Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 128

“I still remember the day very clearly.”

“It was exactly 6 years ago, the day my sister was born.”

“There were complications with her once she was born, complications that were life-threatening,” Nicholas said, remembering the moment bitterly.

“Jaxson had been there, right outside the waiting room.”

“I wasn’t allowed in.”

“She could’ve died that day and I would’ve never got the chance to meet my amazing sister.”

Sophia stared at him point-blank.

“So, I’m sorry if I strongly refuse to attend dinner with my parents, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive them, especially when it comes to this.”

“I nearly lost her, I nearly lost my sister.”

“And I couldn’t do anything about it,” he said, sounding heartbroken.

“I would’ve never talked to them again had I missed it,” Nicholas admitted.

Sophia patted Nicholas on the back.

“I’m the one that’s sorry,” she apologized, “I shouldn’t have pushed it.”

She rested her head on his.

__

“So, how’d Olivia’s birthday go?” Clarisse asked Sophia curiously.

“Did Jaxson not tell you?” Sophia asked bitterly.

“He must’ve had quite the laugh,” she added.

“He didn’t tell me anything,” Clarisse admitted to her best friend.

“Hold on, he didn’t?” Sophia blinked.

“Mhm,” Clarisse said over the phone.

Sophia facepalmed.

“Well, for starters, Olivia told one of the attending royals that Nicholas and I are dating.”

“And for her birthday wish…”

“And I quote, ‘I hope for Miss Sophia and Nicholas to have a baby,’” Sophia said, cringing.

Clarisse wheezed.

“Excuse me, what?” She doubled over with laughter.

“She said that in front of everyone?” She asked, seeking confirmation while giggling.

Sophia hung her head, “Yes, in front of everyone.”

“And afterwards?”

“Afterwards?” Sophia blinked.

“Something happened,” Clarisse presumed.

“Had something not happened, you’d be… I don’t know, different,” Clarisse said.

She’d sensed something was up instantly.

Sophia sighed, “Well, you’re right.”

“We had our first fight,” she said to Clarisse.

Clarisse went silent.

“Your first fight,” she mumbled.

“Have you two made up?” She asked Sophia firstly.

Sophia nodded her head, “We have.”

“And what did you fight over?” Clarisse asked curiously.

Sophia replied, “His parents invited us for dinner. I agreed, Nicholas refused.”

“You okay, girl?” Clarisse asked Sophia.

Sophia nodded, “I’m fine. Shaken up, but otherwise fine.”

Clarisse thought on it.

“So, why did Nicholas refuse?” Clarisse blinked.

Sophia responded, “Because they prevented him from seeing his sister when she was born.”

“She nearly died and he would’ve never gotten to see her had that happened,” Sophia explained.

Clarisse was taken aback. Who would do such a thing?

That was awful.

She saw Jaxson’s parents in a new light. Who would hide their children from seeing their siblings for the first time?

She grumbled, “How dare they.”

“How could they, to their children especially,” Clarisse mumbled.

Sophia remained silent, “Soo, are we not going to talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” Clarisse asked.

“Jax came to the party,” Sophia said.

“And?” Clarisse creased her brows at Sophia’s statement.

“He said it was you who convinced him,” Sophia said.

“I have a boyfriend,” Clarisse reminded her.

Sophia shrugged, “Claire, I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to,” Sophia said amusedly.

“Oh come on,” Clarisse whined.

“I was simply going to say that he did come to the party, all because of you,” Sophia said cheekily.

“And what’s your point?” Clarisse asked.

Sophia lied, “Nothing.”

Clarisse sighed, “Well, go get some sleep, you had quite a day.”

Sophia admitted, “I’m not sleepy.”

She looked behind her, Nicholas had fallen asleep before her.

“I’m just… not sleepy,” Sophia admitted.

She couldn’t sleep.

She and Clarisse exchanged goodbyes before Sophia hung up.

She sighed before snuggling up beside Nicholas.

She stared at the ceiling, lying wide awake at night.

She turned on her side, looking at Nicholas.

“You awake?” She whispered.

She got silence as a response; she gently ruffled his hair.

He looked adorable asleep.

“Goodnight,” she whispered, smiling.

She paused. They were at the tip of her tongue, those three words.

She knew they were more than simply three words whispered past bedtime.

Sophia sighed; she was crazy for him.

Gradually, her eyes drooped to a close, and she dozed off.

She’d been asleep when three words were whispered to her.

