RELOVE: The Days With My Exes

Elzi Amelia Collins felt a wavering uncertainty that made her feel like she was adrift at sea. It was as if she was no longer bound by the force of gravity, as if the entire cosmos was being pulled into a black hole. Suddenly, and so abruptly, it sucked the life out of her, causing her to open her eyes in an instant, waking up from sleep. The pain was immediately present, pulsating through her body, making her groan.

“Oh, my goodness, God.”

She murmured, massaging her forehead gently, feeling her parched throat. Dry. Creating an uncomfortable sensation that tormented her. But that was not all.

A few moments later, Elzi discovered the pain enveloping her body. Aching. Shattered. And she could not find the right words to describe her condition at that moment. It all felt incredibly torturous.

Taking a deep breath, Elzi tried to calm herself. Attempting to ignore the pain, she blinked slowly, adjusting her retinas to the dim light around her at that time.

As her eyes surveyed the surroundings, Elzi tried to think. Her forehead furrowed as she forced her brain to remember. Flashes of recent events passed through her mind, displaying joyful faces, full of jokes and laughter, all animated by food and drinks, seemingly so happy.

Ah.

Her eyes widened as she managed to recall the important detail. Something she should not easily forget. Well, especially not when it came to a high school reunion.

That night, Elzi attended the high school reunion held at the home of one of her friends, Ava Grace. The beautiful woman, her classmate, who now chose to dedicate herself as a doctor in a border region.

And the last thing Elzi remembered was the boisterous voices of her friends, probably teasing her for being unable to handle alcohol.

Elzi sighed deeply, cursing internally. Since when did not being able to drink alcohol become something shameful? Now that she thought about it, it was perfectly reasonable for her to feel dizzy right now. And that dizziness was undoubtedly exacerbated by her annoyance at some of her friends who apparently still enjoyed teasing her.

“Ugh. What kind of drink did they mix in my glass earlier? This is why I feel like I've been hit by a mountain. Definitely because of that drink.”

Suppressing her frustration, Elzi raised her left hand, just to check the time on her wristwatch. She weighed her options, whether to go home or decide to go back to sleep that night.

Two a.m.

Technically, Elzi could go home, but it seemed like sleep was the better option than going back. Her body was in no condition to cooperate, and even if she would just sit leisurely in a taxi—considering her car was currently in the repair shop—Elzi did not want to take the risk of going home so late at night. Who could guarantee her safety?

Dismissing any plans of going home, Elzi intended to continue sleeping. She began by lifting both her hands for a moment to stretch her stiff muscles.

Under the blanket, Elzi wriggled, seeking a comfortable position as she lay on her side. She then swung her arms and legs dramatically at the same time, landing them on the pillow.

However, the comfort Elzi felt and the reverie she yearned for suddenly disappeared. It was replaced by confusion when she felt the pillow hugging her back, as if a heavy hand had landed on her body!

“Huh?”

Elzi's eyes, which were previously closed, flew open, trying to think but only ending up startled.

Eh?! Since when do pillows have hands?

And then, upon further contemplation, Elzi realized another peculiarity. It seemed she just noticed that what lay beneath her head was certainly not her usual sleeping pillow. This pillow was not soft. On the contrary, it felt... hard and had a peculiar shape. More precisely, a hand-like shape.

Huh? Another hand? W-wait a minute. Why do the pillows here have hands? I-i-is this really a hand... or am I hallucinating? I-is it because of the drinks? Did I get intoxicated?

Elzi tried not to panic. But everything became even more futile when her eyes caught yet another reality. It was not a pillow she was nuzzling into. Instead, it was a broad chest moving subtly with rhythmic breathing. Unfortunately, that broad chest was not dressed in even a thread!

What?!

Propping herself up with her arms, her face burrowed into the chest, and a body hugging her? She could not help but raise a single question in her mind.

Am I really drunk, or... Who is this?!

With trembling fear, Elzi gathered her courage to lift her face, only to find a handsome face peacefully asleep right in front of her. A face she least expected.

Her eyes widened slowly, and she even took a moment to rub her eyes before widening them even further, hoping that the face in front of her would change. Turn into a pillow, a bolster, or anything else. As long as it wasn't someone's face. Especially if that someone was...

B-B-Ben? I-i-is this Ben? Oh my God. B-B-Benedict Cole Wallace?

Unable to contain herself, Elzi let out a scream.

“Ah!”

