Lia couldn’t contain her excitement when Edward invited her to the point that she couldn’t even blink an eye. She fell asleep late at night and woke up before sunrise.

Usually, she didn’t like waking up early, and she wanted to stay the most. But today was different. She really looked forward to the tour she would have with Edward.

She decided to spend her time preparing for their trip later. She laid out the dresses on her bed.

This was the first time she had a hard time choosing her clothes, so she thought that she would take a bath first while thinking about what dress she would wear.

After a while, Auntie Naneth, their helper since she was a kid, entered her room. She was surprised when she noticed Lia was already awake and had finished her bath.

“You’re early today, what’s the occasion?” Auntie Naneth muttered.

“Auntie, I have a trip later, and I have a companion, so you don’t need to worry about me,” Lia giggled from the thought of it.

“Alright, that’s why you are here, so enjoy yourself. I’ll check the room of your bodyguard if she's already awake so she could prepare herself to escort you,” Naneth said.

“No, Auntie! There’s no need for that. I have someone with me, and I won’t be alone just like yesterday,” Lia spoke as she frowned a little.

“Then, tell me who it is?” Naneth said as she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow.

Auntie Naneth was protective of Lia because she watched how the little Lia grew up into a fine lady. She had seen everything, her daily experiences, and encounters until her worst nightmares. She knew it all.

“It is a friend I met yesterday. His name was Edward, I met him at the park, and he stays next door,” Lia explained.

“So it was a man? Still, your bodyguard need to come with you because for me, I couldn’t afford to get in this weather,” Naneth said, being cautious.

“Don’t worry, Auntie. Edward is harmless, I got to know him yesterday, and he is not someone who would harm me.....hmmm?” Lia said.

But the helper did not give her an answer and was just looking at her.

“But okay, for you not to be worried too much, I’ll let the bodyguard come but with one meter distance from us. Please? So I could really enjoy this day,” she added and held her Aunt’s hand, pleading.

“Alright, but don’t let your bodyguard lose sight of you on purpose,” Auntie Naneth reminded her.

“Yes! Thank you so much, I love you,” Lia said with delightfulness.

After they talked, Auntie Naneth helped Lia to prepare, from the dress she would wear to her hairstyle and make-up.

Lia wanted to look beautiful in front of Edward, so she took her time until she was satisfied.

When Lia went down to the lobby, she already saw Edward waiting for her. He looked gorgeous in his outfit, and he looked really cool that she couldn’t help but stare intently.

“Hello ma’am, I’m Edward. I will be the one who will be with Lia today,” Edward introduced himself.

“Just call me Auntie Naneth, and make sure that you won’t let her be in danger,” Auntie almost commanded him.

“You can count on me. We’ll take our leave now, Auntie,” Lia bid goodbye.

“Edward, my bodyguard will be tailing us wherever we go. But don’t worry, she'd be one meter away from us,” Lia uttered shyly.

“It’s fine with me, as long as your safety is assured,” Edward said as he smiled at her.

‘Does Lia came from a prestigious family? Was there a threat to her life?' Edward thought as he took a glimpse at the lady guard.

They went to different places, such as famous museums and amusement parks, and took a picture together in each area.

They decided to commute rather than use Edward's car so that they could enjoy the travels as well.

They tried different shops every now and then, which satisfied their cravings.

Their smiles reach their ears, and sometimes they would hold hands without them knowing as if it was only natural for them.

When they stopped at the food stalls, Lia saw her reflection at the glass door behind. She saw her old self, who was full of happiness.

Then she remembered that it had been a while since she smiled like that. 'Mila, I hope you're happy to see me smile again.'

She never thought that she would still be happy after the tragedy that happened in her life.

For once, she didn’t mind if she was in danger or if someone wanted to harm her. And that was because she felt safe in the arms of Edward.

Lia could feel Edward’s gaze at her. The way he stared at her was different, and it was hard to define, but she was feeling it as well.

“You’re really a beauty, someone might mistake you for a goddess,” Edward complimented her out of nowhere.

“You are kidding me,” Lia laughed at Edward’s remarks to hide her blush.

“It’s true. You’re so pretty, especially when you are smiling,” Edward said, which made Lia’s heart skip a beat.

From time to time, Edward would complement her, and every time he would see her smile. He was totally mesmerized by her beauty.

They had just met, and it hadn’t been a day since they had known each other, but Lia already felt the butterflies in her stomach because of Edward’s small gestures.

