"Evangeline . . ."
Evangeline turned and glanced at him. She raised her brow in what Calvin hoped was a signal of a pleasant surprise.
He stood beside her and asked, "How do you find my yacht?"
. . . Ah . . . He was supposed to ask how she was doing.
Evangeline focused her gaze elsewhere in an attempt to ignore the source of the new annoyance.
"I don't know why you ask that. Do you want to say how aweso, luxurious, and befitting this superyacht is to your standing?"
Calvin heard the sarcasm in Evangeline's tone, not that she was attempting to hide it. His lips pressed into a white slash before he asked a question that has a painfully obvious answer.
"You're still nursing a grudge against , aren't you? I an, I get it. I was a jerk and immature back at that ti. And I . . ." He paused when the words got stuck in his throat. But he still forced it out, nonetheless.
". . . I apologize."
Evangeline stared at Calvin with head tilting to the side, and an eyebrow rose so high. "I don't know what's going on today. Is it apologizing day? Everybody seed to say sorry a lot today. Or is this so kind of a prank like what you always did in the past?"
"Eva––!"
Raising her hand, Evangeline didn't let Calvin continue. "You don't have to say sorry. I an, you're one of the people who made what I am today, and for that, I should be grateful. In the end, I was only sorry I hadn't defended myself sooner."
Calvin stared at Evangeline. Her eyes, which were so warm and gentle before, were cold and hard now. Her smile, which set his heart ablaze, was colder than the weather and more fake than counterfeit products.
Calvin's lips pressed together in a slight grimaced. "You've. . . changed . . ."
Evangeline chortled rather dryly. "Well, after that event, I'm not the sa girl anymore."
". . ."
Calvin stared into Evangeline's eyes, which also stared back at him. She would blink from ti to ti. Her eyelids were fluttering like the soft petals against the gentle winds. It was simply . . . spellbinding. And he wanted her all the more.
It was not too late. Not too late to be honest. Not too late to tell the truth.
"Have you received my gifts and letters?" he started. "I've been sending you gifts and emails these last years." Yes, he sent her all sorts of gifts and all kinds of letters in the past years under an alias. Hoping to catch her attention and, as he planned, she would approach and contact him.
But no such thing happened.
"Gifts?" Evangeline skimd her perfectly manicured fingers along her jawline. "I received tons of gifts each week, and all of them were donated to animal conservation."
Flipping her hands in dismissal, she added, "Regarding the letters and emails, I received hundreds of it each day, so I had my servants ran through them."
". . ."
Calvin needed so ti to digest everything. His posture was stiff, fingers curling, and a vein throbbed visibly on his forehead as he asked through his teeth with force restraints.
"So you an to say . . . you didn't even open them?"
Evangeline impatiently snorted. "Open them? I haven't even seen them."
". . ."
Calvin's expression was tense, fists tight, fingernails biting into his palms. He thought Evangeline got the hint through his gifts and letters and emails. Thinking she was just playing hard to get.
But the reality was, she didn't even know he was courting her for years.
His jaw was pained from clenching his teeth. His expression was scrunched, then relaxing, trying to regain his calm.
No matter. It was not too late. Everything will co to be, eventually. He had faith in his self and his abilities.
"Evangeline, even when you're like this, haughty and arrogant . . ."
He cupped her face, which she didn't back away. His eyes softened, begging even, but it was his pride that changed his words.
"You're still so beautiful. Lay down your arrogance and be my wife."
". . ."
. . .
. . .
Evangeline backed away, laughter bubbled in her throat, and Calvin's jaw tightened when he could no longer feel her hot skin between his palms. His eyes squinted upon her mocking laugh.
"Are you alright in the head? What made you think I'll marry you?"
"Why not? I believe you're the only woman worthy to be by my side."
Calvin rose to his height, radiating with confidence and power. "Abandon your inhibitions and foolish ideals. From now on, seek only and be stained only by . If you do, I swear I'll give you all the pleasure there is to feel, and you'll live like a Queen for the rest of your life."