Long and forceful, her scream had an immediate effect on the deeply sleeping guy. He winced and rubbed his ears, mumbling in response. It was a natural reaction for anyone whose sleep was disturbed.

Then, in what felt like slow-motion scenes from movies, Elzi watched as the guy's eyelashes fluttered. His eyelids opened, and he found himself face-to-face with Elzi. They could not avoid it any longer; two pairs of eyes locked in a direct gaze.

Silence filled the moment...

Both pairs of eyes blinked once and then stared at each other again, as if they were two computer systems experiencing a bug. As if each of them needed a moment to assess the situation.

Elzi held her breath, feeling as if she were waiting for what other shocking events would unfold next, filled with anticipation. Perhaps she was genuinely drunk. But...

“Zizi.”

No hallucinations. No intoxication. Perhaps her eyes could be deceived, but the voice was undeniably not that of a pillow or a bolster. It sounded heavy and deep. More than enough to prove to Elzi that she was not the only one lying on the bed. Instead, there was a guy with her. Someone who always called her in his own way.

For a moment, it felt like an invisible impact hit Elzi. Or like a jolt that made her heart pulsate uncomfortably. More than anything, amidst the overwhelming feelings, Elzi never expected that she would hear that call again. After so long. After years.

And she had to admit it... she hated hearing that familiar tone from the guy's mouth.

Elzi cleared her mind of all thoughts and focused on the vacant stare in the guy's eyes, as if he had not realized the situation they were in. And, as if to emphasize his obliviousness, he asked the next second.

“Why are you here?”

However, Elzi did not get a chance to answer because Ben's eyes widened slowly. Right as he looked at his hand, which landed on Elzi's innocent shoulder. Well, not entirely innocent, considering the bra strap there.

What?! A bra straps?

Ben was shocked. He hurriedly released Elzi's body, and the vacant look in his eyes disappeared, replaced by emotions of surprise that Elzi refused to believe.

Ben's face turned red. He stood up, panicking, and asked again.

“Y-y-you. How can you be here? Oh my God. Why are you here?”

Also rising, Elzi felt indignant, finding herself being questioned by the guy. Should not it be the other way around?

“I should be the one asking that!” she snapped angrily. “Why are you here? Why are you in my bed? You despicable jerk!”

Preparing herself for any possible response from Ben to retaliate, Elzi furrowed her brows in confusion when the guy fell silent. Hardly moving. Almost immobile. His eyes did not even blink.

Ben's silent response confused Elzi. It urged her to follow his gaze, heading toward the reason for his stillness. Finally, Elzi understood why Ben was frozen, not moving, or maybe even not breathing!

There was only a bra. There was only a bra clinging to Elzi's body. Nothing else covered her bare form.

Once again, Elzi screamed, berating herself for neglecting to hold the blanket to her body. It was only natural that Ben was petrified. What normal guy would not freeze if he saw a nearly naked girl in front of him?

“You perverted jerk!”

Scolding Ben, Elzi immediately grabbed the blanket, trying to cover her body as much as possible, even though one thought rang in her mind, mocking her.

Will it even make a difference if you cover up again, Zi? With both of you in this state, I bet Ben has already seen everything. I guarantee it! More than just seeing.

Squeezing the edge of the blanket against her chest with all her might, Elzi closed her eyes, only to growl in anger.

“Argh!”

Ben's natural reaction to Elzi's emotions was evident; he was nervous and embarrassed. But it did not calm Elzi down. Instead, it made her even more frustrated.

Please, Zi. Don't be fooled again by his hypocritical appearance. Just think, if you believe he's changed, I guarantee you'll fall for him again!

Elzi could not calm down. Instead, fear slowly began to manifest on her beautiful face. With a thought that was all too natural.

“Oh my God. With all this, what will my life be like next? H-how... How did I end up in this situation?”

Seeing Ben's flat chest and masculine contours on his stomach only amplified Elzi's panic, increasing exponentially in those brief seconds.

“Zi,” Ben murmured softly, causing Elzi to turn to him, her face looking terrifying as if she was ready to devour him whole. “I don't know why we ended up like this.”

Unwillingly, but truly, Ben's seemingly innocent statement left Elzi stunned, accompanied by a nauseous feeling in her stomach.

“Hah? You don't know? You're saying you don't know? You don't know? Oh my God. So, what do you know, the Pythagorean theorem?”

