Karl had made two plans. If, at the station, Marylin softened and let him co along, then he’d be ready—his bag was already packed, everything neatly prepared. But if she still refused, then he would simply drive there himself.
Laurent hadn’t been to Marylin’s ho before, so he couldn’t give Karl a full address. All he knew was the city. Yet even without knowing the exact location, Karl set out anyway, unwavering in his decision to chase after her.
Marylin, of course, was completely unaware of his plan. After boarding the train, she stowed her suitcase, found her seat, and settled in. Only then did she call Karl to let him know she had gotten on safely, telling him not to worry.
He responded with a faint "Mm," followed by a simple "Take care on the road," before ending the call.
His voice had been so neutral, neither warm nor cold, that Marylin couldn’t help but wonder—was he upset? Was it because she had insisted on not letting him co ho with her?
But it felt too soon. Who brings a boyfriend ho after only a week of dating? And hadn’t he already wanted to take her to et his parents the very day after they’d made things official?
The future held so many unknowns. It was only by walking forward steadily, one step at a ti, that she could feel secure.
When it ca to love, they seed to move at different paces.
Marylin wasn’t sure whether she was too cautious, or if he was simply too impulsive. But she knew one thing: once she ca back, they needed to sit down and talk this through properly.
Marylin blinked, stunned into silence by what she’d just heard.
"I’m near Phoenix Avenue right now. Can you co pick up?" Karl had said it so plainly, so naturally, that for a second she thought her ears were playing tricks on her.
But then his voice ca again, steady, earnest, undeniably real.
"Marylin? ...Marylin, are you there?"
The faint nervousness in his tone tugged at her heart. He sounded like a man terrified she’d simply abandon him where he stood.
She finally snapped out of her daze, biting her lip as she demanded, "Why are you here?"
The relief in his laugh carried straight through the line, warm and affectionate.
"Because I couldn’t bear to be away from you. And because I worry about you."
Marylin rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Worry? What exactly are you worried about? I’m at my parents’ house."
"I’m worried so other man might try to steal you away," he said without hesitation. "You know your parents will be anxious about marriage now that you’re ho. What if they try to set you up with soone?"
His reasoning was so sharp it left her speechless. Just minutes earlier her mother had threatened the sa thing, and she hadn’t known how to respond. Now here he was, already standing in her city.
With a sigh of resignation, she said softly, "Wait there. I’m coming."
No matter how stubborn she wanted to be, she couldn’t leave him standing on a strange street after driving all this way. As for whether she would take him ho to et her parents... that was a decision she’d make later.
When she slipped her shoes back on, her mother frowned.
"Why are you going out again? You just got ho."
"I have sothing to take care of," Marylin said vaguely, and hurried out before her mother could pry further.
The taxi ride was quick. From a distance, she spotted him imdiately—leaning casually against his car, the afternoon sun painting him in shades of gold. His white shirt and black slacks only sharpened the clean, unpretentious aura he carried, and with the crisp autumn sky above him, the sight was enough to make her heart skip.
For a long mont, she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
He caught sight of her then. His whole expression lit up, his eyes curving with delight as he strode toward her in steady, unhurried steps. The next thing she knew, she was enveloped in his arms.
"Marylin," he murmured into her hair, voice thick with longing, "I missed you so much."
Her cheeks flushed hot. They were standing on a public street, in broad daylight. Pushing against his chest, she whispered, "We’ve only been apart for a few hours. What’s there to miss?"
But he only shook his head, gazing down at her with a seriousness that made her chest tighten.
"Even if it’s just a minute, being without you feels unbearable. Not seeing you... it makes my heart restless."
Karl’s words were endlessly sweet, effortless, and completely natural, leaving Marylin at a loss for what to say. She just looked at him and murmured,
"Alright... let’s go. Get in the car first."
But Karl suddenly grabbed her hand, eyes wide with nervous intensity.
"What should I do, Marylin? I’m so nervous... just thinking about eting your parents..."
Marylin blinked, speechless. She had only asked him to get in the car—she hadn’t said anything about taking him to et her parents yet. Was he overthinking things?
She tried to clarify.
"You—"
But before she could finish, his bright, happy eyes clouded over, his tone heavy with disappointnt.
"You wouldn’t... not want to co with , would you?"
He looked so crestfallen that Marylin’s heart tightened. She thought of how far he had driven just to see her. Telling him to stay at a hotel felt impossible—her throat caught, and no words ca out.
Perhaps it was because he cared for her so much that whenever he asked sothing of her, she could never completely say no.
After a long pause, she finally relented.
"My parents are really nice people. You don’t need to be so nervous."
She turned and started toward the car. In that mont, a sly glint crossed Karl’s face, and he silently celebrated.
He knew her too well—he understood her mind perfectly. If he feigned just a hint of helplessness, she would never have the heart to refuse him.
Finally, he got his wish: a chance to et her parents. The entire drive there, Karl was in high spirits. Marylin, realizing too late that she had fallen into his little trap again, felt a flash of irritation.
How could he always win? Every single ti.
The truth was, the only reason she fell for every trick was that she truly cared about him. If she had felt nothing, she wouldn’t have hesitated or felt that pang of unwillingness.
Under Marylin’s guidance, Karl’s car finally stopped steadily in front of her ho. They stepped out, and Karl, afraid she might change her mind, imdiately held her hand.
Marylin hadn’t yet prepared herself to truly introduce him to her parents. And then, just as they were about to head inside, her father ca back from grocery shopping. Their hands were still entwined—too late to pull away.
There was no hiding their closeness. With a deep breath, Marylin braced herself to face her father.
Her father saw them from afar—a tall, handso man holding his daughter’s hand. As he got closer, his eyes assessed Karl. Young, bright, clean-cut, with a warm, pleasant aura—it was easy to see why his daughter might be drawn to him. He looked refined, almost aristocratic, a natural fit for Marylin.
Yet, he was painfully aware that their family was ordinary. Karl ca from a different world. What if she ended up hurt? And what if this well-off young man treated love like a ga? His brow furrowed. The last thing he wanted was for his daughter to suffer at the hands of soone for whom love wasn’t serious.
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