Chapter 198 - 197: Wanting To Cross Two Rivers At The Same Time
While the couple was leaving the venue where they just had the photoshoot, no one realized that Magnus was already gone as he left them behind the moment Eunji announced that it was a wrap.
Magnus ran around the campus to look for Alice. He badly wanted to talk to her. To clear whatever was messing in his head at the moment.
After nearly an hour of running around, he finally found the person he was looking for.
Sitting by the bench as she waited for Iris to come back from buying a hot chocolate from the nearby stall was Alice.
"Alice!" Magnus called out. He could see that the latter jolted from her seat when she heard him calling out her name.
Alice then turned around but he felt disappointed when he saw her face. It was void with any emotion. Unlike before that the latter would always lit up when she saw him coming towards her.
'Well, you ruined it! Idiot! You deserved her treatment!' His conscience spoke to him.
What he did to her was beyond forgiveness. He had taken advantage of the fact that she was drunk that night. He did drink but he was still sober. Sober enough to stop himself.
She looked up to him like a big brother but he failed her miserably.
Just because they were drunk and ended up on the same room doesn't give him the permission to do that to her.
It was a big mistake but at the same time it felt right for him. Yes, he had feelings for Alice long before he met Claire. But before he could even confess to her that he liked her, Alice burst his bubble when she told him one night that she thought she was gay. That she liked girls.
He felt broken-hearted but didn't let that feeling to show on his face. He had his ego to protect, too. His romantic pursuit ended even before he could even start to woe her.
Therefore, he decided to stay as her big brother.
Then he met Claire along the way. She was the sweetest for him. And he eventually learnt to develop feelings for her. And they dated.
Alice was so happy for them.
And he thought everything was fine. Until he saw Alice dating a man.
He really thought he was over with her feelings for Alice and he thought that it was only because she was like a younger sister for him but he was wrong.
That guy ended up breaking her heart and he watched her drowning herself on liquor just to get over her broken-heart.
Little did he knew that feeling for her had resurfaced especially when he saw her so seductive when drunk.
He knew what he did was not right but he felt so right at the same time.
Now, their relationship was ruined because of his mistake that night.
And if the child she was carrying was his, he didn't know what to do.
How could he even bring this news to Claire, his fiancé.
He was sure that the latter would get upset and mad about it.
He had been accusing her of cheating on him with her boy best friend that's why they split up for a month.
Yes! He was trying to paint the sin that he had committed to her. Well, he knew that her best friend liked Claire a lot and he was hoping that she did cheated on him with that man so he could now at least have a clean break-up with her and so he could chase after Alice.
Especially when he found out that he was Alice's first. So he wanted to take full responsibility of her. He wanted to pursue her and marry her.
But Alice thought that he broke up with Claire because of her. She even made it clear that what happened between them was a mistake and he should go back to Claire.
Alice witnessed how Claire loved Magnus and she didn't have the heart to be the cause of their relationship downfall.
Alice decided to distance herself from him after he confessed his feelings for her.
(That was what Alice hid from Eunji. The fact that Magnus loved her made everything so complicated.)
As for Claire, Magnus thought the latter would peacefully accept their break up.
Well, he didn't give her a clean break up. He didn't even gave her the chance to explain. A very jerk move from him. He had clearly hurt Claire and he hoped one day, the latter would forgive him.
But he underestimated Claire's love for her.
As the saying goes, 'The first to fall on love would suffer deep pain when the relationship ended.'
Which was true.
It was Claire who coaxed him and not the other way around.
(Lucky bastard!)
News of Claire wanting to end her life because he had broken up with her reached him and he felt guilty for it.
He wanted to take full responsibility for Alice but who would be responsible for Claire?
He had taken advantaged of her love. He did love her but he loved Alice more.
His selfishness had almost caused Claire her life.
Her parents even approached and asked him to get back with their daughter. He also found out that Claire was sick and only had a few more years to live.
They asked him to get back to her and convince her to do the treatment so she could continue living with them.
So he had no choice but to get back to her. He was after all a good person.
He just happened to be crazy in love.
But does he still love Claire just like in the past?
He still did. But he loved Alice too.
And the idea that she's possibly carrying their baby made him very happy.
But with this news, he knew that Claire would extremely be hurt.
Not now. Not when she was starting her treatment and getting her life together.
He messed up big time. And he needed to fix this. But the big question was how?
He was torn between chasing after the person he loved while keeping the person who loved him dearly while trying to not hurt the other.
He had now hurt the two important women of his life.
He could not afford to lose them both.
And with the baby... he made the decision to be a part of his or her life no matter what.
So he needed to talk to Alice.
Hoping that she was still the understanding girl that he cared and loved for before he messed everything between them.
"Alice wait!" Magnus called out as he watched Alice stood up and was about to walk away.
Before he could even get closer to her, a solid punch on his face hit him like a blow.
