When Chari gained consciousness, she found herself already in her hospital room.

Though her eyes were still closed, she could hear her mom’s excited chatter in the background and her dad’s booming laugh.

“When are they going to bring in my grandchild?” Her mom said impatiently.

Chari was smiling when she opened her eyes. John, who was sitting on her bed, felt her move and saw her awake.

He greeted her with a warm kiss on her lips before he looked her in the eyes and said, “Thank you, love.”

Chari was startled. It was the second time in a matter of hours that he mentioned the word “love”, it brought a blush to her cheeks.

She admits that while his confession confused her, it also excited her at the same time. It gave her another reason to hope.

John watched her – he was happy that Chari allowed him to be this close to her. He tried to bask at the moment. He enveloped Chari in a warm hug. He missed her a lot, and he wanted her to know it.

She must have missed him, too, because she did not resist him. She even burrowed her body closer, so he wrapped his arms around her even tighter.

At that just moment, the nurse walked in with a blue bassinet carrying their baby.

Chari excitedly took her baby to her chest and kissed his downy head. All the while, John’s arms were around her. Their private cocoon broke when her mom approached them and took the baby away.

“Oh my! A beautiful baby boy!” Her mom exclaimed in excitement. Her dad joined her mom. They both watched the baby adoringly.

She remained ensconced in John’s embrace. John wrapped both his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder, a picture of a very loving couple.

“What are we going to name him?” Her mom asked. John told them it’s John Carlo Miller, after his name. She saw her mom and dad nodded in agreement.

“Are you okay?” Finally, her mom noticed her before holding out the baby to her.

“Yes.” She croaked, and then she tucked her baby securely in her arms before she snuggled in John’s arms.

Other visitors came in.

Chari was surprised to learn that press people were milling outside her hospital suite.

She learned from her parents that it was finally divulged in the media that she and John were married and that she gave birth to a healthy baby boy – the heir to the Miller and Fortez fortune.

“Who spread the word out?” She asked her parents.

“Me,” John told her before he nuzzled her neck.

Chari was confused. John’s actions made her wonder.

He squeezed her shoulders lightly before he said: “We will talk later.”

And talk they will.

She had been going on a roller-coaster ride in the past 24-hours. Mixed signals from John must be clarified once and for all.

After they put the baby to sleep and they had their takeout dinner of Wonton noodle soup and dim sum, they both became silent. They were left alone in their room. Her parents already left after their last guests for the day.

John posted two guards outside to ensure that nobody will break-in.

Chari knew that it was now the time for the talk that John promised her earlier. She waited in trepidation. She welcomed, yet at the same time, she dreaded what comes next.

“I wanted to come home with you and the baby.” John declared.

It was not what she expected, but still, it was a close second. She was expecting a declaration of love, but it seemed that she expected too much. Chari could not hide the disappointment from her face.

John's eyes flared in anticipation and excitement when he read her expression.

“And I will never leave again,”He added softly. His tone made her look up to him at once.

Chari’s heart thudded.

“But….”

John held his finger to her lips to silence her.

“No buts. Is it wrong to want to stay with my family? I love you, and I love baby John. If you want, I can grovel so you will allow me to stay by your side. I love you both.”

Chari could not believe her ears. John loved her.

“But, I gave you back your freedom…” John looked at her sharply. His eyes were wide in astonishment.

“I don’t want it." John snapped.

When he saw her balked at his vehemence, his expression visibly relaxed.

He gathered her to him. Automatically, she snuggled closer.

"Don’t you see it? I wanted to be with you.” He said softly. Chari felt him bent down to kiss her hair.

“I don’t understand,” Chari said, confused.

“What about Lorie?” Chari realized that she needed answers.

“What about her?” It was John’s turn to be confused. He pulled away from their embrace so he could see her clearly.

“I heard in the news that Lorie is back in the country.” “…and I saw her message on your phone.” She said in a small voice. “…a-and I saw you with her when I went to your office before.” She admitted shyly.

As she explained, she saw John's face creased in irritation before it became composed. And then, naughty John was back.

He smiled. “Were you trying to spy on me?” he teased.

“Of course not,” Chari denied hotly, and then maybe because of exhaustion, she burst into tears.

Alarmed, John tended to her immediately, pulling her to him, “Hey, I am just joking. Please don’t cry. I love you.”

She looked up at him, and their gazes met. John’s face showed sincerity. Hers showed incredulity.

