¬Thief of her Heart.

¬Chapter 18. |No more lies.|

Eric took a deep breath, as he continued." Your parents's accident, it wasn't one. It was all planned, and you were supposed to die along with them. But you didn't, and they found out, and they wanted to finish the job.." Eric mumbled as he sighed, looking down as he nervously started playing with his fingers.

" I was the one that was supposed to do that.. But I couldn't." He added soon in an almost whisper.

" I can't hurt you, and I know I actually have already, and I'm sorry.. But you are in danger, you need to leave, dissapear, be gone, so they won't find you.." Eric said with a nod, in a deep voice.

Belle looked at Eric, shock evident in her eyes. She was lost for words. She couldn't realize what was happening. What he had just told her. It was all too much. All the details. Everything. Belle looked down at her trembling hands, trying to let it all sink in, but it was simply too much. Eric looked at her, as he reached for her hand, his own taking a hold of hers, as he bit on his lower lip.

" I'm really sorry, for everything.. Even if it's not my fault, I'm sorry.. I don't know why they were targeted and I don't know why you are either, but you have to go. Get out of this place and stay gone... I don't want anything to happen to you.. It would kill me." Eric admitted as his eyes searched for hers.

" Please, just trust me..." Eric said as his hand gave hers a gentle squeeze, before standing up, as he looked down at her, with a sad expression on his face, biting onto his lower lip.

" Goodbye Belle.." He whispered as he turned around and walked out of the shop, a sigh escaping his lips as he started walking, planning to go back home.... Until something unexpected happened. The shop's door was heard, quick footsteps behind him, not all the way, but close enough, before Belle's voice was heard.

"Wait. Please." She whispered in a fragile, shaky voice. The image or her this way was heart breaking. Her eyes looked big and watery, sadder than he had ever seen her before. Her lips were parted, her lower one trembling slightly, her hair moving back due to the wind's force. She couldn't hold back anymore. Firstly, a few tears slowly ran down her cheeks, but then the tears were unstoppable.. Running over her cheeks, making them get soaking wet, the tip or her nose getting rosy, her cheeks soon flushing as well, as a broken sob escaped her lips, her hands clenching into tight fists as if she was trying to earn her strength back. The already broken pieces of Eric's heart broke even more, into tiny, little pieces as he looked at her, parting his lips, sadness evident in her eyes. She didn't deserve this.

"It hurts.. It hurts so much, please just make it stop.." Belle cried out, one of her hands pressing right above her heart, on her chest, as she clenched on her shirt tightly, letting out another sob, Eric daring to take a few steps closer, slowly.

"It's not fair, they didn't do anything.. I didn't do anything.. I was so depressed back then, I was literally drowning and nobody could save me, and now I feel like I'm falling back to it, even deeper.. It hurts that you lied to me, but I understand. I understand because you tried to protect your family, you tried to protect me, no matter what you were supposed to do. You told me the truth, I'd never know it wasn't you.. You just saved, or at least tried to save my life.. And no one has ever done that for me before. I understand, Eric, I understand and I forgive you. I know when someone's honest, and the look in your eyes is showing it all, every single emotion of yours. You're risking your life, your loved one's lives, just to give me a chance to survive.. I can't leave.. I won't leave.. I can't leave, and leave you and your family behind, knowing that you could get hurt because of me. I might not deserve this, but neither do you. And I won't be able to live with myself if anything at all happens to you.." Eric was speechless, some fresh tears now rolling down his own cheeks. She was so precious, and he just kept falling more, and more for her.

"Belle.. You have to.. Please.. I'll be okay, my parents will be okay, I'll try to figure it out I promise, but I just need to know that you're safe. Please." Eric mumbled, furrowing his eyebrows as Belle shook her head.

"No. I'm not leaving you. You can't leave me.. Not you too.. I.. My feelings for you are so unbelievably strong, and I can't imagine being without you anymore, especially not now, especially not now that I need someone by my side the most.. That someone, being you.." Belle confessed with a shaky voice, tearing up once again, as she looked into his eyes. Instead of speaking, Eric took a few quick steps towards her, finally closing the distance between them as he cupped her cheeks into his palm, resting his forehead against his, his warm breath hitting her lips. His eyes locked with hers, as he whispered.

"Do you trust me? Can you, trust me?"

"I trust you.." Belle whispered with no hesitation at all, as she nodded once. Eric bit on his lower lip, mumbling.

"Then trust me enough to listen to me. I want you to go. Out of the country, literally. Find a place to go to, to an old relative, an old friend, anything. Make sure the GPS on your phone, the location in general, is off. Do not use any social media, and stay away from any kind of cameras or pictures. Try to protect yourself as much as you can, and let me handle the rest. I'm not leaving you, Belle. I won't. But you need to let me handle this, find a way to solve things. I know people, I know their enemies.. I can set them up, I can get them locked up, put in to jail, once and for all. For good. But this will take some time, and I won't be able to be focused unless I know you're far away from here and safe, for as long as you've to. I won't get hurt. And neither will my parents. People owe me favours. People will protect me. I promise you, I swear. Please just trust me, listen to me, babe.. And when all of this is over, you'll be safe and free to return back here. Get your life, your friends back. Me. Us.. But not like this, not now. You deserve better.. We deserve better. And I'm going to give it to you, no matter what it takes."

"Okay.. I trust you. Please, keep your promises.. I've an uncle, he lives in Australia. No one knows about him, they won't find me. I'll get a new phone number, and text you from there, to let you know that I'm safe. You've to tell me everything, anything that happens. The truth. No more lies, Eric. Okay?"

"Okay.." Eric whispered, leaning closer to press his lips against hers into a sweet, lasting kiss. Belle gladly returned it, caressing his cheeks gently, as she pulled back slowly.

"They'll come find me, they know where I am.. I'll fix this.. All of this. Now go. And take care of yourself. Please. You're strong, Belle. Think of me. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you.. You'll be with me, in my heart, and mind. I promise.. Be careful.." Belle mumbled, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, before walking away.