Ben looked embarrassed. “That's not what I meant. But...” He took a deep breath. “I think I might have been a bit drunk earlier. Honestly, I don't remember much,” he continued, trying to recall. “And...”

Ben did not finish his sentence because Elzi closed her eyes again, as if refusing to face the reality at that moment.

Damn you, you despicable alcohol! Who came up with the idea of drinking alcohol anyway?! Alcohol should be used for sterilization purposes only! Not for drinking! Argh!

The frustration escalated, rumbling, and culminating in an overwhelming sadness that Elzi could not hold back. Tears welled up behind her eyelids, breaking through her defenses. She broke down into tears, leaving Ben frozen.

“Zizi.”

Unexpectedly, to Elzi and maybe even to the demons in the world, Ben reached out and embraced the girl, causing shock in Elzi's teary eyes. She wanted to pull away, but Ben always had a power she could not resist.

Elzi blinked. A moment later, she found her head landing on Ben's flat chest, followed by Ben's hand gently caressing her head.

“I'm sorry. I know my apology won't change the situation. But, I'm serious. I apologize.”

Ben's soft whisper silenced Elzi. She did not say anything, her anger slowly turning into fear, which sent chills through her entire body, accompanied by questions flooding her mind.

God, what did I do wrong? Why do I have to be trapped again with this guy?

Elzi's silence made Ben uneasy. He lifted her chin with his finger, bringing his gaze to meet her clear eyes. He exhaled softly, letting his breath caress Elzi's face.

“Zi, calm down. Just relax,” Ben said. “Maybe what we're thinking didn't actually happen.”

Elzi gaped. “Hah? What we're thinking?” she asked dramatically. “Do you even know what I'm thinking?”

Of course, it was not difficult to guess Elzi's train of thought. Based on their situation, both being unclothed, on the same bed, under the same blanket, and hugging, the assumption could only lead to one thing—whether they were aware of it or not, they had engaged in sexual intimacy.

However, Ben seemed to have a different idea when he said, “I know, Zi. But maybe nothing happened between us. We could have just slept together.”

His words did not calm Elzi down; instead, she growled. Her eyes, previously filled with fear, now glared with various forms of anger. Ben quickly clarified his statement.

“No no no. By sleeping together, I mean literally sleeping. I mean, we fell asleep. Okay? It's not like we had sex.”

Elzi's eyes widened even more, and Ben hurriedly continued.

“Maybe we did not do anything. It's possible. There's still a chance for that.”

“Oh, now we're discussing possibilities?” Elzi dramatically closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself instead of screaming hysterically louder. “So, can you explain why we're in this situation if we didn't...”

Elzi felt her breath hitch. Her voice was low but sharp as she continued her sentence.

“... do anything? With me almost naked? On the bed with you?! And you're not wearing any clothes either?!” Her eyes narrowed. “According to you, we undressed because we were too hot? And then we cuddled because we felt so close? Seriously?! Do you think we're Laa-Laa and Tinky Winky, who enjoy cuddling?!”

Ben let out a long sigh. “Be patient, Zi.”

“How can I be patient in a situation like this?! I'm not a descendant of Mother Teresa who can be patient! I'm just an ordinary girl who swears to kill you in the most brutal way possible!”

“Okay, okay. Let's check first. Let's see if we actually did something or if we just slept together. There should be something on this bed to prove it,” Ben said. “Being almost naked and on the same bed doesn't necessarily mean we made love. Well... there's still a 0.1% chance, though.”

“Almost naked? Making love?” Elzi asked hysterically. “There's no love!”

Unconsciously, Elzi raised her hand, clenched her fist, and landed a playful punch on Ben's chest.

Ben quickly caught Elzi's not-so-strong punch. “Let's figure this out first, Zi. After that, if you still want to hit me... go ahead. Whatever you want.”

“If it's proven, I promise. I won't give you a mere punch. But death!” Elzi threatened as she stood up and didn't forget to curse, “You despicable jerk!”

Not willing to make the same mistake twice, Elzi made sure to keep the blanket covering her chest as she got off the bed. Unfortunately, her action only caused the blanket to tug and reveal something that Ben had been hiding.

“Ah!”

Elzi was startled. Shocked. However, her eyes widened, fixed on a certain spot between Ben's legs.

“There's Squidward's nose!”

Ben's eyes widened too, in shock, but clearly for a different reason.

“W-what?” Ben stammered. “Squidward's nose?”