Lia remembered their first interaction, and before it ended, she was dumbfounded when Edward suddenly confessed to her that he liked her.

She was dazed and confused, but now that she had spent time with him, it was clear as water that she felt the same way.

But still, she couldn’t afford to let her guard down and be cautious with her feelings now. It should be mind over heart, she thought that was what matters.

After the day ended, they ate dinner together and decided what to do for another day.

“What do you want to do for tomorrow?” Edward asked.

“I’m tired today, so I don’t want to walk continuously. I want to relax in a place where it is somewhat refreshing,” Lia answered him.

“All right, I think I know a place we can go to. It is included in my bucket list,” Edward suggested.

“Okay, it’s up to you as long as it’s not dangerous,” Lia replied.

They rested for a moment and went back to the hotel. When Lia entered her room, she was smiling widely, and Naneth noticed it.

“Did you enjoy today, sweetie?” Naneth welcomed her.

“Yes, I did,” Lia said, still on cloud nine.

“You know what, Auntie. I never thought that the day would come when I would be able to smile again. I thought when my sister died, I would never be happy again. But now...” Lia shared her sentiment and happiness was evident in her eyes.

“And I’m glad that you’re happy because everyone deserves it. All I wanted was to see you smile again just like you did today. Your Mommy would be so happy to see you this way,” Naneth stated.

“Yeah, and I’m really glad that I was here today,” she replied.

“Maybe, I should send my regards to that man because he made you smile and say those kinds of words. Your eyes were also sparkling,” Naneth teased her.

‘My auntie was right. I felt the freedom and happiness I had never felt for almost five years, thanks to Edward,' Lia thought.

Lia washed herself and changed her clothes to sleep, but after doing that, she couldn’t fall asleep. Whenever she closed her eyes, she always remembered the day she had earlier.

The happiness she felt, the admiration that Edward gave her, and the words Edward said made her day wonderful.

Edward must be her saviour in disguise. Someone that would save her from her miseries.

“Where are we going?” Lia asked with curiosity.

“You will see when we get there,” Edward said and grinned at her.

Edward was driving his car. It was not that far from the hotel and was not outside the city. He prepared food for them and brought some books and board games for that day.

“So, we will go hiking? That’s why you said I should wear this type of clothes. I should be able to guess it.”

Lia frowned that she didn’t realize what her attire was for. Both of them were wearing shirts, long pants, and sneakers.

“And you didn’t have a clue, it works in my favor. I wanted to surprise you,” Edward chuckled.

“We could get to the peak after thirty minutes, and the view from there was spectacular,” Edward informed her.

“Hmmm… sounds interesting. Have you been in that place?” Lia said.

“Nope, this is my first time as well,” Edward said as he extended his hand to help Lia to get up.

“Then, how do you say so? That the view was spectacular?” Lia intrigued him.

“Says on the reviews I saw on the internet,” Edward chuckled, and Lia couldn’t help but laugh as well.

When they got there, Lia was totally in awe, and Edward was glad that she liked it.

Edward said that it was better when the night came because the city lights of Macotta City would light up the darkest night.

“You’re right. It’s beautiful here and so refreshing,” Lia thanked him as she stared at him.

Lia couldn’t help but look away when she felt Edward’s fierce gaze towards her. Her cheeks flushed when he was staring at her.

They ate first, he only brought sandwiches, bread, and fruits, but it was okay for Lia. They spent their time knowing each other, reading the books he brought, and playing board games together.

When they got tired of it, they satisfied themselves by staring at the view in front of them. Then, suddenly Edward uttered a word that caused Lia to be stunned in her place.

“I know, everything is so fast. We just met the other day, and I already said these words to you,” Edward spoke.

“I like you, Lia. Please, don’t question my adoration for you. There was no extent to how long I would love you, but I promised that my love would last. I have never felt this feeling before, this is my first time, but I assure you that I knew it is love which is not comparable to anything,” Edward confessed, and Lia couldn’t look into his eyes anymore.

Lia grew up believing in love, but being in love for just a couple of days was impossible.

Lia wanted to take it slow, while Edward didn’t want to waste time. Lia knew that Edward was being honest with his feelings and to her. But for her, she still couldn’t take the risk.

She wanted to feel of being admired, loved, and she also wanted to reciprocate that feeling. The happiness she’d felt with Edward was hard to believe she could have now.

For her, it was really unbelievable that it was easy to find someone who would love her wholeheartedly.

