Chapter 12
Chapter 12
1288 (Vouchers
Yes, gentleness.
It seemed unlikely that he could be described with such a word.
But the gentleness in his eyes was so genuine.
Roxanne froze on the spot, her mind going completely blank.
Marlon?
What was he doing here?
Marlon didn’t give her a chance to react.
He stepped forward and extended his arms, pulling her into his embrace, leaving no room for refusal.
With a thud, the door separated them from the outside world.
His embrace was broad and firm, instantly enfolding her in his reassuring warmth and the faint scent of pine.
His hug was so fierce it almost hurt a little, but somehow, she felt unprecedentedly safe.
His well-defined hand stroked her soft hair from the top of her head all the way down, his movement impossibly tender.
He didn’t say a word.
But his silent embrace had already said it all.
She clearly sensed his unspoken longing, his secret waiting, and his worry that could never be spoken out loud.
It had been three years.
It had been three entire years since they last saw each other.
“Roxy, I’m back.” His deep voice, carrying an almost undetectable hoarseness, rang out above her head. “Three years feels like ages.’
11
0.0%
10:48
Chapter 12
He wasn’t exaggerating.
He could only dare to come near her after her absurd marriage in name only ended.
“From now on, no one gets to make you upset. I’ll make sure of that,” he promised firmly.
Her nose twitched, and tears welled up in her eyes at once.
She broke free from his embrace. It wasn’t resistance. Instead, she just needed room to breathe.
With her head lowered, she walked toward the kitchen. “What … would you like to drink?”
“The same.” He followed her.
She nodded, took out the coffee beans, ground them, and brewed them.
1288 Vouchers
She remembered every move perfectly because she had repeated them a thousand times. It was also Johnny’s favorite coffee.
But he had never enjoyed the coffee she brewed.
Soon, she placed a cup of hand-brewed coffee in front of Marlon, its rich aroma quickly filling the air.
He took it, feeling its perfect temperature.
Lowering his head, he took a sip.
It was both bitter and mellow, with a hint of sweetness that lingered on the tip of his tongue after the bitterness.
It was all exactly the same, from the brand of beans to the way she made it.
“How come
bit unsteady.
…
you’re back all of a sudden?” she finally looked up and carefully asked, her voice still a
He set the cup down on the table with a sharp clink.
Then he looked up at her and curved his lips into a slightly teasing, predatory smile, as if declaring silently she had nowhere to escape.
“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about our bet after three years.”
Their bet?
Her heart skipped a beat as long-suppressed fragments of memory came flooding back.
31.9 %
10:48
Chapter 12
1288 Vauchers
“I’ve returned for you, of course.” He leaned in, his gaze capturing hers, wrapping her in his over- whelming presence. “I’m waiting for your comeback.”
Her comeback…
Those words cast a spell upon her, leaving her frozen and breathless.
“Then,” he paused for a second before continuing, his voice deep and magnetic, every word tugging at her heartstrings, “together, we’ll stand at the summit of this world again.”
She was completely dumbfounded.
Her chest tightened as a pang of bitterness washed over her.
She instinctively forced a smile, grasping for words to hide her inner turmoil.
For example, she could say, “Gee, Marlon, grow up. Even a three-year-old is more mature than you.”
Or, she could say, “The summit of this world? That sounds so cold. I’ll pass.”
But she failed.
Tears rolled down her cheeks before she could part her lips.
They fell onto the back of her hands, searing her skin.
Marlon was her senior.
74.7 %
10:48