He looked down, to the spot where Elzi was looking before she screamed hysterically again.

“Wow! Are you saying this is Squidward's nose? Hah! You don't know that this 'Squidward's nose' can transform into Aquaman's trident?”

Trying not to hear Ben's words, Elzi covered her ears and closed her eyes. In her heart, she prayed for the image of Ben's bare form that had successfully entered her retinas to be erased from her mind.

“Oh, my goodness. Stop it! Don't say weird things. You perverted, lewd jerk! Squidward's nose,” Elzi growled, feeling her face heat up. “Squidward's nose.”

This time, Ben also closed his eyes. His chest suddenly felt warm again, hearing that term. Squidward's nose? Oh, my goodness. That's not right. No guy would want their private parts referred to in such a ridiculous manner, and that certainly included Ben. So, it was understandable that the patience he had been trying to nurture since earlier disappeared completely without a trace.

“Squidward's nose? Uh... do you really want to see proof that Squidward's nose can transform into Aquaman's trident? Yes? Hah! I'm telling you; the seven seas will have a tsunami if it ever transforms!”

Elzi exclaimed.

“Aaah!” Elzi screamed. “Stop it! You pervert! Lewd! You have no brain and no sense of appearance. Everything about you is a mess! Stop saying weird things!”

Once again, Ben was taken aback by Elzi's words, shaking his head.

“So, after all this time not seeing each other, you really haven't changed. Your mouth is still...” Ben couldn't continue his sentence. “Ck. And what did you say? My appearance is a mess?”

“Yes! Your brain and appearance are equally messy!”

Ben laughed sarcastically. “Ha ha ha ha. Has your appearance improved enough to say that my appearance is a mess? With a blanket covering your chest while your two buttocks are all over the place? And you think that's considered 'in order'? I can even see a mole on your butt!”

What?

“Who's a mess?”

“Stop it!”

Elzi fumed, quickly turning her body while berating herself. Oh goodness! Why did she forget about the back of her body and only focus on the front? Annoyingly, who knows how long Ben had been taking advantage of that fact.

Elzi's body was now covered, and she found Ben standing in front of her, separated by the bed. He had put on his low-rise briefs. Elzi's face turned disgusted as she noticed the intimidating bulge in Ben's underwear. Seeing her reaction, Ben smirked.

“Don't you drool over Squidward's nose, Zi.”

Oh, my goodness!

Elzi turned her face away, ignoring Ben's gaze, and focused on something more important than Squidward's nose. Her eyes scanned the bed, looking for any indication of what had happened between her and Ben. She found it—a red stain hiding amidst the floral pattern of the bedsheet.

Noticing the same spot, Ben shifted his attention and heard a thud sound. Elzi had collapsed to the floor as if she could no longer fight gravity.

Cold. Elzi was certain that the cold feeling did not come from the expensive ceramic tiles of the floor but rather from the fear that loomed in her mind. Panic overwhelmed her, and all her nerves felt numb. It was as if her heart had stopped beating, and she thought her life was over.

“Oh God. This... this...”

Elzi did not know what to say. She just let a tear fall.

Ben quickly acted, rushing to Elzi's side, lifting her up, and guiding her to sit on the bed.

“Zi.”

Despite Ben's gentle call, Elzi only gave him a vacant stare. This alarmed Ben, making him swallow hard in panic.

He cupped Elzi's cheek, holding her pale face in front of his. Their faces were extremely close, and Elzi could feel Ben's warm breath, just as Ben could feel hers.

“I will take responsibility,” Ben said seriously. “I will marry you. So... you don't have to worry.”

Still, Elzi remained unresponsive as if she was already dead. She was silent, and a cynical voice suddenly appeared in her mind.

He will marry me? Hah? Did he forget that he once made the same promise? But what happened in the end? He disappeared without a trace, leaving me without a word!

Elzi shook her head.

“No. It's not possible,” she murmured faintly. “There's no way I will marry you. No. Absolutely not.”

Elzi's mind was filled with various thoughts as she withdrew, clutching the blanket around her body, and stood up again to examine the bed more closely. This time, she was searching for something specific.

“Move aside!” Elzi's sudden change in behavior confused Ben, but he complied, moving out of her way as she approached the bed, seemingly searching for something.

“Why, Zi?” Ben asked as he stood up. “What are you looking for?”

Finding nothing on the bed, Elzi took a deep breath and approached Ben. Without realizing it, she grabbed his hand and looked up, trying to lock eyes with him.

