Chapter 382: Endless Love

’In my time with the mafia, I had been fortunate enough to help raise two boys who will be influential in the mafia scene when they get older. Their names are Ethan and Hayden. If you meet them, which I am sure that you will, please apologize to them for me for not taking care of them until the very end. Those two should have grown up into very respectable men right now.

If they know who you are, they will undoubtedly help and support you.

Hayden’s father and I are very close friends. When he helped to rescue you from danger, we made a funny promise that you would marry Hayden in the future. We doubt that that would really happen, but we would be beyond happy if that is how things have turned out.

Lastly, we love you and we just want you to know that we are proud of you and whatever choices you made for yourself.’

"With endless love…" I finished reading the letter.

"Don’t cry, Malissa," Hayden told me.

"I’m sorry," I quickly apologized as I wiped my tears away with my hands.

"It’s ok now…" Hayden whispered.

I felt his strong arms around me as he pulled me into his embrace. His warmth and familiar scent enveloped me. I started crying again as he held me against his hard and broad chest. His hand stroked the back of my head tenderly as he continued to hold me in his arms to comfort me. Despite his words, Hayden’s actions were so gentle and loving.

"There’s no need for you to cry, Malissa. Your parents wrote you such a loving letter. I’m sure that they are proud of you just like they have written in the letter," Hayden comforted me before he kissed the top of my head.

"I don’t know…" I muttered in between my sobs.

I wasn’t sure if I lived up to my parent’s expectations or not. There wasn’t a hint of regret in my body about the choices that I’ve made but I was so upset. I had no idea that my parents had to pay such a hefty price just so I could live a normal life and just so that I would have the privilege to make my own decisions about what I wanted in life.

"At least I ended up marrying you…" I mumbled softly to myself.

"What did you say?" Hayden asked softly next to my ear.

"I said…that at least I ended up marrying you just like what my parents had hoped…" I whispered before I felt tears pooling in my eyes again.

Hayden stroked my hair before he started kissing it. His touch felt gentle and warm. I snuggled closer against his body as if seeking for more of his comfort. His hand stroked my back as he continued to hold me close.

"Did you know about this letter?" I asked what came to mind.

"Not really…but I had a hunch…" Hayden replied softly.

"Really?" I couldn’t stop myself from asking.

"Ethan mentioned that he gave you a letter. The way he said it told me that it must have been from your parents…and not from him…" Hayden admitted solemnly.

"I see…" I murmured against his chest.

Wait a second. If Hayden knew that this letter wasn’t a letter from Ethan to me, then why was he so interested in knowing it’s content enough to ask to be here with me when I read it.

"Why did you ask to read the letter with me?" I asked directly as I tipped my face up to look at his face.

Hayden’s blue eyes stared down at me before his beautiful lips curved into a small smile.

"If I didn’t ask for you to read it with me…then you’ll be crying all alone right now, right?" Hayden said knowingly.

He wanted to…be here to comfort me? Am I understanding him, right?

"Thank you…Hayden…" I whispered as I buried my crying face back into his chest.

His strong arms around me felt so safe. For now, I’ll just hide here from the world and let him comfort me.

…

My nights have been sleepless for many nights now. I laid next to Hayden in bed with my eyes wide opened although I couldn’t see much in the darkness. Ever since having that dream in the hospital, it came back to haunt me over and over again. That young teenager who looked so much like the younger version of Hayden just wouldn’t leave me alone.

The dream was always the same and in my dream, he would say the exact same thing. It drove me crazy to the point where I got scared. I had to convince myself repeatedly that ghosts don’t exist. Hayden was still alive so that younger guy couldn’t possibly be Hayden’s ghost. This conversation that I had with myself was enough proof to me that I was indeed losing my mind.

Whenever I went to sleep, he would come to me. I thought that I would get used to it or that he would simply disappear one day but that hasn’t happened yet. When I closed my eyes, I would feel scared of falling asleep because I didn’t want to see him.

"Malissa…what’s wrong?" Hayden asked sleepily from close to me.

I could feel the bed shift under us as he turned his body around. Then his arms were around me as he hugged me close to him.

"Nothing. I need to go to the toilet…don’t mind me…" I replied softly before getting out of bed.

If I told him that I kept having dreams where I saw a younger version of him, would he think that I’m losing it?

Most probably.

I walked over slowly to the toilet in the dark to put myself back together. It seemed like the only way to stop that guy from visiting me in my dream is for me to fall asleep from exhaustion. That usually happened when Hayden made love to me roughly until I fell asleep or when I am adequately sleep deprived.

--To be continued…