Chapter 293: Still Alive
Rock closed his eyes, a pang of guilt and sadness hitting him. "Vernice," he said softly, his voice steady but filled with unspoken emotion. He pulled back slightly, just enough to tilt her chin up so she’d look at him. Her tear-streaked face and red eyes were almost too much to bear.
"I’m not planning on dying anytime soon, you hear me?" he said firmly, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. "I’m too stubborn for that. And besides, who else is going to argue with you and keep you on your toes?"
Vernice let out a shaky laugh through her tears, her lips curling into a small, bittersweet smile. "You... you’re just saying that to pacify me!" she sniffed, trying to hold back her emotions.
Then, without warning, she looked up at him, her eyes brimming with vulnerability. "Will you marry me, Rock?" Her voice trembled, but there was a quiet, desperate sincerity in it. "I want to stay with you... for as long as you’ll have me."
Rock’s eyes widened in shock, the suddenness of her words catching him off guard. He froze, unable to respond immediately, his mind racing to process what she had just asked.
The weight of her feelings hung between them, and he could feel the rawness in her plea. It wasn’t something he had ever expected to hear from her, not like this.
"Vernice..." he murmured, his voice gentle yet full of uncertainty. He reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek, but his expression remained conflicted. "I... I don’t know how to answer you." His heart ached to see her so vulnerable, but he knew he couldn’t lie to her.
Her smile faltered, but she managed a soft, shaky chuckle. "I didn’t expect you to say yes," she whispered, her words carrying more weight than the silence that followed. "I just... needed you to know. I want to be with you, Rock. Even if it’s not the way I hoped."
Rock sighed deeply, his heart heavy with the complexity of the situation. He had always cared for Vernice deeply, but not in the way she wanted. He pulled her into his arms, his grip tight but gentle. "You’ve always been here for me," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I don’t know what I’d do without you, Vernice."