Kiss Me Not

Brione unconsciously looked at the ring in her hand as she and Cedric headed back from the cave. It would be such a waste to leave the beautiful ring in that cave so she did not argue with Cedric anymore and took it.

She sat on the bamboo boat and watched as Cedric sat in front of her.

"Do you like it?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah. But this is too expensive," Brione whispered.

"It's nothing. You're now my girlfriend Bri. I want my woman to have the best," Cedric casually said. 

He chose to give the ring to Brione while they were in the forest, knowing that she would not accept it if they were anywhere else other than here. At least here, he could threaten her that he would just leave the ring here if she did not wear it, which was obviously very effective.

"Remember not to take it off. That's your engagement ring okay?" Cedric added.

"Engagement ring?" Brione questioned with an arched brow.

"Yes, as you're my fiance now. Didn't you read the agreement fully?" Cedric asked.

Honestly, Brione actually does not remember what she read because her mind was clouded with the thought of finding clues and the truth about everything so she just signed it impulsively when Cedric said that he would tell her everything truthfully. She trusted him very much as she believed he was Gavin.

"You're now engaged to me and we will get married as soon as you agree to it," Cedric reminded.

"Also, you don't have to feel pressured to decide now. You can take your time. We have plenty of time to get to know each other more. I will not force you to marry. You will always have the option to decline it whenever you want."

"Yeah, I understand. By the way, have you found anything about Gavin?" she asked.

"My men are still searching the nearby islands where he could have possibly drifted to but so far there is no hint of him. I also tasked Will to find out about his lineage as there is a possibility of us being related I will inform you as soon as there is progress Bri," Cedric explained.

"I'm sorry about this. I want to confirm if he is really dead," Brione whispered with her head down. She could not look Cedric in the eye. She knew she was being unfair to him but she was not ready to give up. There was a strong feeling inside her that was telling her that Cedric is Gavin.

"It's alright Bri. I don't mind it at all. I will try my best to recall things about my memory too. That way things will be a lot easier for the both of us." he said.

He raised his hand to tuck Brione's hair behind her ear. Brione raised her head and their eyes met. Cedric felt a magnet pulling him toward her. His gaze moved down to her lips and he recalled the passionate kiss they shared last night. Her lips were taunting and tempting him to kiss her.

He unconsciously leaned forward aiming towards her lips.

"What are you doing?" Brione asked as she slowly leaned her body away from him. Cedric continued to lean forward, his gaze moving between her eyes and her lips alternatively, and whispered, "I'm going to kiss you Bri."

Brione gulped. She parted her lips and said, "I can't, I have a phobia on it."

Cedric continued leaning forward  Brione continued leaning back until her back touched the bamboo boat and she was now lying down.

"But you kissed me last night Bri," Cedric whispered, staring closely into her eyes. She could feel his warm breath fanning her face.

"I don't remember anything," she denied and moved her head to avoid his eyes.

"Then I will help you remember," Cedric said in his hoarse voice.

He held Brione's cheek so she would face him. Cedric was almost touching her lips when Brione whispered, "Stop."

He stopped and stared into her eyes for a while before moving back to his original seat. Brione finally let out the breath she didn't even know she was holding. She bit her lip and looked at the sky. She stayed there like that for some time because she felt embarrassed.

After a few minutes of silence, Cedric asked, "Why do you have fear of kissing?" 

Brione, who was still lying down sighed and then said, "I was abducted when I was a child. I was around nine years old at that time. I heard the news that my mother died in the hospital so I ran out of school crying. I was very anxious to see my mother in the hospital so I did not wait for our driver."

Brione could not accept that her mother had left her so early when she had promised her that she would fight and never leave her and Noah. It was very painful for her to accept the loss at that age. Her mother was her most favorite person in the world. She was the best mother for both her and her big brother Noah.

The man who abducted her was someone who had stalked her for a long time without her knowledge. Everyday he used to stay outside her school waiting for her and following her like a maniac. And he was there waiting for her on that day too. 

That was what he said in the trial. He said he was so in love with her that he followed her around everywhere, waiting for the opportunity to abduct her so that he could be with her alone. He said that he finally found that opportunity when he saw her alone running away outside the school, crying. 

He immediately grabbed her from behind and covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief drenched in chloroform. The chloroform made her unconscious making it easier for him to kidnap her.

The next thing she remembered was her waking up inside a room filled with cigarette smoke and alcohol bottles. The mad man who was smoking stared at her with an evil and creepy smile on his face and said, "Finally you're awake. I will make you mine now."

Cedric was already aware of her kidnapping but he asked because he wanted to hear the whole story from Brione. He wanted her to open up to him and was hoping she would build her trust in him.