“Tell me you used it.”

Still puzzled, Ben furrowed his brow. “Used what? What do you mean?”

Elzi bit her lower lip, appearing hesitant as she was pressed with the question. Her expression turned fearful as she half-whispered her answer to Ben.

“C-c-c...”

Not understanding, Ben pressed further. “C-c-c what?”

Closing her eyes, Elzi finally replied, “Condom!”

“Uhuk!” Ben suddenly coughed, while Elzi widened her eyes, showing emotions that could no longer be contained. She did not care about Ben's reddened face or his awkward coughing. Elzi pointedly asked him with a hopeful tone.

“You used one, right? And you threw away the used one? Where? Trash can? Toilet? Or...”

Because that was her last hope. Elzi might have unintentionally made a mistake with Ben, but it did not mean she had to be trapped in marriage with him, right?

Unfortunately, Elzi's last hope slowly faded when Ben took a deep breath and showed an expression she did not expect. He shook his head.

Elzi was stunned for a few seconds. “Y-you didn't use it? You didn't use a condom? Seriously? You didn't use one?”

As her last hope vanished, Elzi's sadness and fear instantly turned into anger, ready to burst out.

“You didn't use a condom?! How could you not use one? How old are you, for God's sake? How can you be an adult man without any ethics like this? Seriously? You didn't use it?”

Elzi swung her free hand, landing a series of punches on Ben's chest.

Ben did not defend himself, just accepting the punishment as he stood there, taking the blows.

“You took someone's virginity and... and you didn't even use a condom! What century are you livng in? Argh!”

Fists pounding repeatedly and accompanied by various curses, Elzi's breath sounded harsh and loud. Ben was lucky that Elzi did not have any familial ties to any dragon species. Otherwise, he was sure that flames would be spewing from both of Elzi's nostrils!

“You should've used one! How could you forget something so important? Argh! You should've remembered to use it!”

“I was drunk, Zi. How could I remember to use a condom when I was drunk?”

“You should've remembered! You even remembered to take off your underwear! Why didn't you remember to put on a condom?!”

Pressured by the barrage of words from Elzi, Ben felt his head spinning. Unconsciously, he responded in frustration.

“If I had remembered to use a condom, it means I wasn't drunk.”

Elzi grew even more furious. “You perverted scoundrel.”

“What? Did you just call me a perverted scoundrel?” Ben's eyes rolled dramatically. “I can make you sure that you are the first. No one's genitals have been violated by me until now.”

Elzi glared. “You're so skilled for a first-timer, huh? And whether I'm the first or the last, does it really matter? Do you think I'd be proud of that?!” Elzi pointed her index finger. “And remember! It was my genitals that you violated just now!”

Ben was sure that things would get even messier if he could not think clearly. He took a deep breath, trying to reason with himself in this critical situation. He should not get provoked and respond emotionally to Elzi's words. It would only make things worse.

“Zi.”

He called out softly, trying to reach out to her, but Elzi brushed his hand away. Ben chose to sit back on the bed, opting to calm Elzi down instead. He exhaled heavily, one hand gripping his hair in frustration.

“God. Even if I lose my virginity, it doesn't mean I'll get pregnant, right? Please, God, don't let me get pregnant.”

Elzi grew even more panicked. She took a deep breath and tried to stay logical.

“The chances of pregnancy during the first encounter are not high, Zi. Relax. It's not that easy to get pregnant. Even married couples can take years to have a child. It's highly unlikely that you'll get pregnant from a one-time incident, right?”

However, shortly after, Elzi winced. Begging and pleading with hope.

“I beg you, God. If there's a plan for me to get pregnant, please change it. Give this pregnancy to another couple who has been waiting for it. I willingly accept whatever happens, both physically and emotionally.”

Ben could only watch silently as Elzi rambled on, seemingly unaware of her surroundings. He observed closely as Elzi closed her eyes, her lips trembling, questioning herself.

“When is my fertile period? When? Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Next week? Or has it already passed?”

Trying to remember, but Elzi found her mind blank. Damn! But it was so human. Which girl's mind could still think rationally in a situation like this?

“Zi.”

“Damn it!” Elzi cursed, gasping for breath. “The possibility is still there, Zi. Even though it's small, it's still there. Oh God. Even rape victims often get pregnant. And what if this accident makes me pregnant? Oh no. Isn't it already common knowledge that accidental encounters have a high chance of pregnancy?”

