I Believe In True Love

Meliza's POV

I wasn't sure what had gotten into me when I agreed to date Ethan. Maybe it was curiosity, a desire to understand him better, or simple gratitude for what he'd done for me. But deep down, I knew the truth—I wanted to give him a chance to redeem himself.

Ethan was trouble; I'd known that from the start. Yet I couldn't ignore the way he made me feel. Looking at his handsome face left me weak, and every time he smiled, it felt like a storm of butterflies had been unleashed in my stomach.

But dating wasn't part of the plan. Not here, not now, not while I was at the farm. I needed to stay focused and remind myself that Ethan had no chance with me—that we could never be more than friends. If I wanted a peaceful summer while working here, I'd have to keep my distance from him, no matter how difficult that might be.

"Hey, can we talk?" Vince asked after dinner, his tone serious. Guilt tugged at me as I nodded, knowing I had said yes to his best friend.

"Sure," I replied in more than a whisper.

"Let's go to the roof deck," he suggested.

"I don't want those girls overhearing, and I'm guessing you don't want to stay in the living room either," Vince added, and I nodded again, unable to find my voice.

As we walked down the hallway side by side, I could feel my heart beating loudly in my chest. My steps faltered when I spotted Ethan sitting on the living room couch, deep in conversation with Nicole. His expression shifted the moment he saw me walking beside Vince, and my chest tightened as I noticed Nicole scooting closer to him, leaning in to whisper something in his ear.

But Ethan didn't seem to notice her. His eyes stayed fixed on me, his forehead creased with something I couldn't quite decipher. Feeling the weight of his gaze, I quickly looked away, pretending not to notice, though my heart was pounding in my chest.

"Is it true?" Vince asked as soon as we stepped onto the roof deck, his eyes fixed on mine. The evening breeze swept over us, sending a shiver down my spine.

"I don't understand what you mean," I replied, though my voice wavered slightly.

"Are you going on a date with Ethan this Saturday?" he asked, his tone heavy with something that felt like hurt.

"I'm sorry, Vince," I said, my voice heavy with guilt.

"I should have turned him down, but I felt obligated to say yes to your best friend. He saved me, and I thought he deserved at least that much. Isn't that what you wanted?" I asked.

"You want me to be friends with him, right?" I added before he could answer my first question.

"Yes, I want you to be friends with him," Vince said, his tone softening.

"But I never asked you to date him. I know you don't feel the same way about me, but I'm asking, and I was hoping you would give me a chance, Iza." His eyes searched mine, pleading, and for a moment, I couldn't look away.

"I was honest with you last year," I responded, gripping the railings tighter as if they could steady my emotions.

"I told you I can't have you as my boyfriend," I added as I shut my eyes, unable to face the hurt I knew I'd find in his eyes.

"I know," he replied softly, a hint of regret in his voice. He let out a quiet sigh and gently took my hand, his touch both comforting and bittersweet.

"Don't worry," I continued, opening my eyes but keeping my gaze on the horizon.

"I'm not going to make Ethan my boyfriend either. I have no plans to start a relationship right now. Besides, those girls would make my life a living hell if I said yes to either of you."I added with a small, wry smile, and he chuckled at that, the tension between us easing just a little.

"I've had enough of all this," I said, my voice firm.

"And my injury made me realize I need to stay away from you. It's because of you that I got into trouble this time." I mumbled softly.

"I know, Iza, and I'm sorry," Vince replied, guilt written all over his face.

"I couldn't protect you, and you got hurt because of me. I didn't realize Karen liked me that much. She never even told me how she felt, so I had no idea she had those kinds of feelings for me." Vince declared.

He paused, his expression darkening with regret.

"But I made it clear to everyone that you're the only one I like. And because of that, you were the one who got hurt." He added with remorse in his voice.

"Hey, it's okay," I said gently.

"I didn't mean to blame you. Stop thinking it's all your fault. I can't believe I have so many enemies here. I need to be more careful from now on; I never know what might happen next." I added.

"You don't need to worry, Iza," he murmured, his voice soft but firm.

