Chapter 31
Lies Etched in Stone
Though she tried, Safia couldn’t get any information about what happened the night she got drunk. Sion wouldn’t even give her a single clue. Tired, she finally dropped the matter.
Two days later.
Sion was waiting for Safia in their usual spot. “I’m so sorry I’m late! I couldn’t finish my assignment yesterday because of my headache, so I had to complete it for today’s submission.” She ran to him, her words breathless before she went in for a hug.
“Is it still painful?” Sion ignored everything else she said, his concern focused on her. He pointed to her head.
Safia shook her head, pouting. “Not anymore.”
“Christmas vacation is coming fast. You’ll go home, and I don't know how I’ll spend all that time without you,” Sion said glumly.
“You know, we can always take this friendship to the next level.” She leaned forward and kissed him softly, then slipped a thin band onto his finger. “Do you know the significance of this ring? It's a promise that I will be yours until I take my last breath. Will you walk with me in this relationship, Guild ?”
Sion could only nod, his throat tightening with intense emotion. She placed another ring in his palm. “Now, put this one on me.” She extended her left hand, and he carefully slipped the ring onto her finger. “During the Christmas holidays, I’m taking you home with me to meet my dad. I’ve already told him about you, and he’s eager to meet you.” Her face was bright with glee.
Sion was happy, but only for a moment. “What if he doesn’t like me? When I meet him, I’ll tell him everything about myself—the good and the bad.” He looked past Safia, his gaze distant and troubled.
“You’re talking as if you’re some kind of cold-blooded murderer. Could there be anything bad about you?” she asked, trying to hide her sudden fear behind a smile.
But Sion’s stare was unblinking and intense. “Sometimes, everything you see isn’t the truth. But my love for you has always been sincere. Despite anything that might happen between us, will you still love me and be mine?”
Safia waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. “Sometimes you frighten me with your questions. If he doesn’t accept you as his son-in-law, then I’m going to run away with you. I’m an adult, and I have the legal right to make decisions about my own life.”
Ten days later…
“What are those stones with the names of places on them?” Sion asked, amazed, as he saw a jar of stones on a shelf in her hostel room.
“It’s my hobby. I collect a stone from every place I visit as a memento. The numbers on them are the dates I went there. I’ve loved traveling since I was a child, and I collected these stones to keep those beautiful places with me forever.” She kissed a stone in the jar before placing it back.
Sion looked thoughtfully at the transparent jar. “Interesting.”
“What’s your hobby? Anything engrossing I don’t know about?” Safia asked, circling her hands around his neck.
“Hmm,” Sion looked away in deep thought. “Well, that’s something I need to show you rather than tell you.”
Safa’s eyebrows shot up. “Show me? This sounds fascinating.”
“Wait here. I’m going to get my bike,” he said, turning to leave.
She pulled her jacket tighter, rubbing her palms together. “It’s getting cold and dark out here.”
“So what? I'll drop you back at the hostel before the gates close. Don’t worry.”
“It’s not about the gates. I’m afraid of the dark. I’ll walk with you.”
A crooked grin spread across his face. “If you want me to walk with you, it comes with a price.”
“A price? What price?” Safia asked, her eyes full of innocent curiosity. She could see the mischief playing out in his mind, and whatever it was, she was ready to embrace it.
“You have to let me kiss you, wherever I want.” He winked, a mischievous smile on his lips.
“Well, don’t you think the price is a bit high?” she countered, thrilled to play his game.
“Then you can enjoy your walk in the dark alone,” he shrugged, trying and failing to suppress a smile.
Before he could react, Safia jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him like there was no tomorrow.
Sion had to take two steps back to balance them, his arms instinctively going to her buttocks to hold her in place.
She was no longer aware of the world around them. All she knew was the need for Guild and his passionate kisses.
Before he could surprise her with the secret he was about to reveal, they found themselves in the bed of a small wooden cottage in the middle of the woods. Sion pulled her blouse over her head and began kissing her bra-clad breasts, a primal need building inside him. His hands roamed over her body, memorizing every curve. But then his hand stopped, as if it had been bitten by a snake, just before he reached the zipper of her pants.
Safia looked at him, confused. “Who’s stopping you? Come on, Guild . I need you, now.” Her voice was a mix of urgency and helplessness.
“I don’t want you to regret this after the heat of the moment is over. You’re the type of girl a man wants to settle down with. And these things… they’re not for you. You are a girl with values, and I respect you for that. You don’t have to give them up for me.” He cupped her cheeks, his voice a breathless whisper, unable to meet her gaze, consumed by guilt. He pulled away from her, putting his shirt back on.
“Is this a polite way of saying you’re already bored of me?” The words were out before she could stop them, and Sion’s head shot up. The look in her eyes was one he had never seen before—fear. He hated seeing it.
“No, sweetheart. Never. I will never get bored of you. You are my life, my breath, my everything.” He kissed her then, a kiss so passionate it held all the promises he couldn't yet speak aloud. The kiss was soft and hot, a silent plea for union and closeness. It was the sharing of one breath, one sensation, one timeless moment. The heat rose in her cheeks as his tongue gently caressed the recesses of her mouth.
“Hmm,” Sophia moaned softly. His mouth tasted of wine and cocoa. His lips grew firmer, more determined, seeking out the fire within her, a liquid delight that surged through them both.
“Do you believe me now?” he asked, pulling back for a moment to catch his breath.
Safia nodded, and only then did she realize where she was. Her eyes roamed the small wooden room, and she took two steps toward the single window. “Wow,” she breathed.
The window overlooked a beautiful blue pond just a few steps away, with a pair of ducks swimming peacefully. The moonlight reflected on the water, creating a stunning, picturesque scene. The garden was surrounded by small plants with colorful roses, lilies, and jasmine. “This place is a paradise. How did you find such a beautiful location amidst all these shadowy trees?” she asked, awe in her voice.
Little did she know, Sion didn’t need to find beautiful places. He owned and built them. He was a billionaire, the owner of millions of dollars worth of properties across London and beyond. “My friend owns this land. He rented it to me until I finished my education here,” he lied.
“Amazing. Your friend has great taste. So who maintains all this?” she asked, pointing to the ducks.
“He has a maid…” Sion stopped himself, correcting the slip. “He employed a maid who cooks, cleans this cottage, and maintains the garden.”
Safia was still staring, entranced by the beautiful scenery. “This house is the work of a rich man. It showcases his pioneering status and vibrant ideas.”
“Do you like it?” Sion asked, a flash of gaiety in his eyes. She was unknowingly praising his aesthetic sense.
“Like it? I love it. It’s the perfect place for a weekend or a holiday. But I don’t think I could ever buy or maintain a house like this,” Safia said, her fingers running appreciatively over the African wood furniture.
“Why do you think so? Maybe we could work together, make millions, and buy ten places just like this. Think positively, Safia. Maybe one day we could be billionaires,” Sion said, holding her small, thin hands in his large, warm ones.
She took a step back, her gaze turning introspective. “Are you really a poor guy whose dad is just a wine dealer? Because sometimes, your words sound strange, as if you’re hiding something very important from me.”
And in the next moment, all the color drained from Sion’s face.
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