“You love me?” she whispered, barely managing the words out.

“Of course, I love you. Love you since you were 5.”

Chari could not believe what she was hearing. John must have read her mind because he went on.

“You are always special to me, Char. I was 15 when I finally admitted to myself that I don’t want to be your brother."

"Remember when your parents offered to adopt me?" At her silent nod, John continued.

"I refused because my heart rebelled with the idea. At first, I thought my affection came from our extraordinary closeness, but when you started attracting boys, that’s when I realized that what I feel for you is nowhere near brotherly. “ He admitted.

“You don’t know how I almost got crazy thinking that one day, you will like one of them.

Every time you smile at a guy classmate, I would feel a pain prick my chest.”

Chari could not take in everything that he was saying, but she loved every word he said. Still, there were a couple of things left that she needed to clarify.

“What about Lorie? I thought she was your first love?” John shook his head, smiling sadly.

“We were getting closer every day, and it has become a torture. I know that if I didn’t distract myself from you, it would only be a matter of time before my self-control snapped.”

“But you proposed!” Chari accused.

“I have to. Lorie knew about my feelings for you. She wanted to embarrass me in public to spite me, or else, she will tell everyone that I only wanted you for your money.” Chari gasped.

“At the time, I do not have anything to my name. I do not want you or anyone think that I only wanted you for your family's money and stature.”

“Is that the reason why you left?” Chari cried when he nodded gently.

“I wanted to know my father. I also wanted to make something of myself before I come back to you.” He admitted sheepishly.

Chari balled her fists and aimed it right at his chest. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” She chanted the words until she felt John pulled her to him and kissed her, to silence her.

"Your parents knew what I felt about you." John confessed.

She pulled back because she remembered something, “But I saw you with Lorie, you were going out of your office. You were tuned in to each other you did not even notice me.” John raised his brow at her obvious jealousy.

“We just talked. I assure you she was never a threat to us. She just came by for closure. She was engaged to an Italian restauranteur and will be leaving the modeling world for good.”

Chari could not hold her tears anymore. She felt her heart bursting with so much happiness. John hugged her, and they remained that way for a long time before he spoke again.

“You do not know how you scared me when I thought that you got back with Nathan.” At this Chari bowed her head, rueful.

“I’m sorry.” She said softly.

John smiled his wicked smile. “No, I am sorry.” It was the inflection in his voice that made her look up at him.

“What is it?” she pressed. Her curiosity pumped up.

John grimaced before he stole a quick kiss from her. “Promise you won’t get mad?” At her nod, he continued.

“I was never proud of what I did, but you see desperate times call for desperate measures.” It piqued her interest. She let him go on.

“I hired someone to put a party drug on Nathan’s drink one time. That was the night he got some woman pregnant.”

Chari was shocked. She always knew him to be fair. She did not think he would do something underhanded.

“But when you were talking happily about him, my conscience got the better of me. I love you. If Nathan can make you happy, then I am conceding defeat. I did not know that the woman I hired to seduce him accidentally got pregnant, and she approached Nathan without my knowledge."

“When Nathan and I talked, I learned that he offered the woman child support in the condition that she will never bother both of you again."

"Nathan must have really loved you, or he wouldn’t have come clean. Who would have thought that his confession would backfire on him,” Chari could not believe her ears! John did the unthinkable to get her. He might have given up at one point, but fate intervened.

“So, in the end, you got me,” Chari said with a grin.

“Yeah, in the end, I got you.” John agreed before he kissed her. This time their kiss took longer. There were relief and tenderness in their shared kiss.until it became hot and heavy.

When they pulled up for air, their chest were both heaving.

“I love you.” The words got out of Chari's mouth unceremoniously. Her heart swelled in so much love. She felt like bursting in her happiness.

John brushed his lips to her, tucked loose strands of her hair behind her ear before he pulled her close to him once more.

Chari sighed in contentment.

After running around in circles, she finally got her man.

Who would have thought that he felt the same way?

She had always believed that John would never look at her as a woman. But he did.

She never thought he would love her, but he did.

“I always asked myself why all my past relationships fail. Now I know."

John squeezed her shoulders gently, urging her to continue. "It is because you have always been the right one for me.” Chari said.

John's face softened before his lips found hers again in a searing kiss. This time, Chari wrapped her arms to his neck and matched him kiss for kiss.

She let herself be drowned to the sensation, her heart full. Finally,Chari is settled. At last, she found love.

THE END