“When I first saw you, I thought of you as an angel lost on earth. The first time our eyes met, there was a strange feeling that I couldn’t define. But now, I know what I felt, I like you. I adored you. I longed for your presence. I wanted to show my love for you, so please let me.”

Edward stepped forward and was about to kiss Lia, but she stepped back.

“I’m sorry, Edward, but not now,” Lia said bravely.

Lia knew that she was not ready for this. This was not planned, and this was not supposed to happen.

Edward wasn’t aware of what kind of life she had, and what secret lies with her life in New Zealand.

The Lia that she knew was far from the Lia back there. She was afraid he might regret what he felt for her once he found out about the truth.

“Let’s go back. I’m tired,” Lia said without looking at him.

When they got in the car, silence enveloped them. When Edward heard Lia’s apology, he thought that they weren’t on the same page, so he understood.

Edward didn’t want to push through what he wanted, at least for now. He respected her decision, but he knew he wouldn’t give up easily. Not when he already fell hard.

He wouldn’t let go just because the woman she loved didn’t love her back, that was what he thought.

As long as Lia didn’t have a man in her life, he still had a chance. He would show her his love, he would persuade her, and serenade her, or whatever it takes.

When they returned to the hotel, Lia immediately got out of his car without saying anything.

Edward sighed in dismay, he had hoped that he shouldn’t say his confession. He wished that Lia would still talk to him. He wondered if he would still have a chance.

“Oh dear, what happened to you?” Aunt Naneth was shocked when she saw Lia brimming with tears.

“A-Auntie…” Lia muttered while crying. She didn’t know why but her heart felt heavy.

She kept calling her Aunt Naneth, but she couldn’t say what was wrong with her. While her aunt could only hug her when she was in this state.

She didn’t know why she was crying. Did she regret turning Edward down or did she feel overwhelmed with these new things that she couldn’t help but cry.

All she knew was that she was scared, but she couldn’t determine what she feared the most.

Or maybe she knew but she didn’t want to acknowledge it, because if she did, her life would be a mess again.

There was a threat to her life. She was scared that if she loved that man to the fullest, she would endanger him as well.

She couldn’t afford to lose someone again who she would cherish the most.

“Have you finally calmed down, dear?” Her Aunt Naneth asked her when Lia stopped crying.

Lia just nodded, she felt weak after what she did.

“Remember the reason that made your Mom agree for you to have a vacation here, hmm? We can meet her tomorrow. Your Mom said that her friend was already waiting for us. We can stay there for a few days?” Aunt Naneth suggested as she stroked her hair.

“I don’t know what happened between that man and you. When you are crying like that, something bothers you. Maybe staying with your Mom's friend could help you to feel better again,” Aunt Naneth added as Lia silently nodded.

She wanted to say everything to her nanny, but she couldn’t open her mouth.

'I hope I can reciprocate his feelings without worrying about other things.'

They just waited for thirty minutes, and Lia finally drifted to sleep. As soon as she woke up, they would leave immediately and Lia wasn't sure if she'll meet Edward ever again.

Edward was pacing back and forth inside the room. He couldn’t relax knowing that Lia wouldn’t talk to him anymore. He felt bad about the confession he made at the peak.

He brushed his hair harshly as he thought of Lia leaving and would never have a chance of seeing her again.

His head was already painful because of the hangover, but it got worse when he realized that Lia was totally gone.

When he was steady on his post, he inhaled deeply. He went outside and walked towards Lia’s room. He wanted to try one last time and looked if she was there now.

“Lia,” he said softly as he knocked on the door.

“Hey, Lia. If you can hear me, please open the door,” he pleaded.

For the past three days, he had stayed in the hotel. On his first day, he was contemplating whether what he did was the right move or not.

When he decided to talk to her on that day, Lia didn’t show up. He was in front of her door, constantly knocking, and hoped that someone would open the door for him. But there was none.

Second day.

The moment he opened his eyes, he hurriedly got up and washed his face. He went to her door again, but he was welcomed with silence. He sat beside the door and patiently waited for her.

He thought that someone might open the door anytime, so the right thing was to remain there quietly.

He would go back to his room when he was hungry or thirsty.

On the third day, he started to lose hope because no matter how long he waited, no one came or went outside the room.

So he finally got up and went out to drink. He wasted all his worries that night until he temporarily forgot about her.

He knocked on the door again, but no one opened it.

‘Maybe she has already gone back to New Zealand,’ he thought.

