Wooing The Ex-Wife
Chapter 25: Deathbell

They sat still for a moment, as the guard removed himself from the room. The air was still heavy with the words which had been just said. They were sitting across each other, but it seemed like they were at the opposite poles of the earth. Liza's mind was still reeling, scrambling about for more words to throw at Jonathan, to make him see her reasons, to make him feel her pain. The barrier which had been enclosing every memory, every emotion, and every feeling related to Jonathan, had finally broken and now she was lacking words and breaths to express them. Liza had always denied every scrap of feeling that she had felt since meeting Jonathan again, but now even though she had admitted it, she knew that it was something that could never develop further. Not because of her insecurities but because of his choices in the past.

Jonathan stared at Liza, suffering from blinding ache which felt far worse than any physical pain he had ever experience. He touched his face, only to replace it sticky with half-dried tears. His every single choice flashed before his eyes, where he had chosen to mess around with Stacy instead of going back to Liza. The pain he was feeling doubled when he remembered saying those hurtful words to Liza and quadrupled when his mind replayed the words Liza had said seconds before. He realized that he was at the end of the line and that there was no road ahead. He watched as Liza got up and slowly made her way outside, disappearing as the light wrapped around her, leaving him alone in the dim room.

Liza stepped out of the dusty room and into the light. The previously crowded entryway was now empty save for few curious people who had been wondering about the mob of reporters which had gathered earlier. She felt oddly free. She had already broken all the ties with Jonathan but letting it all out and putting all her rants in words felt good. She hadn't even realized that she had kept all these things hidden within herself, that all these unsaid thoughts were weighing her down all those years. She wasn't happy, she wasn't even alright, not after reliving the wreck of their relationship but she didn't regret it, after all, it allowed her to finally let everything go.

Jonathan got up from and followed Liza out. Her face was tear stricken, her clothes were dirty and she had just stomped all over his already shattered heart and yet somehow, even through his guilt tinted haze she looked like the most beautiful creature on earth. He was confused, scared, and guilty, which was a terrible mixture of emotions to experience. Not only it was messing with her mind, but it was also leading him to a deep abyss of confusion. Unlike before when he had been determined regardless of all the consequences to win over Liza, now he was tethering on the edge of giving her up, after all, what right did he have, to even love her ?. He realized that his choices had not only tainted their past but also their future. It wasn't just overbearing guilt, which had left Jonathan confused and stranded, but it was also the knowledge that the damage caused could never be undone.

Jonathan had always measured deals by factors more than profit and losses, he had taken a risk, reputation, resources, and n number of things into account, but during signing the deal with Leslie the only thing he had considered was that he would be near to Liza. When he had decided to pursue Liza he had known that there was a chance of getting destroyed, that she may never accept him again, but hearing her admit that she could fall in love with him again and yet could never be with him, had eliminated all the hope. He had thought that love could conquer all, but after looking at Liza, hearing her admission, he realized that love could overcome everything except betrayal.

He wanted to try again. He wanted to go back to their relationship again, but he knew that it would be impossible. He had already messed up his chances. Had he told Liza about that mistake of a kiss, maybe they could have saved what they had together. He could see that Liza was far more hurt than he was, but she still seemed lighter, her footsteps were steady as she walked ahead of him. She turned around to look at him and the slight flicker of emotions, that slight confusion which was always present in her eyes when she looked at him was absent, Liza truly had moved on and with a strike of pain, he realized that maybe he would have to finally let go of her.

Liza turned back to look at Jonathan, she wondered if he had come out of the room yet. She caught him in standing still in one place, gazing somewhere lost in his thoughts. He looked up at her and caught her gaze. His eyes were rimmed red, and he had a heartbreaking look in his eyes. She had known that they would have this confrontation, since the day they had met again, she had imagined a hundred scenarios, but she had never imagined that she would bare her soul to him. She could see that Jonathan had changed, that he had recognized the devastating consequences of his choices and she could have and would have fallen in love with him, had he not betrayed her, had he not burned her. she gave him a sad smile, hoping that the pain he was feeling would pass, hoping that he would move on and bidding a final goodbye to their love.

Jonathan could hear the words behind Liza's smile. He could also hear the death-bell of everything they had together, knowing that it was the end of everything that had been and everything that could have been.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