Chapter 53

Dale sits down on the edge of the bed.

Edward doesn't really know whether to sit or stand.

He suddenly feels light headed because he's afraid that Dale wouldn't forgive him even after explaining his reason.

He paces back and forth in front of her.

"Edward...." she softly calls him.

He stops and looks at her questioningly.

She pats the place beside her.

"Sit down."

It was an entreaty and not a command.

And his worry seems to go away with those two words.

He sits down beside her and holds both of her hands in his.

"Thank you my love!"

"Don't thank me yet!" Dale says with a hint of warning in her voice.

Edward's eyes immediately register sadness.

Dale pulls her hand from his.

He closed his eyes in frustration.

His heart is beating so fast that he thinks he might indeed faint.

He didn't realize that he was holding his breath when she suddenly touched his cheek.

He opened his eyes in shock.

"Speak Edward! I'm ready to listen! And I mean really listen!"

Relief is written all over Edward's face.

"Thank you!" as he held the hand that touched his cheek.

He put it back with Dale's other hand and gripped it as he took a deep breath.

"I am a love child you know."

Dale's eyes widen in shock but she didn't speak.

"I'm a product of my father's illegitimate affair with my mother, Catherine. She died from illness when I was just a year old. My father brought me in to his family  even with his wife's objection. My half brother Enrique was already four years old then. He never treated me differently. But my step mother was a different matter altogether. My father and his wife are the ones who are written on my birth certificate as my parents and not my real mother. They made it seem like my step mother gave birth to me while they were staying in Germany. I never felt love from my "mother". While my father is indifferent to me."

Dale could see in Edward's eyes that it is still a touchy subject for him.

"I learned all of this when I was thirteen years old. I always felt when I was younger that our mother treated me differently from my older brother Enrique. So when I heard it from gossips among our household help, I decided to ask my father the truth. I was shocked by what he told me but it explained a lot. I understood then that no matter what I did, my "mother" would never learn to love me. I focused on making my father proud of me by excelling in my studies. And when he let me handle one of our businesses I wanted to earn his approval by making our company successful. About a year into the business, he told me that I have to marry my childhood friend Elizabeth for our business expansion and I agreed."

Edward could see the pain in Dale's eyes at the mention of Elizabeth.

But he has to continue.

He gave Dale's hands a light squeeze.

"I didn't object because I wanted so desperately to earn his approval even if it meant marrying someone that I didn't love. What did I know of love anyway? No one has ever shown it to me."

He paused to take deep breath.

"Except you!"