He was about to leave when the door opened. Finally, he was mesmerized and surprised when Lia's angelic face showed up.

When she saw Edward at her door, Lia was taken aback, but she immediately smiled at him.

“Hey, Edward. I was about to go to the lobby to call for—” Lia said, but she couldn’t finish when Edward hugged her so suddenly.

Lia felt a little guilty for Edward because she left without saying anything to him. Although it was not her responsibility to tell everything to him after what happened that day, she should have a word with him.

They didn’t have a chance to talk again, so she thought that it was okay to console him by hugging him back.

“I thought I had lost you,” Edward said as he sighed deeply.

“I’m sorry, would you like to come in? So we could talk,” Lia calmly stated.

“Yeah, that’s right. We need to talk.”

Both of them entered the room, and he was welcomed by her nanny and guard. Edward greeted them before they left.

Aunt Naneth told the lady guard to go back to her room, so they could give them privacy.

When Edward saw the guard, he still wondered why Lia needed it, but he was more worried about their talk, so he washed away all his curiosity about it.

When they were the only two left in the living room, Lia felt awkward, while Edward was lost in his words.

Silence embraced them, but after a few minutes…

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

Both of them said at the same time, which made them look at each other. Lia released a low chuckle while Edward scratched his head in embarrassment.

“Go ahead, I’ll listen first,” Edward suggested.

“I apologize if I’m gone for three days. We went to my mom’s friends and spent our days there. I didn’t contact you because I don’t know what to say,” she explained as she played with her fingers.

“It’s okay, I just thought that I won’t be able to see you anymore,” he replied.

But her brows knitted when she heard that. “Of course, it’s not okay. I heard that you were waiting outside my door. Some guests saw you and notified the hotel staff.”

“Is that so? Well, it was my choice, so you don’t need to feel burdened. I’m the one who needs to apologize to you. I became selfish, and I didn’t think about your feelings when I confessed to you,” he said and felt ashamed.

“I’m sorry if I reacted that way, I just didn’t know what to say that time.”

“It’s really fine, maybe I expected too much that you felt the same way. I didn’t think it would ruin the mood and our day as well,” he said as he slowly went to her and held her hand to tell her that it was all good.

It was just Edward felt relieved that she didn’t totally ignore her and set him aside. He still had a chance, so he would take it slow until the right time arrived.

“What about this? To compensate for that day, would you like to go to the beach with me?” Lia initiated, and he was astonished for a second.

He didn’t think that the one who would compromise first was Lia.

“Yeah, that’s great. Let’s do it now,” Edward uttered cheerfully.

“Okay. Then, it settled. I just need to prepare a little, and this time I will be the one who will choose our destination,” she said excitedly.

“Alright, I’ll go back to my room and prepare as well.”

When Edward left her room, she immediately looked at social media to search for the nearest beach they could go to.

She called her nanny to help her prepare the things she would need for their outing. Aunt Naneth was pleased when she saw Lia smiling again.

Three days after they parted ways, Aunt Naneth suggested visiting her mom’s friend.

So she could think carefully about what she wanted to do and what she felt towards that man. Lia agreed with her and didn’t hesitate at all.

When they got there, Lia thought that she would be okay if she were far away from him, but she realized that she missed Edward even though only one day had passed.

Lia wanted to see him as soon as she could. However, she already said that they would stay there for three days. So she spent time thinking about him and thought of buying a gift for Edward.

All of them traveled to the beach for an hour. They reserved a room ahead of time for them to stay.

“Wow, the breeze feels nice,” Lia said the moment she stepped onto the beach.

“It really is,” her aunt seconded. Lia smiled at her, and she was glad that her Aunt Naneth was able to join this time.

“Alright, let’s go to your room and change your clothes. I’ll handle our food, so you two can enjoy yourself,” her aunt told them.

“Thanks, Auntie Naneth. If you need something, you can tell me,” Edward said.

They rented a small villa that could cater to four individuals. Lia picked her room which had a good view of the sea.

She started to undress and changed into a swimsuit. She was wearing a one-piece sky blue swimsuit.

Her curves were in the right places, but she couldn’t help but feel conscious of her body. She was bashful, and many thoughts ran in her head of what Edward would think of her.

When she left the changing room, Edward was already waiting for her. He was only wearing beach shorts, and he was topless.

Lia couldn’t help herself but feel fascinated with Edward’s physique. Edward looked at her with amazement in his eyes, making her feel more conscious.

