Chapter 87

087 His Confession Scarlett’s POV I don’t know how long I slept, but I felt much better when the bright twilight woke me up.

The ward is empty. No doctor, no nurse...

No Adrian.

I guess the baby did his job alright.

Warning myself that it’s stupid to weep over something I never had, I slip down the hard, tiny bed and walk toward the window.

The breeze at the end of the fall is no longer warm. It’s chill.

I wanted the baby thing to get me out of the awkward talk, so why am I feeling so low?

Anyone in the right mind getting to know that the girl they met a week ago won’t stay around in the hope of any romantic whatsoever. He did the right thing. Actually, I wanted him to make this choice.

I don’t know how to love again.

Maybe one day I can heal, but I’m broken right now, I know.

I’m no longer the brave girl who could put love as the center of her world, who could laugh at his happiness and cry at this sorrow. I gave all that to Sebastian, and it’s not fair to Adrian if I were to try things with him when I know I can’t give him the same thing.

I just...really wanted to be on the other side of favoritism for a change.

I wanted a man who could throw himself after me when I was in danger; I wanted a man who would take my side with no condition, and protect me from all the greedy, vile, hurtful normality that is my life. I wanted to be the “only” in a man’s heart, just like how I loved Sebastian.

But I guess that’s wrong, cause Sebastian doesn’t seem to have enjoyed that.

Maybe I’m the one being greedy.

1/3 08718 Confession +25 BONUS You’d think it’s a pure joy of life that one would feel after a near–death experience, but I suddenly find myself so drained that I barely want to go on. I got out of danger, only to have it confirmed once again that I had no one.

Should I even continue the movie—a “Quiet! I told you to–” Adrian shushes someone as he opens the door, only to freeze when he sees me by the window, “You–?

You are up already?!”

“Hmm...” I open my mouth but utter no word. One more word and my tears would pour out.

“Give me a minute!” Adrian raises a finger before he dashes out of the room, and the next second several men file into the room, each with a huge bouquet in their arms, big enough to hide them completely.

The room is filled with color in an instant. The theme of the bouquets is rose, decorated with lilies, my favorite. The annoying smell of disinfectant is replaced by a soothing fragrant, tickling a deep corner of my memory, as if I was once in a room pretty and scented just like this...

“Great, thanks!” Adrian’s whisper at the outside of the door snaps me back to reality. I blink, and my heart races like a broken engine.

Is this what I think it is?

“Ahem...” Adrian clears his throat, and adjusts his tie — his tie?? Was he wearing a tie before? He sorts his suits out with one hand behind his back, his back stiff straight and his look a bit nervous, like the cute, clumsy, spellbound Mr. Darcy out of the early 18th–century–setting movie, anxious for Elizabeth’s answer.

Is that what he is here for? To pop THE question???

I take a step back, a million thoughts screaming in my mind, making me feel lightheaded as if I’m standing on a cloud.

I can’t! I don’t even have an answer. And besides, I’m really not in the place to–

“Scarlett Fuller,” Adrian lowers his head shortly before he looks up at me, solemnly with soulful eyes. With his long legs, he strides over before he gets down on one knee. His eyes never off me. He pulls one, singular, scarlet rose 2/3 +25 BONUS 087 His Confession in black paper warp from behind his back, holding it to me as he says those words:

“...will you marry me?”

“For...for the baby???” I blurt, only to realize I gave probably the worst possible answer in the world to his question, I panic as I add in anxiety, “I—I’m sorry–”

“You are okay,” Adrian smiles gently, taking my hand for a soothing kiss on its back, “and no, I’m not proposing to you because of the baby, but rather, it’s the baby that gave me the courage to finally utter my feelings to you.”

Somehow to my awful answer, he gave the best reaction, ever.

I think I’m going to faint.