Billionaire's Hidden Princess by Alegna Ciee (most popular novels txt) 📖

Chapter Forty-Four: Recovery and Healing

A week had passed since one of the darkest days that was written down on the couple's history had happened. 

Facing multiple charges, Malcolm ended up behind the bars. The case was closed in just a matter of days, and all of his other associates had been put in jail as well.

When Livius found all the pictures of his girlfriend that Malcolm forcefully took, he immediately burned everything into ashes - just how he'd been wanting to do to him but couldn't.

On the other hand, Gabriel had helped a lot in solving the crime case. Since he used to work under that man, he's able to help the authority in one way or another. Because of this, the authority was able to track down other illegal trades and operations that Malcolm involved himself with.

Vanessa had been quite a handful, though. Since she's partly responsible as to why Leticia was in the place of the abduction, she's been apologizing to both of them furiously.

She felt so worried and guilty that she kept sending her messages and making several attempts to be in contact with her again - desperately trying to be of help in any way she could.

But then, it just happened that Leticia couldn't go out or see anyone for that entire week. As she was traumatized by the whole thing, she was advised by the doctors and psychologists to stay in the comfort of her home for a while and recuperate as long as her mind and body needed to.

"But seriously, four doctors and three psychologists? Isn't that too much, Livi?" Leticia blurted out incredulously.

"No, it's not. What if something else had actually happened to you without you realizing it?" Livius retorted.

"Not the point. I'm talking about the number."

The couple is inside their home's living room at the moment, taking solace and pleasure in each other's company. They're just sparing some free time and laying down on the sofa, cuddling all the while.

"But you know what..." Leticia started again, nestling in his chest as she laid on top of him.

"I don't need no doctor or psychologist... All I need to heal is you, Livi."

Livius smiles at this and tightens his hold around her waist. Ever so fondly, he then begins caressing her head with one of his hands.

"How sweet of you, princess... Perhaps, I should take a leave from work for a while, then."

"No, you can't! You already did that for five days already, and you even cancelled your business trip abroad. Isn't that supposed to be a super important event?"

"Doesn't matter... Even if I'm at work, all I can think of is you. Then, before I know it, everything I keep writing down on my documents is your name."

As Livius quipped this humorously, Leticia lets out a giggle with her dainty frame subtly shaking with mirth. Hearing her angelic laughter really makes him feel like he's in heaven. 

"It's not like I'm trying to make you heal faster when I said that, by the way..." he suddenly added, planting a sweet kiss on her head.

"You should take your time. It's better to heal slowly but surely rather than not healing at all."

"Livi, about that..." she then trailed off out of nowhere, concern laced in her voice.

"About my trauma, to be exact... Does it bother you that you have a girlfriend who might never get her face on newspapers or magazines? I think that my fear for cameras will take too long to fade. I'm still not that good with socializing either, but I'm really trying."

Livius frowns at the memories that he recalls after Leticia voiced out these insecurities of hers. 

He remembers how she confessed her past as well as the fact that she developed an abnormal fear for cameras at the same time she got her social anxiety. His everything falls apart right then. He feels as if his world shattered, and he thinks he has gotten much too late in meeting her.

Livius wished that he already met Leticia back then. He wished that he could protect her.

But then, he eventually found that as futile and useless. He later realized that he really shouldn't be wishing for something in the past.

What matters now is their present and the future they're about to build.

"Just like what I said, take your time, princess..." he started again after a brief pause on his part.

"I don't care about what the world has to say. Their only job here is to see that you're mine."

With that, Livius holds her chin and makes her look up to him. He then leans down to capture her lips, slowly savoring it for a few seconds before pulling away.

"And you shouldn't think so little of yourself, princess. Don't you know how brave of you to escape that scumbag of a harasser back then?" he muttered proudly with a smirk.

"I am?" she blurted out in surprise.

"Yes, you are. If you hadn't opened the window that time, I wouldn't know that you're at that place."

"Now that I thought about it, you did come out of nowhere. It's like... a dream come true, to be honest."

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