Cathain was taken aback because of Milenka's words; as she looked at him with anticipation.
He wd his empress, his Eleanora.
He keeps Milenka beside him because he can feel that she is the reincarnation of his empress.
But he couldn't utter those words and confess his love to the girl in front of him.
He opened his mouth to say those words but nothing came out from his mouth and he watched the sparkles on her eyes slowly fading out.
"I see… I will give you one last chance than-"
Milenka murmured in a low voice as she suddenly throw herself at him and her face gets closer to his.
Cathain's eyes widened with surprise because of her action and his body stiffens again.
But even before her lips could touch his, she was suddenly pushed away and a bitter smile appeared on her face.
Cathain himself was surprised at his action as he stared at the Milenka, whom he just pushed away.
He just can't help his own body reactions and control his brain.
Right now, when Milenka tried to kiss him, he could only recall the image of her.
How lonely her jewel like blue eyes looked when he visited her in that abandoned palace for the first and last time.
This resulted in him pushing away Milenka in an unconscious state and now he regrets his action.
"Millie…"
Cathain called her name as he extended his hands to touch her but she moved away from him.
"Cathain Donavon… let's break up…"
Milenka murmured as she didn't even look at him and he felt like he has lost his soul once again.
~I... Eleanora Cathain Valentino, The empress of Valentino Empire and the Daughter of Alexander De Xavier Dalton; accept your divorce petition~
~I hereby give you back the name you granted me, step down from my position as the empress from this onwards~
Her words, which she spoke after accepting his divorce in their past life, rang in his mind and seeing the look on her face, Milenka was sure that he is again lost in thoughts.
"You can't forget her… I can tell how much you love her even without seeing or knowing her."
Milenka kept murmuring in a low voice.
"I am not a generous person and I want to be the only one you can think of, the only person who can touch you."
"So let's stop torturing each other as I am not her and I can never be her, Cathain…"
Milenka spoke in a serious tone as she finally understood why he never crossed the boundary between them.
"NO! That's not it!"
Cathain protest against her words even if he knew what she was saying is true.
But he is afraid…
Afraid that the happiness he has now will be vanish and she will recall the past.
Look at him with horror in her eyes like some monster.
He can't get over his traumas or forget them.
He can't help but look for his empress in her.
He knows its wrong… but he can't control it.
Milenka doesn't deserve this; she forgot their past and is living peacefully now.
But how can he live peacefully when he remembers about his every single sin?
Cathain gripped her shoulder with his both hands as he tried to deceive himself and she caught her hands to shake them away.
"That's true, Cain… ask your heart, you don't love me at all…"
Milenka spoke with tears in her ocean blue eyes as it really hurt a lot.
She may not love him that much, but she can never accept someone who already has a person in their heart.
She doesn't want to be a substitute of the woman in his heart.
"I…"
Cathain opened his mouth to speak but at the same time, the plane starts to shake violently and he hurriedly pulled Milenka on his arms.
The other passengers started to yell as the plane continued to shake and the flight attendants also got frightened.
'What's happening?'
His heart skipped a beat with fear as Milenka hugged him more tightly as she closed her eyes.
Cathain looked out of the window to see that they are above a sea and they will die for sure if the plane crashes here.
No one can even find their dead body if that happens.
"What's happening, Cain? Why is the plane shaking so violently?"
Milenka asked as she kept her eyes closed and Cathain pat on her back to calm her down.
"N-Nothing… just some technical problems…"
Cathain lied.
All of them were going to die and Milenka knew it too.
"I don't want to die, Cain…"
"I am scared…"
"I don't want to die…"
Milenka started to sniff as she cried and Cathain pulls her closer.
He doesn't want to die either.
He just found her; he couldn't even confess his sins or love.
The whole crowd in the plane was praying to the god to spare their life, most of the people were crying as no one wanted to die.
Everyone was shaking with fear.
Cathain recalled the moments since he was born in this world, his parents, friends and everyone.
And his moments with Milenka… this last two years were something he could have never imagined.
But he missed the chance to be with her again.
"Shush, don't cry… we will be alright…"
Cathain spoke to the crying Milenka, as he tried to calm her down with his gentle voice.
"When we go back… I will take you to the restaurant you wanted to go last time, okay?"
Milenka nodded her head as she clenched his shirt, completely forgetting about the fight she had with him earlier.
"What do you want to eat there?"
"F-Fried chicken… Tomato stews… beef steak… red wine…"
Cathain smiled bitterly as he continued to speak with his trembling lips.
"After that we can go to the pastry shop too, I will let you eat three cakes that day."
"Promise?"
Milenka asked as she cried, his gentle voice couldn't subdue the painful screaming of the people behind them.
There was no way for escaping.
Some people tried to escape with the parachute, but it was a foolish move.
In the vast sea, there is no place for landing and they will only die in another way.
Many parts of the plane started to broke down and a fire started because of the electric circuits.
"Yes, promise…"
Cathain stopped his breathing as he watched the blazing fire approaching them and held Milenka tighter in his arms.
He knew there is no way out, so he rather spent his last moments while holding her.
The bright orange flame swallowed everything that came in its way.
Milenka felt like choking as the sulfur mixed with smoke and other chemical ingredients created a stingy acrid smell.
Her breathing become heavy as her body started to feel like burning down as the flaming fire approached them closer.
She couldn't see anything but still feel protected in her arms as she wailed in pain.
Something hot dropped on her cheeks and she assumed it as his tears.
"I am sorry… I failed to save you again…"
"…My empress."