“You look gorgeous as always.” Lia came back from reality when she heard his voice.

“Thanks, you also looked great,” she complimented him.

They walked towards the beach, dipped in, and started to swim. The seawater was cold, but the sunlight warmed their bodies.

Aunt Naneth was satisfied watching Lia being happy with someone else.

‘Lia already closed her heart to anyone, but that man managed to capture her heart.’ Aunt Naneth thought.

When they got tired, they decided to sit down on the seashore.

They satisfied themselves by watching the sun disappear from their sight as they talked about random things and had some deep conversations.

“I already told you that I have a twin, right?” Lia said.

“Yeah, I remembered that you called her by the name of Mila,” Edward replied.

“She was already dead long ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. You don’t need to tell me that if you aren’t comfortable talking about it,” he assured her.

“No, it's okay. I just thought that I might need to share something about what happened to her,” she insisted, so he didn’t have a choice but hear her out.

“I saw her, with my own eyes... On how she died that day. That scene was always vivid on my mind, and I can’t help but despise those people who did it to her.”

Edward was listening intently to her. He was staring at her while she was staring somewhere far as she spoke.

“I’m weak, I just watched her die. I never had the chance to protect her nor save her. Then, I remembered what our mother had told us before. She was my older sister, and she was bound to protect me.”

“But, what about her? Who is going to protect her?” Lia said, and her tears rolled down her face. She lowered her head as she wiped her tears because she didn’t want Edward to see her like that.

“I should have protected her, just like she always does, but I couldn’t. I am useless, I let her die in vain.”

Her tears kept on streaming, it couldn’t stop. Edward went behind her to embrace her. He knew that Lia didn’t want to show this side of her to anyone.

“Don’t punish yourself, it is not you who killed your sister,” he consoled her.

“She is my other half, why did she leave me here alone?” she exclaimed.

Edward couldn’t find the right word to say to her, so he stayed silent. He just listened to her until she was okay. In some way, Edward understood why she was acting that way.

‘Someone important to her lost in her very eyes, but what was she afraid of?’ he thought.

“All I know is that I understand your pain, I also lost my parents when I was a kid. My father died in a car accident, and my mother died of breast cancer. I thought my life ended when they died as well. But I have my brother, I have my auntie who helped us to grow.” Edward spoke.

“And all that wound might leave you scarred, but it will eventually heal when you finally accept it,” he added.

“Lia, what is the scariest thing for you?” he asked.

“Is it to lose someone you love? Is that why you are scared to accept me in your life?” Edward finally voiced it out.

“Y-Yeah, you’re right. I’m scared that if I let other people enter my life, they would end up perishing because they tried to protect me,” Lia told him the truth.

“I won’t. You’re not going to lose me, I promise. Just give me a chance and trust me.”

Edward told her as he turned her around to face her. The determination was visible in his eyes as he waited for her response.

Lia was still doubting, but she couldn’t ignore the fact that she had fallen for him.

“Alright, I will trust you,” she smiled as if she finally saw another light once again.

“Really? Is that true?” Edward was bewildered when he heard that. He thought that Lia would reject her again.

"Yes, let’s give our relationship a chance. I wanted to know how far we will go,” she said with pleasure.

When they returned to their room, they had already broken the news to Aunt Naneth and her lady guard.

Later on, they told their decision to Lia’s mother because they wanted to visit Hamilton Town together without her nanny or lady guard.

“Mom, please! I’ll be safe with Edward,” Lia pleaded for the first time to his mom via facetime.

Aunt Naneth disapproved of it, so Lia called her mother for approval. Edward was beside her to support her.

“I said no, if you wanted to go there, you should at least bring one of them,” her mother said firmly.

“Edward…” she whispered as if she wanted to cry. She looked at her Aunt Naneth with pleading eyes.

“Okay, let me talk to your mother,” Aunt Naneth said.

She took the phone and went to the corner with her and tried to talk it out to her mother.

Aunt Naneth explained everything to her mother and started persuading her. Her aunt saw the happiness she had when she was with Edward.

Her mother sighed in defeat and gave her approval if that made her happy.

Lia rejoiced when Aunt Naneth convinced her mother. So the next day, they went to Hamilton Town.

They both decided to tour around before Lia visited Edward’s school. They walked into the park there and ate different foods that Edward recommended.

When the night came, they stayed in Edward’s apartment. That night, Lia gave it all to him. She didn’t hesitate at all and played into the fire.