Leanna-Chapter 244: [Epilogue] 1.3

[Emery’s POV]

[Epilogue] 1.3

"I-I-I-I . . ." I fumbled my fingers and bit my lips to hold back a sob. I controlled my expression to look composed even though my inner self was in turmoil.

"I-I-I . . . d-d-do not . . . *cough . . ."

Rotten milk.

I could only hope he took my stuttering as me being cold, which I doubt it based on his amused face.

"I do not fove you anymore."

". . ."

Rotten milk!

Even my tongue did not want to say those words.

"Right . . . ," Lance said, amused as he shook his head before he flicked his focus back on his assignments.

Rotten milk!

He did not take me seriously!

I could not entirely blame him. Even I would not believe myself.

No problem. I already prepared for this!

"L-L-Lance, I-I’m serious . . . I-I do not ruv you anymore."

He chuckled. "Keep it up, honey . . . I’m listening."

I pouted. "I’m not joking! I-I-I found out that . . . I d-do not . . . ," I took a large intake of air, "l-l-l-love you anymore.

Ah . . . Why is it so hard to lie? "Y-you’re so a-arrogant. So young a-a-and . . . and . . . and . . . uhmm . . . indifferent and er . . . c-cool––I mean cold a-and . . ."

Rotten milk!

I practiced this!

"Take it easy, love. You’ll hurt yourself," he said, laughing a bit, attention on his assignments.

Okay, that got me irritated. He still did not take me seriously!

"I-I-I . . . c-c-c-cheated behind your back!"

Heh! How is that!

That got his attention. His eyes locked on me with a blank expression on his face. I got to admit, I was scared.

"With who?" he asked.

I was surprised that he was still so calm.

My eyes shifted left and right. All the names I thought last night disappeared from my brain.

"U-u-uhmm . . . y-you know . . . w-with . . . er . . . F-freaky––no . . . F-f-funky . . . Go-go-goose . . . ?"

Lance raised an eyebrow. "You mean . . . Fredrick Gozen? My classmate?" He crossed his arms, yet his face remained serene as well as his voice.

"Y-yes . . . Yes! That one!"

The corner of his lips twitched, suppressing a smirk as he said, "Did I mention that Fredrick Gozen is gay and already has a boyfriend?"

"Did I say him? No. I-I mean to say that . . . I-it was . . . it was . . . er . . . A-A-Adnan . . . That’s right! It was Adnan, the Verunian Prince. In fact, we met behind your back and we always . . . er . . . messaged each other all the time."

Now that had got to work. He knew Adnan loves me.

But to all oddity, he just sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, and it did not take a second that the alluring gesture hypnotized me.

"When exactly did you met behind my back?" he asked, tone clam as his face. He leaned closer to me with a palm holding his chin.

All reasons and thoughts flew to who knows where as I was lost in the mischievous spark in his eyes and the delicious line of his teasing lips.

"L-last week . . . ," I answered without thought as he leaned even closer, and our faces were just inches apart.

"Hmmmm . . . what day, exactly?"

His sexy voice and enticing smell, as well as his hot breath, mesmerized me into answering, "Friday. You know, when you left the city. I secretly met up with him."

For some reason, it took me to be hypnotized for all the words I practiced to return to my brain.

Lance withdrew and straightened his back as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. I almost groaned when I could no longer smell his scent and felt his warmth.

"You mean to say you went to New York to meet up with the Prince last week’s Friday?"

I knew there was something wrong with the question, but I still answered, "Uhmm . . . er . . . y-yes . . . ?"

"Hmmm . . ." Lance tilted his head to the side. "Funny you said that. The whole of Friday last week, I was with the Prince, and I hadn’t seen you with him."

Geh!

"I-I-I . . . w-well . . . er . . ."

My lower lip must be chopping right now by how much pressure I was biting it.

Lance sighed before he moved closer to me until he was beside me. My tingling senses and emotions were jumping in hyperdrive at the sudden closeness –– like always.

He tucked some hair behind my ear before he caressed my face in all gentleness that made my lips quivered.

"Em, as much as I am enjoying watching you struggling to break up with me, I have to ask . . . what is this really all about?"

"L-Lance . . ."

R-rotten milk . . .

I could no longer hold my tears as it came falling one after the other as I stared on his handsome face.

Lance smiled and cupped my cheeks, wiping my tears with his thumb.

"Is this about me becoming a businessman rather than a chef?"

I stared at him for a while, studying him. But all I saw was his kind, loving face, and I nodded.

"Em, I’ll be honest with you. If this is in the past, I would certainly not agree. But since I met you . . . all things have changed. My dreams. My aspirations. My priority. My life. It revolves around you now." He laughed a bit. "And frankly, if being a businessman means I can be with you forever . . . then . . . I will willingly, gladly do it. Over and over again. I will choose you . . . because you are worth it."

My face was drenched, and I did not care. I smiled and sobbed at the same time as our forehead’s touching and our eyes silently speaking.

"B-b-but Lance, you always wanted to be a chef. You love to cook."

"I love you more . . ."

Lance whispered and pulled me closer in his embrace. He sniffed my hair while I snuggled in the warmth of his chest.

"Geez, woman! Can’t you see?! I’m obsessed with you! Hell! I even wanted to specialized in pastry since you love to eat so much snacks."

He sat me on his lap and cupped my face so our gaze would lock.

"Always remember this. In the past, I wanted to be a chef. But now . . . I just wanted to be your personal chef. I fell in love with cooking so I can cook for you and feed you for the rest of your life."

I giggled despite the non-ending tears.

"Y-you think so . . . ?" I sniffled.

Lance grinned and picked my nose before he smeared small kisses on my lips.

"I know so . . ."

"Y-you won’t regret this . . . ?"

"It didn’t even cross my mind," he said, smiling. "When your mother said for me to be a businessman . . . frankly, I thought that . . . That’s it? I just have to be a businessman to be with you? I almost laugh. I thought she would ask me to build my own empire and prove myself to you by becoming richer than you."

He shook his head a little. "Because frankly, that would take a long time, and I’m damn sure that I can’t wait that long to marry you."

He looked me in the eyes and said with all seriousness, "I want you mine . . . In the eyes of everyone . . . In the eyes of heaven and earth . . ."

Our lips met in a sweet kiss, and all my guilt and hesitations disappeared in an instant.

All it took was his warmth and love.

"I love you . . . ," I murmured.

"I love you too . . . really . . . really . . . love you . . . I love you so much . . . Much more . . . More than cooking. More than anything in the world."

💗

Fin. 🐇