't tell him the real reason that she was reborn and this is her second life.
In that life, she had seen Erick in a different light, and her feelings for him had grown stronger with each passing day. But she had never had the chance to tell him how she felt, for she had slipped into a coma and never woken up.
Now, in this second life, Thea had a chance to make things right. She wanted to apologize to Erick and his family for the hurtful words and actions she had said and done in the past. But how could she explain it all to Nick without revealing the truth?
After a long moment of silence, Thea spoke in a low voice and her gaze fell to the table. "I made a mistake," she admitted softly and continued "The truth is, Nick, I can't erase what I said and did before. But I want to make things right with Erick and his family. But before that I want to apologize to you first, I know you are also hurt by my words since you cherish Erick as your brother.... but of course, you don't have to accept my apology now"
"..."
Nick's eyes widened in shock as he heard the words coming from Thea, the infamous and feared heiress of La Roche. He had always known her to be a woman of immense pride, who never admitted her mistakes or apologized for anything. But here she was, sitting in front of him, and saying sorry for her past actions.
Nick took a deep breath and spoke, his voice steady despite the surprise he was feeling. "I believe your apology should be directed towards Erick, not me."
Thea looked up at him, her expression softening as she realized the truth in his words. "You're right," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need to apologize to Erick and make up for my mistakes. I was overwhelmed by everything that was happening, and I said things that I didn't mean. But now, I know what I want. And what I want is to be with Erick, no matter what anyone else thinks."
Nick felt, a sense of respect growing within him for Thea. He had always heard stories about her cruelty and arrogance, but seeing her vulnerability now, he could not help but feel a sense of admiration for her.
Nick regarded her for a moment longer, his expression softening. He could see the sincerity in her eyes, and he realized that maybe he had misjudged her.
"Okay," he said finally, nodding his head. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But just remember, Thea. Erick is our friend, and we'll always have his back."
Thea smiled gratefully, relieved that she had managed to convince Nick of her intentions. "Thank you, Nick," she said, her voice full of emotion.
'I promise I won't let you down.' Thea promises.
When Erick returned, Thea noticed his bright expression and couldn't help but ask, "Oh! Is it good news?.. from the call?" She wondered what could have caused his smile to grow so wide.
Erick shook his head, still beaming with happiness. "No, it's about work. They want me to return tomorrow, so I must send you home later."
Thea tilted her head, wondering why Erick had such a bright expression on his face despite the news. She decided to ignore it, knowing how much Erick loved his job, even from her previous life.
"Oh, you don't need to send me home. I'll call the mansion and someone will come to fetch me," Thea said, hoping to make things easier for Erick.
"But when will you be returning?" Thea asked Erick, a tinge of worry in her voice.
"I don't know yet, but I'll update you as soon as I do," he replied, trying to reassure her.
Thea pouted her lips, thinking that Erick might be away from her for so long. "But I will miss you, Erick," she said, looking up at him with big, sad eyes.
Erick smiled at her and reached over to pat her head lovingly, causing her to feel a bit flustered. She wondered what was going on with him, but didn't want to ruin the moment by asking.
"I will miss you too, Thea," Erick said, gazing into her eyes with a look of adoration. Thea's heart fluttered at sight, as her heart skipped a beat at the words and she couldn't help but feel grateful for this second chance at life and love, but before she could respond, Nick spoke up from the other side of the table.
"Hey.... I'm here...., okay? Stop showing your PDA here," Nick teased, trying to lighten the mood, upon seeing the couple.
As they finished their meal, the three of them chatted and laughed, enjoying each other's company. Thea couldn't shake off the feeling that something was different about Erick, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Unbeknownst to Thea, Erick had secretly listened to her conversation with Nick, and his admiration for her grew even stronger. He felt he had discovered her true nature different from the famous rumored woman. Erick's heart was touched by her words, and he knew that he had found someone worth holding onto. As he watched her, he felt grateful for the chance to encounter that had brought them together. Erick made a silent promise to himself to treasure her, for she was truly one of a kind.
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