Ben cleared his throat as he watched Elzi continue to ramble on as if he wasn't there. He called her name again.

“Zi.”

Frustrated, Elzi turned to Ben. “Can you stop calling me Zi Zi Zi? Don't you know I'm panicking?!”

Ben dramatically closed his eyes, shook his head, and took a deep breath. He chose to let Elzi continue her rambling because of her panic.

“Why does this have to happen to me? What if I'm pregnant?” Elzi's eyes darted anxiously, and her heart thumped wildly. “Pregnant out of wedlock?”

The reality brought indescribable fear. Elzi's stomach immediately felt queasy, as if something inside was being stirred.

“Oh God. If I'm really pregnant out of wedlock, what will happen? What punishment will I receive from Mom and Dad? Will they kick me out of the house? Hang me alive? Or...”

However, Elzi's panicked rambling subsided for a moment. Replaced by sadness.

“Why am I so foolish? Why couldn't I take care of myself?” Elzi closed her eyes. “I couldn't even take care of myself, and now? What if I'm pregnant? How can I take care of my child? Oh God. I can't handle being pregnant right now. Please, God. Don't let an innocent child have a mother who's still incapable like me. It's not fair for them, God.”

Ben reached for Elzi's hand, gently salvaging her hair from possible fall-out soon. Truly, Elzi held nothing back when it came to expressing her emotions.

Without giving Elzi a chance to use her hand for something else, Ben held it tightly. Surprisingly, it made Elzi stop her rambling.

Ben locked eyes with Elzi. “Whether you're pregnant or not, that's not the issue here.”

With a momentary pause in his words, Ben reminded himself to speak as softly as possible. He did not want his words to provoke Elzi's emotions any further, as she had already been stirred up since earlier. That could be dangerous!

A few seconds passed, and Ben did not get any response from Elzi. So, he continued speaking, being extremely cautious with his choice of words.

“Regardless of whether you're pregnant or not,” Ben continued. “I will take responsibility. I mean it. I genuinely want to marry you. And if you do end up pregnant, you don't have to worry. You don't need to be afraid.”

Without blinking, Ben locked eyes with Elzi. Firm and unwavering, his gaze conveyed his determination without a doubt.

“I'll take care of both of you. We can learn to be parents together.”

Both of you? Learn to be parents together?

Upon hearing those words, Elzi froze. Her head felt empty, erasing the emotions that filled her clear eyes. As if Ben's words had sent her floating into uncertainty, a world without clarity.

“What do you think?” Elzi asked with a whimper. Whether she was aware or not, she pulled her hand away from Ben's grasp and placed it on her own stomach. “Has your sperm started swimming in my uterus now? Has it met my ovum? Have they fused together?”

Ben took a deep breath. Uncertain if it was a question that needed an answer or not. Nevertheless, Elzi growled when she saw Ben remained silent.

“Argh! Marry you? Oh God. I could never marry you. Why me? Why do I have to go through this? What sins have I committed, God? Why am I being punished like this?”

Not allowing the debate to continue in circles, Ben firmly held both of Elzi's upper arms, restraining her. Not giving her even the slightest space to move an inch.

“Zi,” Ben emphasized. “I'm not joking. I will marry you. So, please. Stop panicking. Stop resisting fate. We can both go through this. We'll find a way together. And that way is through marriage.”

Elzi remained silent, staring into those dark eyes. In them, Ben could see the various fears and panics swirling through Elzi's clear gaze.

Can I trust your words? You say this now, but what about tomorrow? You might say something else. We both know what you're like. I never wanted to fall into the same trap for the third time!

Elzi was torn. Ben knew it for sure. It was entirely human of her to not know what to do at that moment.

However, Ben decided not to let Elzi drown in her indecision. He took immediate action instead of waiting.

Without any warning, Ben pulled Elzi's face towards him, bringing their lips together without any hesitation.

Elzi's eyes widened, realizing that in a matter of lightning-fast seconds—seconds she could not avoid, her lips disappeared into a deep kiss.

The shock of the situation and the confusion about her future left Elzi dazed. She could not muster any resistance as Ben kissed her.

Intense and powerful. Soft moans accompanied the sensual movement of Ben's lips on Elzi's. Then, a fleeting touch was given by the tip of Ben's tongue before he broke the kiss.

“We're getting married, Zi,” Ben said firmly, without compromise. “This is not a question. It's a statement!”

*