Later that day, Nicklaus paced back and forth across his room.
He couldn't stop thinking about Elian.
Every visit.
Every gift.
Every apology letter.
And the way Cherry still looked at him, even when she insisted they were over.
Nicklaus clenched his jaw.
"Why won't he just leave her alone?"
The door opened.
Cindy walked in without knocking.
Nicklaus stopped pacing and glared at her.
"What do you want?"
Cindy smiled.
"I heard Elian came to see Cherry again."
Nicklaus's expression darkened.
"Get out."
Cindy laughed softly.
"You're angry."
"I'm not in the mood for your games."
"But we're angry about the same thing."
Nicklaus narrowed his eyes.
Cindy walked farther into the room.
"You want Elian out of Cherry's life."
She paused.
"And I want Cherry out of Elian's."
Nicklaus said nothing.
Cindy smiled.
"So why don't we help each other?"
He scoffed.
"I don't work with you."
"Think about it."
She folded her arms.
"You take Cherry. I'll take Elian."
Nicklaus stared at her.
"You really think Cherry is something you can just take?"
Cindy's smile faded slightly.
"Then call it whatever you want. I'm simply saying that we both have something to gain."
Nicklaus looked away.
Cindy continued.
"Elian is stubborn. He won't stop chasing Cherry unless something gives him a reason to."
"And you think you'll be able to get him back?"
"I already know I can."
Nicklaus gave a cold laugh.
"That's exactly why I don't trust you."
Cindy shrugged.
"You don't have to trust me."
She walked toward the door.
"Just think about it."
Before leaving, she turned back.
"You want Cherry."
Her eyes narrowed.
"I want Elian."
A faint smile returned to her face.
"Maybe it's time we stopped getting in each other's way and started helping each other."
Nicklaus watched her leave.
He didn't answer.
But the idea had already taken root in his mind.
Nicklaus remained silent for a long moment.
Then he looked at Cindy.
"Fine."
Cindy's smile returned.
"We have a deal?"
Nicklaus extended his hand.
"We have a deal."
Cindy took his hand, and they shook on it.
"Good," she said.
She released his hand and walked out of the room.
The moment she reached her own bedroom, Cindy closed the door behind her.
A satisfied smile spread across her face.
"Finally."
She walked toward the mirror, looking at her reflection.
"With Nicklaus's help, I can get Cherry out of Elian's life for good."
Her smile became colder.
"She won't come back this time."
Cindy picked up a brush from the vanity.
"Elian will be mine."
She paused.
"But Nicklaus?"
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"He'll never get Cherry."
Meanwhile, back in his room, Nicklaus stood by the window.
His expression was equally determined.
"Elian has had enough chances."
He clenched his fist.
"With Cindy's help, I'll make sure he stays completely out of Cherry's life."
His eyes hardened.
"Once he's gone, Cherry will finally have no reason to look back."
Neither of them knew that while they were making plans against each other, they were also putting Cherry and Elian directly in the middle of something far more dangerous than either of them expected.
That Evening
Cherry lay quietly on her bed, trying to get some rest.
The past few weeks had been exhausting, and all she wanted was a peaceful night.
Her phone suddenly rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Elian calling...
Cherry stared at his name.
She let the phone ring.
Eventually, it stopped.
A few seconds later, a message appeared.
Elian: Cherry, I'm having terrible stomach pain.
Another message followed.
Elian: Lola isn't home either.
Cherry's eyes widened.
She immediately sat up.
"Elian..."
Her heart began pounding.
Whatever she had decided about their relationship, she couldn't simply ignore him if something was wrong.
She quickly pressed his name and called him back.
The phone rang twice before Elian answered.
"Cherry..."
His voice sounded weak.
"What happened?" she asked anxiously. "Where does it hurt?"
"My stomach."
"How bad?"
"Pretty bad."
Cherry threw the blanket aside and got out of bed.
"Did you eat something?"
"I don't know. It just started hurting."
"Elian, why didn't you call someone?"
"I called you."
Cherry sighed in frustration.
"You're unbelievable."
Despite herself, concern filled her voice.
"Are you alone?"
"Yeah."
"Don't move around too much."
"I'm trying."
Cherry grabbed her bag.
"I'm coming."
There was silence on the other end.
Then Elian quietly asked,
"You're coming here?"
"Yes."
"But—"
"No arguing."
