Chapter 1238

“Fine. Just don’t let him touch you, or I’ll cut off his hands and feet.”

Millie rolled her eyes and said, “I’ve heard you. I’ll keep a distance from him.”

As the evening skies relinquished their hold on rain, Marcus defied the ambiance of Villa Imperiale,

stepping out into the world beyond.

Shera, stationed at the threshold, observed his retreat with a tinge of disappointment, her gaze tracing

the silhouette of his departure.

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She had nurtured hopes of Marcus lingering this day, thus having already orchestrated culinary

preparations and an evening feast awaiting her culinary finesse.

From the shadows, Celeste emerged, draped in melancholy.

“His affections are entirely annexed by Millie.”

In response, Shera’s hand sought the doorframe, fingers intertwining with its embrace.

“Mrs. Thomas, my heart gravitates toward him. Fate introduced us initially. Surrendering is not within

my repertoire.”

In the wake of Marcus’s absence, culinary aspirations withered within Shera. Shedding the apron, she

passed it on to a servant. Farewells were exchanged with Celeste before she bid adieu to Villa

Imperiale’s embrace.

Beyond the villa’s embrace, a silver automobile had staked its claim by the roadside.

Illuminating the gloaming with a pulsating rhythm, the car coaxed Shera to shield her eyes, compelled

by reflex, before she ventured closer, revealing its occupant-—Ryan.

“Why do you grace this place?”

Shera’s gaze darted, caution etched in every glance as she wrenched open the car door. The Thomas

family mustn’t unearth the tendrils binding her to Ryan.

“Your apprehension finds an ally in me. Abandon worry. Concealment veils our visage from the watchful

eyes beyond.”

As Shera absorbed his words, a breath of solace brushed against her, though the chambers of her

voice remained locked. In the span of her return, Marcus had woven threads of distance between them,

a tapestry far sparser than her hopeful imaginings.

Ryan’s fingers found a rhythm on the steering wheel-an orchestrated beat in tune with understanding.

“Did the encounter unfold less than favorably?”

The canvas of Shera’s emotions bore an unfiltered display, a testament to her inner turmoil.

“In this very moment, his musings are a tableau brushed by Millie’s presence. Lustrum of my pursuit,

poised for emancipation, yet it seems my aspirations flutter upon the wings of mere fancy. Does

existence harbor a soul who dedicates its fervor to a solitary heart?”

Ryan let out a derisive breath.

“In the tapestry of this world, ninety percent of its sons are swayed by more than a solitary heart’s

devotion. Yet, a select few stand as outliers, bearing allegiance to a lone flame.”

He regarded himself as a disciple of that rare breed. Rosa, his former flame, had transcended the

boundary between life and death, forever etching her presence within his heart’s chambers. No matter

the allure or splendor of another, he was resolute in his belief that none could surpass the legacy of

Rosa.

“Then what course am I to chart? Is capitulation the sole path?”