When he looked down, he saw two tiger eyes glaring fiercely at him.
"Stay away from her!" Iris roared in anger.
Alice was already holding onto her arms.
"It's not what you think. All I wanted was to talk with her."
Iris who had become over protective of Alice smirked as she looked at him.
"Talk? What do you want to talk about?"
Magnus felt irritated as he watched how overprotective Iris was to Alice over him.
The fact that Alice had found a partner who was not him hurt his feeling as a man. Still he felt that he was not the enemy here.
He only wanted what's best for all of them.
But what's best for all of them?
On the other hand, maybe Iris was over reacting but she could not help it.
Her insecurities had kicked in and taken over her.
He had more rights with her given that they had a baby together. A fact that she could not deny.
Also, the guy was not married yet.
Anything could happen because of the baby.
And she was really afraid that Alice would decide to be with him to have her baby a complete family.
"It's okay babe. Let him. I guess we could not delay this talk any longer. It has to happen now." Alice seriously told Iris.
Iris didn't have a choice but to step back and let Alice to face Magnus.
"Follow me." Alice told Magnus who didn't hesitate and follow her.
Iris was following behind them.
As soon as Alice realized that Iris was not following beside her, Alice turned around and looked for her. Seeing that she was walking behind them with a low spirit, Alice grabbed Iris hand and intertwined their fingers together.
Alice smiled and said, "Everything will be okay."
Iris reciprocated the smile and even grabbed Alice's head as she planted a sweet kiss on her forehead.
Magnus felt uncomfortable seeing their sweet interaction.
It should have been him and not someone else.
Alice brought them at the gazeebo where Nathan and Eunji had their breakfast last time.
Alice took the chance to sit first while Iris and Magnus didn't hesitate to follow after her.
Once they settled down, there was an awkward silence around them.
"Is the baby mine? Am I the father?" Magnus asked breaking the silence between them.
"The baby is mine." Alice said as a matter of fact.
"Don't be selfish Alice. It was clear as day that I'm the father of the child inside you!" Magnus said in anger.
"So you already have the idea. Why do you even have to ask? Are you painting me as a whore? Does that how you look at me now?"
"No! That's not what I mean." Magnus tried his best to explain.
"Selfish? Who's selfish now? You are with Claire yet you still wanted to chase after me. What's the point? You knew that me and you will never be possible." Alice told him. She was really worked up now.
"Babe! Please stay calm. Your blood pressure might spike up." Iris reminded her.
"Alice I- " Magnus didn't even have the chance to finish what he wanted to say but Alice cut him off.
"I might be pregnant with your child…no, my child, but that doesn't mean that everything will be alright between us. That things would go back on the way like how things were in the past."
"But I want to be with my child's life. It's my right as the father!" Magnus insisted.
"Fine. I'll let you have visitation rights over my child, but sharing custody with you? That's not going to happen." Alice said in finality.
Alice didn't hate him. Remember, she kind of wanted it to happen so she was at fault too.
She was just afraid that he would take her child away from her now.
Of course she knew that he had every rights with their child but she could not help it.
Magnus could somehow felt what she was anxious about and so he decided to compromise.
"Fine. If that's what you wanted. Then so be it. I'm okay with visiting my child from time to time. I just want to ask a favor from you."
"What?"
"Don't make any reckless decision of running away with my child. If you would do that, then, I'll fight you in court and fight for custody. I know that's what you feared the most." Magnus laid his cards this time. He knew Alice could not say no to this.
"You want to have the custody? What if Claire would hurt my child when he or she's with you?" Alice asked him.
"That's not going to happen! Claire would not do something like that." Magnus defended as he thought Alice was being unreasonable.
"Nothing's impossible Magnus. Place yourself in her shoes? Would you accept another man's child in your marriage?" Magnus was silent as he knew Alice made sense.
Claire started to hate Alice after the former knew about his feelings for the latter.
Well, Claire was not fond of Alice to begin with. She was only cordial with her because Magnus was protective of Alice.
And he knew Claire would not be happy to learn that a baby was on the way.
"Introduce me as the father and not as an uncle. And if our child wished to see me often in the future, give me and my child the chance. As for Claire, let me handle her. I will not let her hurt you or my child. Take it or leave it."
Alice looked at Magnus and saw the seriousness in his eyes.
Alice knew that unless she could present a heavy reason or evidence that could make Magnus to lose his rights for their child, she would definitely lose in court.
Magnus had acknowledge the child as soon as he found out of it's existence instead of abandoning it.
So Alice had no other choice but to agree with his request.
Magnus left with a relief in his heart even if he was dissatisfied deep down.
Alice and Iris heaved a huge sigh of relief after the talk ended.
They hoped everything would be fine for them in the future.
As for Magnus, if he was given the chance to be a free man again, he would definitely stop at nothing until he had Alice and their child beside him.