Chapter 266 - True Love
Atlantis knew Lina was no longer safe in Ritan. He had heard of a dispute between Lina and Lawrence, her grandfather. Lina had lost the Yang family's adoration. Soon, she would no longer be considered their favorite. And with Kaden prowling the city, uncontrollable by anyone, Atlantis had to take her to safety. Atlantis was certain Kaden wouldn't hesitate to kidnap her, place her in an underground dungeon thirty floors in the ground, and keep her until she developed Stockholm Syndrome for him.
Soon, the helicopter landed on a private strip within the airport. To rent this place was no easy price. He had loaded his private jet at the last minute which sent a frenzy amongst his people.
Atlantis could feel the pressing stare of his secretary, who was trying to get the two of them alone. Without a doubt, his secretary was going to chew his ears off with a lethal scolding.
Now, they were aboard his private jet, where the flight attendants' large smiles were beginning to creep him out.
"You look constipated, George," Atlantis reminded his secretary.
George wore a sour expression, his lips puckered like he had eaten a lemon. He cast his Boss an irritated glare, grumbling complaints under his breath. He furiously typed into his tablet, attempting to fix all the issues caused by his Boss' sudden departure.
"You're giving our employees abandonment issues, Boss," George reprimanded as he answered yet another message from some big shot's assistant. Despite how crash he spoke, he was mindful of his manners when conversing with other people.
"Good thing I pay them well enough for them to afford therapy sessions," Atlantis snorted, crossing his arms in amusement. He turned his head to Lina, wondering if she had heard.
Lina was staring out the window. The private jet was spacious enough for a grounded couch, coffee table, and more. The plane was meant to only take a few passengers. But instead of being seated at the center, where Atlantis and George were, Lina glued herself to a secluded window seat.
"I know you pay us well, Boss," George bitterly said. "That was your first move as Chairman."
Atlantis hummed in response. He continued to watch Lina. He realized her attention wasn't focused towards the scenery.
Lina was fast asleep. Her lashes were long and as beautiful as her hair, cascading over her shoulders. As mesmerizing as she was, she was never peaceful in her sleep. Turning and squirming her body, her brows were knitted together in concentration.
"Boss, you shouldn't stand—"
Atlantis ignored George. He unbuckled himself and closed the distance to Lina. Credit to her for finding the only single seat on the entire plane. There wasn't a second seat beside her. He knelt to hear what she was mumbling about.
"...know…"
Atlantis rested his hands on her arm rest and leaned in closer.
"I really don't know…"
Atlantis was confused. There were not many things in the world that the genius didn't recall. He touched her on the cheek, hoping it'd soothe whatever nightmare she was having. Unfortunately, his gentle caress only made matters worse. Hot tears dripped over his thumb, her breathing growing heavy, as she struggled against her nightmares.
"Kaden…"
Atlantis froze.
"I really don't know…"
Atlantis yanked his hand back like her skin was a burning rock. He glanced down at his fingers, certain there would be something on them. She was supposed to have amnesia, but still remembered that bastard? What kind of spell did he put on her?
Gritting his teeth, Atlantis stormed back to his seat. He tried to ignore her the entire flight, but found himself looking in her direction. She was captivating, even in her sleep. Despite crying for another man, her tears were as precious as diamonds. Unable to compose himself, he grabbed a blanket and approached her again. Draping it over her body, he hoped the warmth would soothe her to peace.
Lina responded by groaning and shifting her body, her hand slipping out of the blanket.
"Is she the one?" George quietly asked, watching their interaction. "The one you've worked this hard for?"
Atlantis didn't respond. He stared intently at the ruby ring on her hand. Without hesitation, he grabbed her fingers and slid the ring off. It seemed she had lost weight. The ring was loose and he effortlessly seized it from her. At the exact moment, her eyes snapped open.
"Atlantis?" Lina murmured, grabbing him by the wrist. "What are you doing?"
Lina felt something was amiss. Her ring finger felt lighter than earlier. She glanced down to see a bright jewel enclosed in his hand.
"That's mine." The phrase left her mouth before she could even compose herself.
Blinking in surprise, Lina didn't know what came over her. She had never seen the ring before, but a sudden sense of possessiveness flooded her senses. She stared expectantly at Atlantis.
Atlantis' lips parted, like he too, was shocked by her reaction. He attempted to retract his hand, but she held tightly onto him.
"Give my ring back, Lanlan," Lina mumbled in disapproval.
"It's not yours," Atlantis suddenly told her. "It belongs to someone else."
"No, it's mine—"
"If you want a ring, Linlin, take mine." Atlantis dropped the ruby ring into his breast pocket. He pulled out a small red leather box from his pants pocket. At the sight of the golden design and the brand, her eyes widened.
"I don't want it," Lina immediately said.
Lina pressed herself into her seat to create distance between the ominous box and himself.
"You'll like it, sapphires suit your lovely complexion," Atlantis reassured her.
Before Lina could deny him again, Atlantis popped the box open. She sucked in a breath, her gaze widening.
A large sapphire in a princess-cut style greeted her. The gem was bluer than the ocean, if that was even possible. Glistening underneath the sunlight from the window, she had never witnessed something as wonderful as this. The sapphire resembled a pool of water encased within glass. Large diamonds surrounded it, like clusters of pearls to resemble foam on water. The white gold was nearly blinding.
"I can't accept this," Lina managed to say, despite being mesmerized by the gem's beauty. She was certain a mermaid would leap from the water beneath the plane and try to steal back the precious gem.
"This is the family heirloom of House Medeor. The sapphire was mined three centuries ago and discovered deep within an oceanic cave," Atlantis said. "Unlike others, I have the ability to give you my family heirloom."
"I can't."
"You can."
Atlantis took her hand in his, an earnest expression on his face.
'You don't have to give me an answer now," Atlantis whispered, keeping his voice low. He gently slid the ring onto her hand. He felt her entire body go tense.
"This ring is made for you, Linlin. Look how well it fits on your finger," Atlantis stated. "You do not have to accept or deny me, just take this ring, I beg of you."
Lina could feel the sapphire weighing her down. She suddenly missed the coldness of the ruby. Red against blue, fire against water, ruby against sapphire, this was a battle of psychology she didn't understand.
'I've always loved you, Linlin, from the very first day we met at the playground, where I was covered in bruises and you offered me a bandaid, despite the lack of blood," Atlantis mused. The memory brought forth a better sense of humor.
"With you, I say things I never used to," Atlantis confessed. "With you, love does not seem so terrible."
Lina was unable to refute him. She was also unable to accept him. Forcing a smile, she tried to take off the ring.
"Please," Atlantis said. "If you take it off, I will throw it into the ocean."
"You're not being fair, Lanlan."
"Was he ever fair to you?" Atlantis asked, caressing her face.
Lina didn't know who he was referring to. A piece of her knew it was Kaden, but she didn't understand why. It was not like she loved Kaden. The thought instantly made her head throb. Her heart began to ache and she felt an overwhelming emotion of… disappointment?
Did Kaden do something to her to let her down like this?
"True love will stay," Atlantis said to her. "And it will fight for you. He didn't. So I will."
Atlantis lowered his head, took her hand, and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
"For you, I am willing to risk it all. No challenge is too large and no wish is too much. Everything you desire shall be in your grasp, Linlin—so long as you remain by my side."
Atlantis rested his forehead upon her hand, the ultimate sign of loyalty. He'd worship her like a goddess, treat the ground she walked on like a red carpet, and praise each word she said. His devotion towards her was beyond that of obsession.. In that exact moment, they both realized it.
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