Zach felt like Amelia had just slapped him. Yes, he has feelings for her, but that is not the sole reason he was taking her to divorce Jacob. If she had shown any feelings towards Jacob then he would have essayed to perform something for them, merely knowing the truth from Samantha and hearing from her about how she hates him, he wanted to help setting her free from Jacob completely. 

If she had shown even a single sign that she loves him still, he would have never said a word and would stand by and let her go to him. He had never even suggested that he had recognized her from before, never made any advancements towards her. But, she takes him to be a jerk like her husband. She said she never could reciprocate his feelings than with what right did she insulted the feelings she has no idea about? 

He was furiously angry. He went up the steps and led straight towards her room, to make things clear with her. He needed to do so.

Amelia felt dizzy from the heated conversation she had with Zach. How could, he tried to coerce into doing something she does not want to do? Just when she begins to be happy thinking that someone understands her, that very same person does not take much time to reveal their true colors. Be it Jacob or Zach, both wants her to do what they expect from her. None of them cared to know what she feels, what she wants.

She had begun to like him and thought they were friends now. She is hurt because it seems Zach did had some hidden intentions after all. All this blackmailing and guilt talks were mere excuses and like always, she had been fooled into making out what the other person wanted. But not anymore, she will not do what others expect from her. She will do what she wants. She will do what makes her heart happy, what is more appropriate for her and her child. 

She was angry and was pacing on the ground hastily. Her mind had gone completely blank. In her wrath, she left out every good thing he answered for her and was hating him at the minute. Regretting, that she had believed him.

Amelia stood still when she saw Zach standing in the doorway wearing a fierce and grim expression. Her mouth on her throat and she was entirely at a loss for words.

Zach covered the space between him and her and carefully pushing her against the wall and laying a strong clasp on her shoulder with his remaining hand and bringing her face to look at him with his right hand, facing straight into his eyes said,"How dare you insult me that way?'

'Zach, you are hurting me...'

'So did you, as well,' He said so sharply that her throat became dry.

'Zach,...'

'No, you said enough. Now listen to me.'  

Amelia tried to break free but was unable to do so. She never seems him this angry, but, living with Jacob, she has a good experience of what an angry man is capable of. She was scared and she moved her face right to left, pleading him to leave her. 

'No, before things goes much worse, it's better you know and things be clear between us... So listen to me,' He said in a demanding tone that made her give up and look at him.

Zach cleared his throat and preventing her from going away from him, by making her stand between him and the wall, said, 'I will tell you the truth today and you have to listen and believe me. '

Amelia stood transfixed, verifying if she even have an option but to do just as was told. So much for the determination of doing what she wants to do. She gave an inward mocking laugh at herself for her helplessness. She was angry at him and this action of him was making her more angry. Moreover, she feared what Samantha might think, if she found them the way they are today. She inhaled a deep breath at that thought and but her lower lip as an act of nervousness.

'Stop doing that,' Zach remarked. 'I'm attempting to tell you something and you are distracting me'

Amelia tensed up. She had no idea that her effect on him was that strong. She was embarrassed. Quickly, she straightened her expression and looked at him with big innocent eyes.

It was becoming hard for Zach to let out his secret to her, but he felt that now it's time she should tell her or she will always misunderstand his intentions. At least, by sharing everything he can prove to her how wrong that she is about him. He can show her that even though he had loved her from day one, but, he had never tried to woo her. For him, Love is a selfless feeling, where the happiness and the needs of the other matters more than one's own. 

He furrowed his brow, feeling tensed, but then heaved a sigh and in one breath admitted,'I do have feelings for you, Amelia.' He said that out clearly and with a bunch of beliefs that made Amelia feel like bit her mouth once more but she controlled. Rather, She opened her mouth to say something, but Zach placed his finger along her mouths to finish her. She gasped angrily at that, but Zach didn't move it. 'I said listen to me, I've not been done yet.,' He ordered.

Their eyes met and he looked at her for several minutes before proceeding with what he had to say, 'You do know what effect you have over us - the poor man's species, don't you?' He questioned, never leaving his finger from her lips. In fact, he was starting to enjoy the feel of them, but he extended himself to concentrate on what he has to enunciate so that he can clear things between them and not ruin it more with these impulsive actions that his spirit was now pressing him to act. 

Zach kicked all thoughts and feelings away and said,'I know you are aware of it. You are aware of what you have been doing to me ever since we first met'. Zach reminded her,'You remember the elevator incident between us, of course you do. But, that was not the first time I saw you...' 

Amelia's eyes widened at the revelation. She blinked in response. Zach was angry, but her doing so brought out a laugh from him - a bitter laugh actually, because Zach had been covering this little fact from everyone, even to himself. 'But, let me inform you that I had never known your identity until you presented yourself to me. As, for how and where. I have seen you, I will never share that with you because the way you are at judging people, tells me that you do not deserve to know about my personal feelings.'

