Love Began with the First Meeting
Chapter 783 I Just Like A Kite Without A Rein (Part Two)

Eric leaned his head back on the sofa and looked at the ceiling, lost in his memories of the past. In the beginning, he was just an outsider in their relationship who desired to gloat over their dilemma and predicament. But fate had played a huge joke on him and he had fallen madly in love with her. And in the end, he had become the laughingstock in this tangled triangle. He was stuck now. There was no path ahead of him, but could not give up on his love for Molly either.

Molly did not know what Eric was thinking. She continued, "I just don't want to give up without giving my all." She kept her head down and hence failed to catch the despair in Eric's face, "I have devoted myself to this relationship for the past two years. I had no idea that I was capable of going through such hardships. But I'm doing all right. Everything that I have done is to reach one goal and that is to get back with him. I am brave enough to face every difficulty thrown on my way. I can bear this pain for him. I know that I was a coward in the past and it had cost me so much. But today, I am a totally different person. If there is even a minute chance for me to get close to him, I will jump in without any hesitation, regardless of what will happen to me." She finally looked at him and called his name, "Eric."

He lifted his head and glanced her way. His heart was heavy with sorrow, but he still wore a faint smile on his face. 'How could I not understand? I have been watching you two from the sidelines for many years. I was just an outsider this whole time. You only selfishly cared for Brian, and never paid any attention to the others who loved you. But there's no one in the world who can see through the two of you so clearly like I do.' As Molly was lost in her own sorrow, a multitude of mixed feelings rambled in Eric's mind.

"Brian has done so much for me. But I have given him nothing in return," she said as she met his gaze. She continued in a hushed voice, "I overspent his love and care, and did not notice how kind and tender he was till I had lost him. I ignored his love all along. The pain I am going through today is insignificant compared to what he had suffered in the past. How could I flinch away from him now?" Her voice trembled, her emotions were unstable. She took a deep breath and said to Eric in a firm voice, "You know I have been such a loser in this relationship and I have let Brian suffer so much. I don't want you, or even Spark to be next in line to suffer because of me."

Hearing her outright refusal, Eric breathed a sigh and replied, "There is no way for us to escape from this hellish cycle of love. We have been caught in its wheel." Eric looked away from her to hide his emotions. He closed his eyes and continued, "Once you fall in love with someone and have loved them for the longest time, that love is forever engraved in your heart and soul. It's not easy to get rid of. Even if you do manage to replace a replacement, the pain of loss will be stamped forever in your heart, and it will haunt you for the rest of your life. There are two ways to deal with this broken love, Little Molly." He paused and looked at her, "One way is to suffer through the pain for the rest of your life, thinking about everything you could have done differently. It will be a life of regret and despair. And the other way is to go all out and get the one that you love at any cost." He gazed at Molly with his deep-ocean-like eyes, "I choose the latter option." He slowly inclined his body towards her and said in a whisper, "I will make you mine."

Taken aback by his words, Molly furrowed her eyebrows. She had thought that he was just pulling her leg. But the more he confessed, the more she felt strange and awkward. Now, she had to refuse him directly, "Eric, please don't."

He slowed moved back to lean on the sofa again and smiled miserably, "Molly, you know very well that I would never force you to be with me." After another awkward silence, he said in a nonchalant manner, "After competing with Brian over you for so many years, I finally figured something out. That is we can not force someone to love yourself. There should be no reluctance in a romantic relationship. If there is no love, the relationship is not worth lasting. Both Brian and I learned that lesson the hard way."

Molly didn't respond. She felt his pain, but she didn't have the medicine for his wound. Silence dominated the air. Finally Eric breathed a deep sigh, ending the unpleasant conversation. A big smile appeared on his face, which pierced through the gloomy atmosphere. "I will go back to T City in the afternoon. You stay here and get the proper medical treatment. After the meetings in T City are done, I will take you to visit the Sun Island," Eric said, beaming. It was like the previous conversation had never happened. He winked at Molly, "I will show you the project which had changed the transition of the political power of the Dragon Island for the past two generations. And I will tell you all about the romantic escapades of Uncle Richie and Shirley, as well as my mother and father." The light returned to Molly's eyes as she was influenced by his frisky tone. Looking at her positive reaction, Eric continued with a wicked smile, "And after hearing their stories, you might understand why it is important to give up on a relationship which gives you no happiness. Sometimes, turning things around and starting a new relationship could be a wise and significant choice."

Molly felt like Eric had become a totally different person now. He was so mature and mellow compared to how he was two years ago. He had become wise and calm, breezing through complicated situation and emotion like it was nothing.

A big smile unfolded on his face when he saw her dumbfounded face. His smile reminded Molly of Eric when he was young and childish. She still remembered how energetic he was at that time. Eric snickered at her reactions and said, "Get well soon." He caught a sketchy glimpse of her left arm, which was bound with bandages. "Since you are hurt, I can't risk taking you out for lunch. Maybe next time. Today, I'll just return to T City. By the time I am done there, I assume you will be good to go. And as for Brian..." he sneered, "Now that he is cold to you, you can also be indifferent towards him just to tantalize the hell out of him. Don't be too humble. Be bold!" He ruffled his eyebrows mischievously.

Molly laughed out loud at his funny expression. She looked at him and said sincerely, "Eric, thank you so much."

"You can thank me after we are on a plane to Sun Island. You'll have so much fun." Then he stood up and threw a glimpse at the door. He knew that Mark was on the other side of that door. Turning his head back to Molly, he said, "Although Mark is still young, he's the next heir of the Long Family. Depending upon the future, he will either come back to the Dragon Island, or he will inherit Brian's business. Either way, I think he will be stronger than we give him credit for and he will accept the reality as it is. He will be a dauntless man. Well, he has the Long family blood after all." Eric laughed. Molly pouted her lips making her look cute and a little flirtatious. Eric tapped her small nose slightly. Molly shook his hand off because it looked like Eric was treating her like a child. She widened her angry eyes at Eric, which only made him happier. He beamed with laughter, then said, "Okay, that's enough. I'm leaving. Just relax and get well soon, okay?"

Molly nodded her head and touched her nose where Eric had tapped.

Eric left to the airport and got on the plane bound for T City. He gazed out the window at the scenery below. The sky looked a bit sullen, just like him. But there was still some hope left under all that gloominess. He leaned back on his seat, with a small smile. Eric wasn't alone on his way to the airport. Spark leaned against the bonnet as he watched the plane with the Dragon Empire logo take off in the distance, leaving the city. There was a warm smile on his face, which could have melted the snow around him.

As the plane disappeared from his sight, he walked back to his car and opened the door. Before getting in, he instinctively looked at the sky where the plane had just been. Then he quickly got into the car and drove away from the airport. On his way back to A City, Spark looked a little sad and worried. Partly for Molly's endeavor to get Brian back, and also for his own pathetic end.

But the only thing he could do right now was to encourage Molly. All his heart said was, 'Cheer up, Molly. Everything is going to be all right.'☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