Lexus Jivaro stared at the woman who was ready to leave him, to leave everything. He was overwhelmed with the fear of losing her! He must stop her no matter what!

"Gina, please think twice." He pleaded while still lifting his hands in the air. He wanted to touch her and stopped her but she wasn\'t in his reach and that almost drove him crazy!

"If you do that, then what about the people who love you? Philip and Sophie will be heartbroken. Your beloved cousin has a heart disease, Gina. He won\'t be able to take it. Please, Gina. Put that down." He could feel her wavering a bit at the mention of her cousin who was always everything for her - a parent, a friend, a brother, everything.

The Brigadier realized that he should say some more to convinced her but what will he say? His mind suddenly went blank! Besides, he was too afraid to misspeak anything! When he met her gaze, the gaze that was so determined to end her life was not there anymore. He saw a fragile and broken woman who needs help and love.

Love! Yes, that\'s it! Maybe that\'s what she needs and what she wished to hear! Still putting the syringe next to her neck, she looked up to him. Maybe she was hoping for him to say more.

Putting his busy yet blank mind aside, Lexus led his heart to lead him. "I love you, Gina Larson. More than anyone, more than anything else in this world, I love you. It\'s been 11 years but it\'s my first time saying this to you. You are the love of my life and if it\'s not you, there will be no one else."

He had always made it known to her that he cared for her yet he never confessed properly. That day in the hotel, he had told her that he will always love her. But it was when he was confronting her and things were hectic. Well, even now, it\'s hectic!

Keeping in mind that he was taking a huge risk, he took a step towards her, careful and attentive. Her grip on the syringe tightened once more but she didn\'t narrow the distance between the object and her neck. Then he realized that his approach had worked. He must say more.

Gina looked at Lexus with many mixed emotions. Her eyes were still teary red yet there was a hint of desperation in it. In contrast to her determined look before, she was now looking at him as if she was pleading with him to pull her out of her sufferings!

Though they were still a few feet apart, he offered his hand to her. "Take my hand, Gina. Count on me. I will never ever leave you. I will cherish you and protect you as long as I breathe."

Taking one more step towards her, his right hand was still in the air, to let her know that he was open for her. "You don\'t have to live as a Larson for the remaining days of your life. You can be a Jivaro and I will be your only family. If you wish, we can go somewhere far away, a place where no one will know us, a place where no one will be able to find us."

"I will be with you through days and nights so that you will never be lonely. I will give you whatever kind of life you want. I\'ll be your strength and I promise you. There will never be a day when you feel unloved. So please, Gina. Take my hand." He pleaded with her.

Hearing all his words, tears rolled down her face unconsciously. Somehow, she felt warm and protected. Right from the start, she knew that he was strong and capable enough to save her. To pull her out from her miserable and pathetic life. However, she always chose not to do that.

He was too good. He didn\'t deserve to be caught up in her misfortunes! He deserved someone better than her. He deserved a better life.

What did he saw in a woman like her? She was not worth it. Why would he sacrifice everything for her?!

But now, she was tempted to be selfish once more. Her selfishness was the thing that put her in this pathetic state. It was the thing that destroyed her life and the start of her hell like life. That\'s why she never wanted to be selfish again, ever. Yet his words made her wavered again.

She saw him offering his hands to her, for someone like her! She knows that he was trustworthy. He was a man of his words. Even after sawing her worst side, he was still around and that proved everything.

He would be willing to fight the world just for her but she never wanted that. She didn\'t want to be the one who leaves a stain on his perfect world. He didn\'t do anything wrong to deserve that! However, everything that she used to hold onto, was now shaking as if an earthquake hit her. The earthquake was none other than the Marquess who was standing a few feet away from her.

Betraying her mind, Gina slowly lifted her left hand to his direction. She noticed him being anxious for a second but he was very quick to run to her. Little did she know she was the first and only person to date who could make the perfect Colonel anxious to this extent!

Lexus rushed to her and immediately sit down. He took the syringe from her in the very first place and helped her up. He made her sit on the bed and observed her to see if she had any wounds. Seeing the slight blood on her arms that was caused by the IV drip she roughly pulled out, he took a cotton and wiped off the blood.

Making sure that she had no other wounds, the Brigadier sighed in relief. "Aww, Gina! I thought that my heart was about to stop beating. I was so scared." He gasped as he leaned forward and hugged her.

He closed his eyes as he holds onto her as if she was the most precious treasure in the world. Well, she was just that, at least for him. He won\'t even trade her for the world!

Feeling his warm embrace for the first time, emotions took the best of Gina. She couldn\'t hold back herself as tears started rolling down her face again. She cried nonstop but this time she was not alone. She was with him and he offered his shoulders for her to lean on.

For the first time in many years, she felt safe. It was the warmest feeling she had ever felt in the 26 years of her life!

He waited for her to empty all the tears that she suppressed for a long time. He embraced her and soothed her for the whole time like a man of patience he was. When she finally stopped crying after minutes, he pulled back and put her at arm\'s length and gently wiped away her tears.....