“I love you.”

__

She was barely awake when she felt Nicholas kiss her on the cheek. He nuzzled his face into her neck, hooking his ankles with hers.

She wrapped her arms around Nicholas and they fell asleep again.

“Can we stay like this the entire day?” Sophia asked.

Nicholas answered, “I’d like that very much.”

“She’s not going to barge in your quarters again, is she?” She asked hopefully.

Nicholas, his eyes still closed, answered, “I doubt so.”

“Had a good night of sleep?” He asked her curiously.

Sophia chuckled, “I did.”

“You?”

He nodded before caressing Sophia’s cheek softly.

“How do you wake up looking so perfect?” He questioned without any hesitation.

Sophia rubbed her eyes.

“I just do,” she answered.

He chuckled.

They remained in bed for a while before deciding to order breakfast in bed and take the day slowly.

“Waking up next to you and breakfast in bed, perfection achieved,” Sophia mused.

She sighed, “I can’t believe we’re returning to Beldovia tomorrow.”

“Gosh,” she looked dejected.

Nicholas patted her on the shoulder, “Your family’s there, don’t look so dejected.”

“Besides, Beldovia’s homier than Sanguis ever was.”

Sophia pursed her lips.

“No comment,” she said.

She ran a finger through her hair, trying to make it look somewhat decent before their breakfast was delivered to them.

She yawned, “I need a drink.”

Nicholas told her, “You stay there.”

He got her a cup of water.

She thanked him with a quick kiss.

“Your bed hair,” she noticed, smirking.

Nicholas raised his brow, “What’s wrong with my bed hair?”

“Nothing,” Sophia answered truthfully.

“It’s cute.”

A fiery blush spread across his face.

“You called me cute,” he said.

Sophia was amused by his priceless reaction.

“So I did,” she said.

“You’re adorable,” she mused.

“You know what, I need…”

“Another kiss?” Nicholas asked, waggling his eyebrows.

She stared at him, giving him a weird look.

That was not it.

“What? No.”

“I need food. That’s what it is.”

Nicholas slumped down on some pillows.

“Seriously?” He asked.

Sophia shrugged, “What? I just woke up, I’m starving.”

“When is breakfast in bed coming?” She asked, flat out bored.

“It’s already been quite a while,” she frowned.

Nicholas stared at her.

“We could always just get breakfast ourselves,” he offered.

__

Louis sighed, Eleanor was trying to pick up yet another fight.

“Eleanor, not today,” he said to her, having a hand to his head.

“Marcus is doing well, that’s all that matters.”

“Just stop.”

“You can insult me all you want after he wakes up,” he pleaded with her.

No matter what he said, no matter how many times he’d said it, she never changed. She never wavered.

She was insistent on her son getting the best care possible.

Louis was too, but she’d taken things too far.

She threw a flower vase on the floor.

“Get me a nurse, now!” She yelled.

Another one of her fits.

Louis wondered if Marcus would be fine without his mother visiting him occasionally. She was a pain in the ass, he had to admit.

Louis tried calming her down.

The nurses had multiple things to do – they didn’t need Eleanor shouting and yelling for her to come and attend to her unconscious son.

He had thought over many possibilities.

He’d talked it over to Julia who told him to keep his calm and remain patient in times like these.

“Eleanor, calm down,” he said.

Clarisse had asked him multiple times how he managed to remain so calm whenever he was in situations like these.

“Before they kick you out of here,” he added.

“They wouldn’t dare,” she said.

“You’re acting like a child.”

‘Again,’ he added, whispering.

“Who are you to tell me how to act? My son is unconscious and he’s sick!” Eleanor exclaimed.

Had she forgotten what Marcus was to him?

She crossed her arms and had an exasperated frown on her face.

“What incompetent nurses,” she said, cursing under her breath.

Louis was seconds away from yelling at her to get the hell out of there. He took a deep breath.

What was wrong with her?

He wondered how she could’ve been related to Marcus. They were polar opposites. There was nothing farther than the quote ‘like mother, like son.’

Marcus was reserved, compassionate and sweet – when he was at his best, of course.

Eleanor had a short temper, was anything but compassionate and sweet, even though it had to be taken to account that her son had nearly died.

He said to her, “Marcus is doing better.”

All they could do was sit there and wait for Marcus to wake up.

He couldn’t wait for the day Eleanor left. He knew it was cruel, but he just wanted her to leave.