The Heart System Nov Chapter 273

Chapter 273: Chapter 273

We both laughed, the last of the awkward tension shaking loose between us... but only for a mont. After a few seconds, the room slipped back into silence. I eased into my chair again, let out a long breath, and nodded to myself like I was psyching up for a boss fight. I just wanted her to understand , that was all.

"I’m honored that you feel that way for , ndy," I said finally. "You’re a wonderful woman. Really. I’m lucky I t you. I kind of wish it happened under different circumstances, but... what’s done is done, huh?"

"Yeah..." she murmured, tracing her finger around the rim of her glass.

"No hard feelings, right?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Honestly, I’m... relieved I finally got that off my chest."

"Thank you for saying it. Really."

And that’s when it hit

like a guilt punch right to the ribs, I had listened to her confession plans while I was balls-deep in Kayla. I could’ve stopped. I didn’t. And that made

feel like a jackass sitting across from her, pretending everything was fine.

"S-so..." ndy’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes searching mine for so kind of confirmation. "Are we still friends? Did I ss this whole thing up?"

I looked at her, my chest tightening. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. "Still friends," I said softly, trying to reassure her with a smile. "And no, ndy. You didn’t ss anything up. I’m... happy you said what you did. I really am."

Her lips parted, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks, and I saw the weight lift from her shoulders. "I’m... glad to hear that." She looked down, fiddling with her fingers. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I didn’t want to make things weird."

I shook my head. "You didn’t. You didn’t make anything weird. Honestly, I’m just... glad you were honest with ."

Everything felt... nice.

But then it happened.

It was like everything stopped. The air seed to freeze. I felt a shift, sothing deep within . The sky outside, visible through the window, changed. It wasn’t just the fading light of the evening; it was pink, almost surreal, as if reality had bent.

I stood up suddenly, my legs stiff. "What the hell...?"

ndy remained frozen in place, her smile still intact, but her eyes weren’t quite as bright now. Sothing was wrong, but before I could even process it, I heard footsteps. Not from her, but behind .

I turned. Dierella stood there, her expression a mix of disbelief and fury, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She was pissed, no doubt about it.

"Are you a fucking idiot, Evan?" Her voice was a hiss, sharp as a blade. "She’s begging for you to fuck her. And you’re sitting here doing nothing."

The words hit harder than they should have. "No," I said, my voice low, but firm. "It wouldn’t be right. Not like this."

Dierella’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a bitter sneer. "The fuck it won’t," she spat. "Just fuck her and be done with it. This isn’t so damn ga, Marlowe."

I shook my head, the tension in my neck coiling tighter. "I’m not doing that." My jaw clenched. "She’s at a vulnerable place right now. I’m not going to take advantage of that."

Dierella didn’t even blink. She stepped closer, her voice lowering but still venomous. "She called you here, knowing damn well you’re with Nala. She wore a dress for you, made this dinner for you—just you. What’s the real problem? Why are you refusing her? You coward, stop tricking yourself."

I felt my chest tighten. She wasn’t wrong about the dress, the dinner, the fact that ndy had clearly set herself up for sothing... more. But this wasn’t just about . "Because it’s not the right ti," I said, my voice strained, almost pleading. "It’s not the right way. It’s not about

wanting her or not. It’s about where we both are right now."

Dierella’s laugh was dark. "Right," she sneered, eyes cold. "You really think she’s just gonna wait around for that perfect fucking mont? That’s not how this works, Evan. You either take her or leave her. But don’t stand there pretending you’re the fucking saint."

"I’m not a saint," I snapped back, frustration bubbling in my throat. "But I’m not going to be a dick either. I’m not going to hurt her like that."

"She’s already hurting, you dumbass." Dierella shook her head, her lips curling in disbelief. "You’re really this much of an idiot?" She turned on her heel, muttering under her breath as she stord off. "Un-fucking-believable..."

I stood there, feeling the sting of her words, but before I could think it through, everything around

shifted again.