"I'll take care of it. I'll make sure you're safe here on the farm." Ethan added.

"There's just one thing I want to ask of you: don't go on a date with Ethan." He asked, and stared at him, stunned. I couldn't believe he'd ask me something like that.

"Why are you so worried about me going on a date with your best friend?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I shouldn't be saying this, but I care about you, Iza. I feel responsible for you." His voice softened, but his tone had a hint of urgency.

"I know my best friend so well; he's a player. You should stay away from him." Vince added and took a deep breath, as if gathering his courage, before adding, "I'm not saying this because I want to keep you for myself, but because I love you. And I can only hope that you'll give me a chance one day." His words took me off guard.

"I'm sorry," I replied softly.

"Vince, I want us to be friends, and I hope you can respect my decision. I didn't want to return here because I knew I might hurt your feelings, but I didn't have a choice. I need to help my family, and now I'm stuck facing challenges that make me feel like a fool." I added.

"You're not a fool, Iza," he said, his tone sincere. His face broke into a warm smile, and he took a deep breath, his smile faltering for a moment.

"Don't worry, I won't ask you to date me again. If friendship is what you want, I'll be okay with that. As long as I can see you every day for the rest of the summer." Vince added.

He heaved a sigh before continuing, his voice filled with quiet resolve. "I know I've made you uncomfortable every time I asked to talk, but from now on, it'll only be about friendship. I promise. I won't ask you again to date me because I know you don't feel the same way."

"Thank you so much, Vince, for your understanding," I said, my voice softening with sincerity. "Don't worry.

"I'll make sure the player understands he can never have me or play with my heart," I added with a quiet resolve, but Vince didn't seem reassured. Instead, he shook his head slowly, his expression serious.

"Be careful with your words," he warned, his voice low but earnest.

"You might end up falling for him." He added, and I laughed, though there was a hint of nervousness in it.

"That is not going to happen," I replied firmly, my gaze unwavering. But Vince remained silent, his eyes watching me intently as if weighing my every word.

"I need to confess something to you," I began, almost hesitating before continuing. "It's true that I told Nicole I couldn't date someone from a low-income family because my mom won't allow it. I said it like it was the only reason, but..." My voice trailed off, and I took a breath before meeting his eyes. "But you should know—I'm not that kind of person. It's not who I really am."

The words hung in the air, a mix of vulnerability and truth. I wasn't sure if he believed me yet, but at least now, he knew the whole story.

"I will never marry someone just because of his money," I said, my voice unwavering.

"The truth is, I've always believed in true love. I want to marry because of love—not because of what someone can offer to my life in terms of wealth or status." I paused, taking a deep breath, feeling the weight of my words as they lingered in the space between us.

"I understand my mother's perspective," I added softly. "But I just hope one day she'll realize that what she's doing is suffocating me, that her expectations aren't the life I want to lead." I continued as Vince's expression softened, his eyes meeting mine with an unexpected depth of understanding.

"Thank you so much for sharing that with me and for being so honest. It's one of the reasons it's been so hard for me to forget about you." His voice dropped slightly as if choosing his words with care. "You're so sweet, so lovable, and genuinely kind. I don't understand how those other girls haven't seen those qualities in you."

A flush crept up my neck, and I felt my cheeks burn with a mix of gratitude and something deeper. His words hit closer to my heart than I was ready to admit, and I couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, he saw something in me that no one else had.

Don't exaggerate, Vince," I said, pulling my hand back gently.

"I hope one day you find the right girl, someone who loves you for who you are and stays loyal to you," I added quietly.

He sighed, lowering his head. "I don't know if I'll ever find her."

"Believe me, you will," I replied, my voice firm but comforting. "She'll come when you least expect it."

He chuckled, but there was a sadness in his smile. I couldn't deny how handsome he looked, but I knew I couldn't force myself to love him. It hurt to let him go, but it was the right thing to do for both of us.

We talked a little longer, but before we knew it, it was already past ten o'clock in the evening. We exchanged a final, lingering goodbye before I went back to my room.