The Marvelous Elijah’s Return

I will let Peach go
With a dead-serious expression on his face, he met Peach’s tears eyes as she sniffed softly, making sure her gaze was locked
on his, and he reached out and cupped her chin, saying softly, “Do you really hate me?”
Slowly, Peach shook her head, lowering her gaze slightly and muttering, “No... I love you. And, it feels a million times harder
because I can’t hate you... Why did you have to put me through that? I told you to stay in the car!”
In silence, Elijah watched her struggle to hold back a sob, his heart breaking as she stared at the floor with puffy eyes and
hiccups, her hands clasped together.
“Why are you so emotional, Peach?” Elijah asked, his brows furrowing deeply as he continued to hold her chin, tilting it upwards
so that he could see her face clearly. “Why do you look so fragile like the day your mother got hurt?... I’m just a lowlife loser with
a gangster impulse, so why do you feel so vulnerable for me?”
“Because you messed up my heart, Elijah. It doesn’t care about your damn status, what the hell you are ... And it never will.
But... it does love you. And I don’t care if you’re poor or rich, or whatever you can call yourself, but it will always choose you.”
She whispered in tears. “My heart loves and cares too much for just the man that you are.”
Silence fell between them, and for some reason, Elijah suddenly felt a wave of emotions rushing through his heart, his lips pulled
into a smile as he gazed into her teary eyes, his hands still cupping her chin. He took in a shaky breath, and with an emotionless
face, he uttered in a flat tone, “You should get some sleep.” Mustering up the courage for self-control, Elijah moved his hands
from her cheeks and then stood up, turning to leave the room.
“How long are you going to keep punishing me for another woman’s sin against you... It’s not fair at all.” Peach whimpered,
reaching out hastily and locking his wrist in her grip. Hesitantly, he halted in his movements, letting out a sigh, and turned around
and bent down, lowering his gaze on her, his eyes boring into hers for a few seconds before saying quietly.” I’m sorry. So damn
sorry. But the situation isn’t right. It’s not fair... I know...” Watching her eyes, the confusion and hurt within them, he cupped her
cheeks and leaned closer, kissing her forehead, then pressing his nose against hers and inhaling deeply, taking note of the smell
of lavender shampoo on her hair. Brushing his palm against her cheek before stroking his thumb on her lips slowly, hesitating,
and then leaning in closer and whispering, “But I promise to make things right with you. I swear, Peach...”
And with a gentle smile, he kissed her softly on her forehead, and then he pulled back, standing up straight and leaving without
saying another word. When Elijah shut the door, he stopped, gazing at Miss Grace, standing, her arms crossed over her chest
with that same angry, confused, and disappointed expression that had filled her eyes just moments ago.

“We should talk” Elijah stated, ignoring the fact that she was glaring daggers at him, “About everything, right now.”
Even though his tone carried a calm rhythm, she could see it in his eyes that he was furious with her, and she nodded.
Both of them headed to Elijah’s room, silence shadowing the air, neither wanting to utter anything that would upset the other.
When they got inside his room, Elijah sat down on the edge of the bed while Miss Grace stood a short distance away, her arms
crossed.
“I will let Peach go,” Elijah mumbled, raising his head, glancing up at her through his eyelashes. “But I can’t right now.”
A look of disbelief flashed across her face as she raised her eyebrows, narrowed her eyes, and mumbled, “Elijah, from the depth
of my heart, I am grateful to you and the others for
everything that you have done for Peach and me, but please... Let her go, now...”
Then her expression softened, as her arms uncrossed and she began to walk towards Elijah, stopping just inches from him, her
eyes staring up into his, and then her voice cracked with grief, as her body stiffened.
“You told me at the hospital that you don’t have any plans for Peach... you said she was not a piece you wanted to use in your
game of chess.” Miss Grace uttered in a calm, hushed tone,” What changed?” “Peach and I gt way too involved with each other
than I initially expected,” Elijah explained with a weak laugh, rubbing his forehead with his fingers, his face contorted in pain as
he recalled what happened today. “I became way too vulnerable with her, I gave way too much space to her in my heart, and
now, I feel responsible that she is in love with me...” Smiling faintly, Elijah lowered his head, closing his eyes as he remembered
how things were with them the first that he stepped foot into the motel, and said, “I told you that Peach was innocent, and the
innocent don’t deserve to get dragged on the battlefield of hell, but somewhat, this dispute has something to do with her.” “I don’t
want my daughter to have to spend her life in a difficult situation... I don’t want her to ever have to experience what I went
through because Madam Jewel hated my husband... she needs someone uncomplicated... someone that the family...” Miss
Grace paused, seeing the look Elijah gave her. “Someone the family loves?”
“Yes,”
The room grew silent, with Miss Grace continuing to stare at Elijah, not able to take her eyes off of him. His eyes bore into hers,
and she noticed the look of pain within his piercing dark eyes, and she wondered where the pain was coming from and what was
going on inside his mind.

“Peach is not simple, Miss Grace. You know that, and I know that. After the trauma that the Hayes has caused her, she’s not
going to bend when they command her to bend...” Elijah said honestly, exhaling, deeply. “She is a ball of emotions.” Hesitating,
Elijah sighed again, running his hand through his hair, and then he opened his
mouth, saying, “Miss Grace, I have seen her heart and I have seen her soul, and she doesn’t need a simple man by her side if
she’s going to walk into a situation with people that have never had her back.” His brows furrowed, as a frown appeared on his
face, and Elijah looked down at his feet, his eyes flickering nervously back and forth between them, and said, “Peach needs
someone that will care for her, fight with her, protect her, help her heal... and that person needs to be someone that she loves
and trust, or else, the Hayes are going to break her.’ With a raw look of anger in Elijah’s eyes, his fists clenched tightly and his
jaw clutched tightly, he glared at the floor.
“You once told me, ‘Sometimes, in desperate situations, you have to have blind trust in a total stranger because you have
nothing else left,” Elijah muttered, his tone filled with remorse.
Miss Grace felt speechless as she watched him raise his head, meet her eyes, and said, “Right now, I am the one asking in
return for you to trust me with your daughter, and I swear on my life that I will take care of her and put her on the pedestal that
she deserves.” A tear slipped from the corner of Miss Grace’s eye and down her cheek as she stared in awe at the young man in
front of her, knowing that the was sincerity in them. “There’s just so much about you, Elijah, that is mysterious, suspicious, and
unsettling that I have doubts... I fear that Peach might get caught up in your game, and I can’t bear for something bad to happen
to her, even if it was unintentional.” Miss Grace murmured, shaking her head slightly as her voice broke. “I know her unruly
attitude shows a woman who is ready to take on the world, but she’s not prepared, Elijah. At least not without someone to guide
her... Someone to take care of her and protect her... The person she needs the most now is you.” Elijah uttered her statement,
word for words carefully as he glanced at her before meeting her gaze again. “You said that to me, at the hospital, about Peach.”
A soft look appeared on Miss Grace’s face as those words brought back memories of the times Elijah had been there for Peach,
and her heart melted a little.
“I will not take your daughter from you, Miss Grace if your answer is still, no... If you still don’t want her to be with me.” Elijah
stated firmly, lifting his head. “But I hope you will consider my proposal,” It grew quiet as Miss Grace remained speechless for
several minutes, her eyes scanning his face, trying to find any clues to tell whether he was being sincere or not. And then, she
spoke quietly, “If you realize that she will be better off without you.”
“I will let Peach go,” Elijah uttered with sincerity, looking deep into Miss Grace’s eyes.