Chapter 17
17
~Elara’s POV
For a long while, I just stood there, arms folded, my mind racing. I didn’t even know what to do with them. Should I wear one? Or what if he already expected me to show up wearing something from the gifts? My chest tightened as that thought hit me. What if he got angry if I didn’t?
I reached out and touched one of the dresses, a soft cream gown with pearl buttons running down the front. The fabric was smooth beneath my fingers. I bit my lip, wondering what to do with the clothes exactly.
I sighed and turned toward the mirror. My reflection looked back at me, uncertain and awkward. My hair was tied in a loose bun, a few strands sticking out near my temple. My cheeks looked rounder than ever, and the dress I’d managed to squeeze into earlier clung to me in ways I didn’t like.
“Maybe he’ll hate this too,” I muttered to myself.
I didn’t really want to go out. Every part of me screamed to stay here and hide under the blanket, so I took a deep breath, straightened my skirt, and stepped out of the room.
The hallway smelled faintly of vanilla and cedarwood. The soft golden lights along the wall cast a gentle glow as I walked down the corridor. My heart pounded harder with every step.
And then I saw him.
Darlon.
He was standing in the living room, near the long glass windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. The fading orange light of the evening sun cast a halo around him, making his dark shirt gleam faintly. He had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing the veins that traced along his strong arms. His hair looked a little tousled, like he’d run his fingers through it one too many times.
For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
He looked… perfect. Too perfect. My words died before I could even think of one. My stomach twisted, and I felt heat rise to my cheeks.
“Say something,” my mind screamed. “Don’t just stand there like an idiot p>
I swallowed hard, forcing a smile that felt too stiff. “Good evening, Darlon,” I finally managed, my voice barely coming out.
Darlon turned his head toward me, his eyes sweeping over me slowly, not in a cruel way, just curious. But that alone made my heart race.
He didn’t say anything for a moment, and that silence made everything worse. My palms grew damp, and my inner voice whispered the one thing I didn’t want to hear. He’s probably laughing at how ridiculous you look.
I quickly looked down at my feet, pretending to fix the hem of my dress. My fingers fidgeted with the fabric, and I forced out, “Thank you for the p>
Before I could finish, he reached for my hand. His touch was warm, firm, but not rough. My breath hitched.
“Come on,” he said. “We’ll miss the sunset p>
Before I could even ask what he meant, he was already guiding me toward the glass doors that opened to the lounge. His hand was still around mine, and though it wasn’t tight, it felt… grounding.
When we stepped outside, the cool breeze brushed against my face. The sky was painted in shades of orange, pink, and soft purple. The lounge overlooked the ocean, and the sound of gentle waves mixed with the chirping of evening birds. It was… breathtaking.
A small table sat near the edge, covered with fresh fruits, glasses, and a bottle of wine. A few candles flickered despite the breeze, their flames dancing lazily. The setting looked romantic, almost too romantic for what we were.
I stayed quiet as he led me to the table. My heartbeat wouldn’t slow down. I didn’t even know why he wanted me here.
“Sit,” he said, his voice calm.
I nodded and took the chair opposite him, keeping a good distance between us. The chair creaked slightly under my weight, and I hated that.
He poured wine into two glasses and handed one to me. “Do you like the gifts I sent you p>
I gripped the stem of the glass tightly, forcing a small smile. “Yes,” I said quickly.
“Are they comfortable?” he asked, his eyes meeting mine for a moment.
“They’re all… really nice,” I lied softly.
He nodded, taking a small sip from his glass. “Good p>
I smiled faintly, but my throat felt dry. The silence between us stretched again, long and heavy. The only sound was the soft crash of waves against the shore.
“The sun’s setting,” he said suddenly, his gaze turning toward the horizon. “Look p>
I followed his eyes, but my gaze didn’t stay on the sky for long. The sunset was beautiful, yes, golden and deep, slowly fading into violet. But what caught my attention was him.
The way the sunlight touched his face, highlighting the sharpness of his jaw and the calm in his eyes, made him look almost unreal. He didn’t even have to try; everything about him screamed confidence and control. Meanwhile, I sat there, fighting the urge to pull at my dress and hide my thick arms.
My mind started comparing us again, his perfection against my flaws.
His presence filled every space, while I felt like I barely belonged in the same air he breathed. He looked like the kind of man who could have anyone, and I… well, I was just me.
Before I knew it, I’d reached for the bottle and poured myself a full glass of wine.
He glanced at me, one eyebrow slightly raised. “You drink p>
I gave a small, awkward laugh. “No… I’m just thirsty p>
Then I took a big gulp, too big. The wine burned my throat, but I didn’t care. Maybe it would help me stop overthinking for once.
He didn’t stop me. He just watched, silent and unreadable. That only made my nerves worse.
When I set the glass down, my hand trembled slightly. I tried to mask it by reaching for a grape, popping it into my mouth.
I poured more wine, pretending not to care.
“You like it?” he asked suddenly, his voice low and calm, breaking through the sound of the waves.
I blinked, caught off guard. “The… wine p>
“The view,” he said, smiling faintly.
“Oh.” I nodded quickly, my fingers tightening around the glass. “Yeah. It’s nice p>
He looked amused. “Just nice p>
I tried to smile back, but it came out weak. “Well, you’ve probably seen better sunsets p>
“Not like this one,” he said, eyes still on me.
I felt my breath hitch. For a moment, I didn’t know what to do with that. Compliments always made me uncomfortable. Especially from him. So I did the only thing that made sense: I took another sip.