Page 138 of My Heart's Doctor
“It doesn’t, William, I assure you. But he followed me as I kept walking and I couldn’t help hearing what he was saying. He told me you had many lovers, that you gave them all a necklace like that one,” she stated, pointing to the bag containing it, “and he showed it to me,” she added, leaving me stunned. “He said it belonged to one of your lovers who was an acquaintance of his. He also said that I was just like all the others and that you had only proposed marriage to me because I was the only one who could get along with Aurora.”
“I’ll kill him! I swear that guy is going to regret crossing my path.”
I was beginning to understand that son of a bitch’s scheme. He had seen the necklace when we met at the jewelry store, and had used that information to create this whole story. And Devon had believed him.
“How could he know what necklace you were going to give me? I don’t understand it, William. Can you explain it to me?” she asked, and at that moment I understood that in Devon’s eyes it must have seemed strange to receive the same necklace that he had shown her after inventing that whole outlandish story.
“Of course I can explain it to you. Although let me tell you that I don’t like at all that you doubted me and, above all, because of what that piece of garbage told you.”
“Put yourself in my place. As much as I try to understand it, I can’t. How is it possible that Lino knew about the necklace? I swear I can’t find an explanation.”
I couldn’t stay still. I wanted to have him in front of me and unleash all my anger on him. I wanted to beat the crap out of him. But he was going to regret having invented all that to separate me from Devon. He was going to regret it as sure as my name is William Cavaller.
I went to the bed and sat down beside her. Devon turned to look at me and I could see the sadness reflected in her beautiful gray eyes.
“I also ran into him at the jewelry store when I went to get your gift,” I began to say, and then I narrated everything that had happened.
Devon had listened to me with great attention and, when I finished, I could see that sadness had given way to fury. That made me happy, because it meant she had understood her ex’s trap. It was clear that the guy wanted to separate us.
“He took advantage of knowing about my gift and hurried to invent that whole story. And I see he even bought an identical necklace to show you and make his lie more believable. He plays hard, but I assure you that I’m going to play even harder.”
It seemed that Devon had been left speechless. She was looking at the bedroom floor and saying nothing, she seemed thoughtful and distressed. I also remained silent, because I was deeply hurt. I contemplated her, unable to believe she had thought that about me.
“I’m sorry, William. You have every right to be offended and not want anything more to do with me. Although when Lino said all those awful things I didn’t believe a single word, when I saw the necklace I doubted you. I’m sorry and I can understand if you want me to leave,” she said, without raising her head, without looking at me, she was dejected, and I couldn’t bear to see her like that.
“What are you talking about? Look at me, Devon,” I asked, and took her by the chin so she would turn her face. “I won’t deny that your behavior hurt me and that you believed that guy, but I also put myself in your place and can understand that it was difficult not to have doubts.”
“Thank you for understanding, but I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” she said, and her beautiful gray eyes were pools of pain.
How could she think that? It hurt me to see her in that state. Devon was an extraordinary woman but she often undervalued herself. It wasn’t the first time I noticed that she didn’t believe she deserved my love or the happiness she felt. I assumed all this was due to the relationship she had with her harpy of a mother, who from what I understood, had belittled her all her life.
“Not only do you deserve my forgiveness, you deserve all my love,” I said, gently kissing her lips.
“I’m sorry, William.”
“You’re forgiven, but promise me you won’t see that guy again and much less take anything he says into account.”
“I promise,” she said, but then added, “How can you love me? You could have any woman by your side, anyone you want. Why me?” she asked, with tears streaming down her cheeks. “I…I can’t give you children, I’m an idiot who lets herself be fooled by her ex…I don’t think I’m the right woman for you.”
“Don’t talk like that!” I said, standing up and kneeling in front of her. I couldn’t bear to hear her despise herself that way. “You are the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met, you’re beautiful, intelligent, seductive, incredibly kind and sweet. I’m the one who can’t believe that you love me, that you chose me after I behaved like an idiot when we met. I consider myself the luckiest man to have you with me. I never want to hear you despising yourself like that again.”
Devon was crying silently, tears running down her cheeks and, although I wiped them away with the tips of my fingers, I didn’t know what to do to erase all her pain, to erase that past that had affected her so much.
“I love you, Devon. You brightened my life and my daughter’s. You’re the angel we needed to be happy. Everything about you causes a wave of emotions that lead to madness because I’m crazy about you. Never leave me because I wouldn’t know how to go on.”
She looked at me and threw herself at me, making me stagger and fall to the floor. I ended up with my back against the floor and Devon on top of me. We hugged each other tightly, pouring all the love we felt into that embrace.
“I love you, William. Good Lord, I love you so, so, so much… Without you I wouldn’t know how to go on either. You and Aurora are my whole life,” she affirmed, making my soul return to my body. “I fell in love with you from the very moment I met you,” she said, and lowered her lips to mine and kissed me.
Her lips covered my entire face with kisses while her tears moistened it.
“My sweet doctor, can we continue with what we had planned?” I asked, taking her face in my hands.
“That’s what we’re doing,” she replied, with a shy smile.
“That’s true, but my dream was to see you naked wearing only the necklace.”
“Thank you for the gift, it’s beautiful, it truly is. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a spectacular piece of jewelry or been given something so beautiful. Thank you so much.”