Her voice was firm.
"I'll be there soon. And if the pain gets worse, you're going to a hospital. Understand?"
Elian gave a weak laugh.
"Yes, ma'am."
Cherry rolled her eyes, but a small smile briefly touched her lips.
"Just stay there."
She ended the call and hurried out of her room.
Whatever had happened between them, she couldn't bring herself to leave him suffering alone.
Thirty minutes later, Cherry arrived at Elian's house.
She barely waited for the maid to open the door before rushing inside.
"Elian?"
She hurried upstairs.
"Elian!"
She pushed open his bedroom door and looked around.
The room was empty.
Her heart began racing.
"Elian, where are you?"
She stepped farther inside, glancing toward the bathroom and balcony.
Suddenly, someone came up behind her.
Two arms wrapped around her waist.
Cherry gasped and immediately recognized the familiar warmth.
"Elian!"
He rested his chin lightly against her shoulder.
"Hmm."
Cherry turned her head, stunned.
"What are you doing?"
Elian said nothing for a moment.
He simply held her.
Cherry's eyes narrowed.
"Elian, you told me you were having terrible stomach pain."
"I was."
She turned around in his arms.
"Then why are you standing perfectly fine?"
Elian looked at her with an innocent expression.
"It stopped."
Cherry stared at him.
"You mean you called me here because of that?"
Elian gave a small smile.
"I missed you."
Cherry's mouth fell open.
"You're unbelievable."
She tried to step away, but Elian gently loosened his arms.
"Wait."
His playful expression disappeared.
"I'm sorry."
Cherry looked at him.
"I shouldn't have worried you like that."
She sighed deeply.
"You really scared me."
"I know."
Elian looked down.
"But when you called back, I knew you'd come."
Cherry frowned.
"Don't ever do that again."
"I won't."
She gave him a warning look.
"You'd better not."
Elian nodded.
"Promise."
Cherry turned toward the door.
"Good. Now I'm leaving."
Elian immediately looked alarmed.
"Already?"
"Yes."
"I just got you here."
"You tricked me into coming."
"I know."
Cherry shook her head, fighting the small smile threatening to appear.
"You're impossible."
Elian smiled.
"But you still came."
Cherry sighed, folding her arms.
Elian's playful expression disappeared.
"Cherry, there's actually something I really want to talk to you about."
She looked at him.
"What is it?"
He hesitated, as though he was afraid of the answer.
Cherry waited patiently.
Finally, Elian asked quietly,
"Do you still love me?"
Cherry went completely still.
She hadn't expected that question.
Elian watched her closely.
"You don't have to answer immediately."
He swallowed.
"I just... need to know."
Cherry looked away.
"Why are you asking me this?"
"Because I still love you."
His voice was sincere.
"And every time you come running when you think something is wrong with me, every time you worry about me... I keep wondering if there's still something between us."
Cherry remained silent.
Elian took a small step closer.
"I'm not asking you to take me back."
He shook his head.
"I just want to know if what we had is completely gone for you."
Cherry's eyes lowered.
The room became quiet.
Then she finally whispered,
"I don't know how to stop loving you."
Elian's breath caught.
Cherry looked up at him.
"But that doesn't mean I can forget what you did."
Elian nodded slowly.
"I understand."
"And I don't know if I can trust you again."
"I'll earn it."
Cherry sighed.
"You always say that."
"Then I'll show you."
He didn't touch her.
He simply stood there, giving her the space she needed.
Cherry looked at him for a long moment.
"I still love you, Elian."
His eyes became glossy.
"But I don't know if love is enough anymore."
Elian's expression softened.
He slowly lifted his hands and gently held Cherry's face.
"I'll make everything right again," he whispered. "I promise."
Cherry's eyes filled with tears.
"I'll love you the right way this time, Cherry. No more lies. No more hiding things from you. I'll never make you question where my heart is again."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"It really hurts, Elian."
Her voice trembled.
"I know."
Another tear followed.
"I'm sorry."
Elian leaned closer and gently kissed the tear from her cheek.
"I'm so sorry."
He kissed another tear, his voice breaking with every apology.
"I wish I could take away everything I made you feel."
Cherry closed her eyes as more tears escaped.
Elian carefully wiped them away with his thumbs.
"You didn't deserve any of it."
He rested his forehead against hers.
"I hurt the person who loved me the most."
Cherry opened her eyes.
