“Sweetheart…”
Caleb sat across from me, squeezing my hand.
“Yeah?”
I answered carefully.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath.
“You did well.”
I swallowed a laugh.
“Uh… thanks.”
He was clearly trying to pull himself together.
“I’m proud of you.”
He’s about to pop a vein, Hades muttered.
“Mm.”
Caleb went on:
“I really value you.
And I love you.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“I really do.”
I was barely holding it together.
“Right.”
He opened his eyes.
“Right.”
An awkward silence settled.
I could tell he was forcing himself through it.
“Sweetheart… it’s really hard for me to acknowledge your achievements.”
What an idiot, inside.
“Right,” out loud.
“I’m really trying.”
Back to Caleb. Back to him, inside.
“Yeah,” outside.
“I’m trying not to be selfish…
and to actually accept what you do.”
“If that pause got any longer, we’d call it a seizure,” Hades.
“Yeah.”
We bumped fists.
“It’s hard for me to admit that you’re smart.”
What an idiot, inside.
Silence—outside.
“But I’m trying.
You understand… when I—
I mean… if I admit that you’re smart,
and beautiful,
and successful…”
His voice broke.
“…it means you’re better than me.
At everything.”
I moved to hug him, but he stopped me.
“Please, sweetheart—let me finish.”
“Okay.”
“When I think about how good you are…”
he swallowed,
“I realize…”
“I’m afraid I’m not worthy of you.”
“Caleb—”
“I’m afraid you’ll see it too.
That I’m not enough for you.”
“What? Caleb, what are you even saying?”
He covered his face with his hands.
“Can I?”
He nodded.
I hugged him.
“My love…”
I kept stroking him until he steadied.
He finally lifted his head.
“I love you so much, sweetheart.
You’re the standard…
And I’m scared I don’t measure up.
Hell… who even could?”
“What? Don’t be ridiculous.”
Honestly, I’m so tired of always being this unattainable ideal.
It keeps causing problems for me all the time.
Like, every time I get close to someone, it turns out I’m this… goddess they can’t reach.
And now Caleb too.
At this rate, I’ll end up alone on my heavenly throne — all by myself.
“Yeah, and spiders will be making themselves at home down there,” Hades muttered.
“Quiet. Shut up.”
So, Caleb… I’m not some weak-willed nun.
I’m a woman who made a choice.
And my choice is you, sir — whether you like it or not.
And if I ever decide to choose someone more worthy, I’ll run a full analysis,
line it up with my feelings, my long-term vision, my outlook for the next few years,
and lay it all out in clear, structured charts.
“Careful you don’t shit yourself with all that analysis,” Hades and Mushu doubled over laughing.
Idiots.
Right… um… what was I saying—
Oh. Right.
So yes — I can make the right decision.
Which means I see your flaws, and I see my strengths.
I’m not blind, and no one’s keeping me in some sweet illusion.
I’m fully aware. I’m grounded.
I know who you are.
And I have a pretty good sense of what you’re capable of.
So that’s it.
If you’re here — it means you’re worthy.
Case closed.
Honestly… I love him.
With all the analysis — and without it.
But for some reason… I didn’t tell him that.
“Coward,” Hades muttered.
“Get lost.”
If one day you change and stop putting in effort for me,
then we’ll revisit this.
But for now — you’re mine, I’m yours.
Let’s drop it.
Caleb nodded.
“You’re so smart.”
“Yeah…”
He pulled me into a tight, tight hug.
And I smiled.
Men are so strange.
So strange.
The warmth of his arms slowly spread through me.
I leaned in and lightly bit his ear—
He didn’t need to be asked twice…