I was back at the dinner table. ndy was smiling at , her face warm, but now sothing in her eyes had changed. She looked almost... fragile. It hit

then—hard.

I was looking at her, and all I could see was the ss I’d caused. Richard’s ss. My ss.

I didn’t want to be the person who reminded her of what she’d been through, of that day when she nearly ended it all.

I thought I could be the good guy, the one who didn’t take advantage of her, who stayed away because she was too vulnerable. But I wasn’t being good. I was just scared. Scared that if I let myself feel sothing for her, it would only make everything worse.

I exhaled slowly, my heart heavy. "ndy..." I said her na like it was the only thing I could say.

She looked at , tilting her head slightly, her expression open but cautious. "Yeah?"

"If we had t before..." I stopped myself, swallowing hard. It was harder to say than I thought. "Before everything went to shit with Richard, before any of this... I think I would’ve—" I hesitated, the truth clawing its way to the surface. "I think I would’ve fallen for you."

Her eyes widened, and she went still for a mont, then flushed, her voice barely a whisper. "I... I think that would’ve made

really happy." She looked away, her hands fiddling with the hem of her dress. "But... it’s not that simple now, is it?"

I shook my head, suddenly feeling all the weight of my words. "No, it’s not." I let out a dry laugh, the sound bitter in my own ears. "I’m sorry I lied to you. I knew you were going to confess today. Kayla told ."

Her face shifted, the hurt there but not overwhelming. "Oh..." She swallowed, her voice trembling. "I thought..."

I couldn’t let her twist in that. "I hoped you wouldn’t," I said quickly. "Not because I didn’t like you, but because when I look at you... I see myself. I see that day. The day you almost—" I stopped, my throat tight. "I can’t look at you without rembering that. Without rembering how I failed you."

ndy reached out, her fingers brushing mine across the table. "I forgive you," she said softly, her voice full of sincerity.

Her eyes softened as she held my hand, and for a long mont, neither of us spoke. Damn, this was awkward. I didn’t know what to do with the tenderness she was offering.

I cleared my throat, trying to break the tension. "Ah, look at

rambling." I chuckled nervously, shaking my head. "The girls tell

I always act like so lancholic detective, always brooding and analyzing things. I think... I think they might be right."

ndy raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a small, amused smile. "The... girls?" Her tone was lighter now, the air between us easing just a bit.

I froze for a mont, realizing where this could go. "Uh... well, you know..." I fumbled, rubbing the back of my neck. "The ones I..."

She tilted her head, her expression shifting into sothing between confusion and mild amusent. "The other girls that you ss around with?"

I gulped, her words catching

off guard. "Y-yeah..." I stamred. "I’m sorry."

ndy chuckled softly, her lips curling into a small smile.

"Wait, what’s funny?" I asked, furrowing my brow.

"Sorry, I’m just... a little on edge right now," she said, her voice light, but I could hear the tension in it.

"Oh." I nodded, not really sure what to say to that.

She sighed, leaning back slightly in her chair. "Please stop acting like an idiot, okay? I forgive you. End of story. Got it?"

I blinked, a little thrown off by how direct she was. "Well, I wish it was that easy."

She shot

a firm look, her eyes soft but serious. "It’s that easy. I forgive you, Evan."

I couldn’t help but smile, though it was more out of self-deprecation than anything else. "It’s like telling a depressed person to stop being depressed and hoping it would work."

She raised an eyebrow, a half-smile tugging at her lips. "Well, it’s not the sa thing."

I gave a mock thoughtful hum, tapping my finger to my chin. "Hmm, well... it’s kinda the sa thing."

We both laughed, the mont of tension finally breaking. But it was brief, and as the laughter faded, sothing heavier lingered between us.

She looked at

then, her expression shifting to sothing more serious but still tinged with that quiet amusent.

"Would you..." she began, then stopped herself.

I leaned a little forward. "Hmm?"

"Nevermind."

"What is it?" I asked gently. "Co on, tell ."