Chapter 43

Once I was done, I let him lay there on my chest, revelling in the sweet silence.

I noticed his fingers making that familiar tap against the hard tiles of the tub, and I startled him out of his thoughts as I picked his hand and massaged each finger gently.

"Talk to me. Tell me what is bothering you."

"I'm not bothered about anything."

"Your fingers tell a different story, Sam. You drum them against hard surfaces when you are nervous." I tilted his head towards me and offered him my familiar eyes as a source of encouragement. "You can talk to me, Sam. I am not just in your life for good times. I can be your listening ear and companion when you need me. It is not a one-way street with me. I am here for you as much as you are here for me. Trust me and tell me what is weighing on your mind. It will lessen the burden, I promise."

He closed his eyes briefly and bared his sad soul to me as they peeled open.

"I'm completing the handover of Teas and Seasons to him by morning, so I am a little heartbroken, I guess. It is not an enormous company, but it is the first thing I ever did on my own." I squeeze his hand for comfort and offered him my listening ears. It was all I could afford to give to a man who had it all. "It was the beginning of my junior year in high school when a young man named Paolo approached me with the business idea because he heard my father was wealthy. You should have seen how nervous he was talking to me whilst I was standing amongst my notorious group of friends. The tea making style belongs to his father, who tried to get funding, but companies had already rejected the idea. The courage this freshman showed by presenting it to me whilst my friends stoned him with bits of their lunch stirred something in me. I called my father's lawyers and offered to invest, but they were more interested in selling out rightly. I bought the little struggling company despite the risk and all warnings from experts, and I nursed it to success. That gave me the idea to invest in other start-up companies. Prince Wang was interested in opening a tech company, so I backed him up with all that I had, and before we knew it, Forbes was rating us among fortune five hundred companies. We were just sixteen to eighteen years olds in the list of the richest men in the world. Teas and Seasons was my foundation, and I guess I am a little sentimental about giving it to Chris. I did not want to admit how much giving it up is touching me."

"Then don't give it up. We are not worth giving your company away, Sam. All you have to do is prove that she is not yours, and we are in the clear."

"You are worth it, and I won't deny my princess. Blood or not, I see her as mine."

"Why won't you listen to me?"

"I am sorry, Debs. I will not change my mind."

I felt so bad after hearing his story. I could not help but blame myself for what he was going through. If I did not send that message to him on that faithful day, he would not be signing his prized possession away. It seems coming into his life brought bad luck to him.

"I am sorry for causing you to lose something that you cherish so much."

"Please do not apologize for something that is not your doing. This is my reality, so I am used to it. I told you that everyone wants something from me and now you understand. At least it is worth the prize this time around. I am losing teas and seasons but gaining more in you and Sam." I took an angry swipe at the tears blurring my eyes, and he got a hold of my hand with his left hand as he softly wiped my streaming tears with his right. "You are special to me, Debs. Believe it. Making that profile online was my cry for help, and I am most grateful that you are the one that answered that call. Thank you for helping me out tonight, and thank you for coming into my life."

I lost all my restraint and kissed this beautiful man with a heart of gold. I kissed him for creating a profile. I kissed him for replying to my rude messages. I kissed him for taking a chance on me. And even though I don't know what we are to each other, we slept wrapped up in each other's arms as if we would fall apart if any of us let go.

I predict a stormy day, but I know that no matter what happens, he has me.