". . ."
". . ."
"I refuse."
Calvin's head span from her answer. Pain registered in his eyes, and his legs wobbled for a fraction of second before he was back to his domineering self. "I wasn't asking for your opinion. It's what I decided, and that is what it should be."
Evangeline crossed her arms and leaned back, tongue pressing her inner cheeks while she shook her head a little. "I have heard nurous proposals before, but yours is really one of a kind. You still haven't changed, have you, Calvin Devondale?"
Neck tipping back in an arrogant stance, Calvin didn't answer.
"Tell you what. If you can honestly answer a simple question of mine, I will consider your proposal. How about that?"
Calvin pressed his lips tight, repressing his victory grin before he spoke in a bored tone, "Very well. I will indulge you. What is it that you want to ask ?"
Tilting her head, Evangeline smiled.
"Do you love ?"
"Of course."
Calvin answered straight away with confidence. He walked closer to Evangeline and cupped her face, looking directly in her eyes.
"Since we're on these topics, I'll be honest with you. In our ti in elentary I already like you. I just have a weird and immature way of showing it. And for that, I will make it up to you. For a lifeti."
". . ."
Staring into those purple eyes, so beautiful like sparkling athyst, Calvin lowered his head, wanting to fulfill his dream of kissing her pouty lips.
But before his mouth could co close, Evangeline turned and back away, creating distance between them once more.
Calvin had a delayed reaction, couldn't comprehend her vacant eyes and smirking lips. And when he did realize, his heart thuds dully in his chest.
"No," Evangeline said, expression colder than before. "No. You don't love ."
Lips pulling back, bearing his teeth, Calvin growled, "What do you an by that? Are you questioning my feelings for you?"
Here he was, swallowing his pride to tell his honest feelings only for her to question it.
Evangeline sauntered past him, tucking a hair that was blown by the chilly air as she spoke in a soft tone.
"I said, you don't love . Because if you did . . . you and I should have been together a long ti ago,"
". . ."
. . .
. . .
Calvin's head was spinning once more, and the numbness in his chest left him stunned. What did she an by that? The answer was painfully obvious, and he was aware of it. Only, he didn't acknowledge it. Didn't want to face the reason he had loved his pride more than her.
He grabbed her hand. "It's not too late. Beco mine, and I'll make it up to you."
Evangeline stared at him with dead eyes, which caused his limbs to feel heavy and weak. Still, he didn't let her go.
"Not too late?" Evangeline questioned thick with sarcasm before she pulled her hand. "You are already ten years too late."
"That's not important. What's important is the feeling is mutual."
. . .
. . .
". . . Mutual?"
Evangeline bent double and laughed. Not minding her image, she laughed so hard.
"Mutual? Mutual? You believe I like you?!"
She then straightened and wiped the tears from her eyes while Calvin remained tight lip, expression tensed.
After so ti, she raised her head high and sneered. "Let tell you what I honestly feel about you since you seem to have a wrong idea."
Crossing her arms, she tilted her body to the side, eyes cold.
"When I was down, what were you doing? You ganged up on and hid my shoes. Whenever I was alone, you pulled my hair that my mother spent hours styling. When I was betrayed by my so-called friends, instead of comfort, you made fun of . And when my mother died, you just didn't insult saying, 'I'm an unwanted child,' but you broke the bracelet my mother made for ."
Jutting her chin, Evangeline's eyes blaze with fury. "I just don't dislike you. I hate you."
Flipping her hair, she turned and walked away.
Calvin could only stare at her. Sorrow overwheld his heart –– sorrow at the realization that no matter what he did, he could no longer repair their relationship.
Evangeline was right . . . he was ten years too late.
Heat coiled behind his eyes, and he bolted to her. If she let her go now, everything would really be too late.
As he was nearing Evangeline, intending to grab her in a tight hug, soone appeared in front of them.
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