That was a slap for Amelia for the way she had judged him. Had she judged him wrong? Was she too quick? She thought to herself. And, what does he imply by stating that he recognizes her from an earlier day than that. Of course, she would have recognized him, if they had met before. In her kind, she tried to recall all those men who had approached her or were after her, but there were no images of Zach, making them. It's simply not possible. Zach isn't the sort of man a girl will ever forget, if they ever had seen. Even if, the association be a brief one, however this man leaves a persistent impact on peoples, especially young women. Amelia was quite sure of that.

Zach went on, 'Our meeting that day and then at Edinburgh had nothing to do with me. If you doubt it to be as planned then, it was God's plan, question him. Our encounter was completely a fated thing and nothing intentional.'

'I never doubted that, Zach,' Amelia said politely.

'But, you did doubt my intentions to help you, you did doubt my character just because I happened to have genuine feelings for you. Why?' He asked. But without waiting for her to say anything, went on saying, 'Oh, yes, I am having feeling for you, I know you are quite aware of it too, but tell me when have I ever propositioned you or tried any other mindful ways to trap you for anything wrong?'

'I didn't imply you had bad intentions... Just that I cannot....' Her words were cut down by him.

'I don't still recall asking you yet, so don't say if you can or cannot.' He said bitterly making her shiver. 'I have a lot of respect for you, for how I find you as a person and that has nothing to do with your looks. But, allow me tell you I never had and I never will enforce myself on you,' he said with determination and then he let go of her and walked away.

Amelia felt so awful. She recognized she had borne upon a sore topic of his by jumping into conclusions downstairs. She should have utilized a bit more of reasonings and applied some more views and facts before commenting on anything. She reached his shoulder and felt him stiffen, 'Zach... I'm awfully sorry...'

He walked forth from her, shrugging her hands away from her as he pronounced,'Next time, be careful with what you have to read because if you cannot respect someone's feelings, then you likewise have no rights to judge and insult them over your own overthinking and impractical imaginations.'

Wow.. His words cut so deep, but then today she deserved it. 'I will be.....'

'And lastly, I don't care what you or anyone think about me, but since you said you do not want Jacob back and knowing too well why, I would not even propose to consider accepting him and that has naught to do with what I feel for you. But, For your good and the child, I will continue doing what I think is best because as I told you before that I take it as my responsibility,' He said determinedly.

Zach then turned to look at her as he continued,'I had stated that I will get you divorced from him and I never back out from my speech. You like me or not, but that is how I am and that is what I'll do. I promised to protect you from him; I will. Then, stop worrying over what he will do.' His eyes intent on her as he read these words.

'I know you will... But, I don't want that, Zach. Not now.'

'We will see that but get my point very clear in your head, Amelia that I'm not doing this just so I could have you. I will do everything for you that I can, even if you never return my feeling.' His voice a mere whisper when he looked at her and said, 'I do care about you and that means that your being, your happiness means the most to me, even more than mine.' He said in a rasping voice and without looking at her, stepped out of her way.

Amelia was momentarily speechless. Completely stunned at the way he depicted his feelings to her. Astonished that he care for her so much that for her happiness, to set her free from her past, he can go to any lengths. Even overlook her own pleas, though she acknowledges that he is Right. She is only fearing to get a divorce from Jacob now because she is scared of how he might react when he comes to know about their child.

But, that was not what was bothering her now. The fact that Zach loves her, even if he had it not spelled in words, and pronounced that he has feelings for her. But, she could still realize his feelings for her. She had no idea that it had heightened to this extent that he considers her happiness his utmost priority. What did she ever do to deserve to be loved by such a kind and daring soul like him, so purely and fiercely?

And yet, she had been rude and insulting towards him.

How will she ever face him? She felt so ashamed!

How could she miss that it was him... Zach... Someone who had been helping her throughout. He might have something for her, and she had detected that a long time ago, but she cannot rule out the fact that he never for once tried to make any advancements of any kinds towards her. What had happened between them 2 days ago and today, downstairs, were not completely his fault. It was no one's fault though. Like him, she too was spell bound to stare at him. It felt so awkward later, but it was he who managed to take hold of the situation and prevented her from feeling embarrassed. 

And still, she hurt him.

Hurt the one who loves her. 

In all likelihood, the only one who loves her so selflessly and god only knows since when. She wondered when and how and where he must have seen her and what exactly made him love her. A man like Zach would never experience such hard spirits for someone just on instincts. 

Had he fallen for her beauty? But, that was not the major concern of her worries now. She was feeling restless that she had upset him to an extent that he lose his control and revealed something which he must be kept from everyone for years. Which he had been hiding for so long. He must have felt really bad, she thought regretfully.

How will she ever fix this mistake? She cannot return his love but she respects his feelings. Each of his words stood true and even though she had been angry at him for the way he acted but she cannot ignore the fact that he was being completely honest. She does not want to lose their friendship because of her overthinking and trust issues.

Will he ever forgive her? She thought gloomily, figuring out hard in her mind of when have they ever met before?

                                                 ❃ ❃ ❃