"And I'm going to spend as long as it takes showing you that I know what I almost lost."
She didn't answer.
She simply cried quietly while Elian held her face, neither of them knowing whether forgiveness would come—but for the first time, he understood that an apology alone would never be enough.
Elian looked into Cherry's tear-filled eyes.
"Cherry, please forgive me."
His voice was soft and sincere.
"I know I don't deserve another chance, but I'm asking you for one anyway."
He gently wiped her tears.
"Come back to me. Let's start over. I'll do everything differently this time."
Cherry's lips trembled.
"Elian..."
"I love you," he whispered. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life regretting that I lost you when I still had the chance to make things right."
Cherry looked down, fighting back another wave of tears.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she slowly looked back at him.
"I forgive you."
Elian's eyes widened.
"You do?"
She nodded.
"But this is your last chance."
He immediately nodded.
"I know."
"If you ever betray my trust again, Elian, there won't be another chance."
"I promise."
Cherry took a shaky breath.
Then she whispered,
"Let's try again."
Elian stared at her, almost unable to believe what he'd heard.
"You mean... we're together again?"
Cherry gave him a small smile through her tears.
"Yes."
A relieved smile spread across Elian's face.
He pulled her gently into his arms.
"Thank you."
Cherry wrapped her arms around him.
"Don't make me regret it."
"I won't."
He held her tightly, closing his eyes.
After weeks of regret, apologies, and heartbreak, Elian finally had Cherry back in his arms.
But neither of them knew how Cindy and Nicklaus would react when they discovered that they had reconciled.
Later that day, Elian, Cherry, and Mrs. Anna sat together in the living room.
The atmosphere was calmer than it had been in weeks.
Mrs. Anna looked at Cherry, her eyes filled with emotion.
"Cherry, thank you."
Cherry looked at her.
"For what, Lola?"
"For accepting our family back."
Mrs. Anna reached over and gently held her hand.
"Not just Elian. Me too."
Cherry's expression softened.
"You've always been family to me."
Mrs. Anna's eyes became glossy.
"I know, apo. And that's why I need to apologize to you."
Cherry frowned slightly.
"Apologize?"
Mrs. Anna nodded.
"I should have told you the truth sooner. I knew things that could have saved you from so much pain, but I kept quiet because I thought I was protecting Elian."
She sighed.
"In the end, I only made things worse."
Cherry squeezed her hand.
"I was hurt that you kept it from me."
"I know."
Mrs. Anna's voice trembled.
"I'm sorry, Cherry."
Cherry moved closer and embraced her.
"It's okay, Lola."
Mrs. Anna hugged her tightly.
"I'm just grateful you're here again."
Elian watched them quietly, his heart heavy with emotion.
Mrs. Anna pulled back and looked at him.
"And you..."
Elian raised an eyebrow.
"Me?"
"Don't you dare make me apologize to Cherry again."
Elian gave a small smile.
"I won't."
Cherry laughed softly.
Mrs. Anna smiled at both of them.
For the first time in a long while, the three of them sat together without secrets hanging between them.
Later that evening, Cherry returned to the Haynes house.
Once she was inside her room, she changed into something comfortable and settled onto her bed.
Her phone was propped up in front of her.
Elian was on a video call.
"Okay, Elian, I'm home. You can hang up now."
"No."
Cherry blinked.
"What do you mean, no?"
"I'm not hanging up."
She laughed softly.
"We've been talking for almost an hour."
"So?"
"So you have work tomorrow."
"I'll sleep later."
Cherry shook her head.
"You're being ridiculous."
Elian smiled at her through the screen.
"I missed you."
"You saw me all afternoon."
"I still missed you."
Cherry rolled her eyes, trying not to smile.
"You really became clingy after we got back together."
"I have a lot of lost time to make up for."
Cherry smiled.
"You're impossible."
Elian rested his head against his pillow.
"Stay on the call with me."
"Until when?"
"Until one of us falls asleep."
Cherry sighed.
"Fine."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Elian smiled happily.
Cherry settled deeper into her pillow.
"Now stop talking and let me sleep."
"Okay."
A few seconds passed.
"Cherry?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
She smiled at the screen.
"I love you too."
Elian's smile widened.
"Now you can sleep."
Cherry laughed quietly.
"Goodnight, Elian."
"Goodnight, baby."
Neither of them ended the call.