Chapter 17: Sweet, Doting Girlfriend
HEATHER
I pursed my lips, not knowing how to react. Why was it that he was still so affected by that guy? If he truly didn’t care, then he would have no problem talking about HIM.
Like he said, it was already in the past. Was it because he was still affected by how that guy changed the trajectory of everything? I really wanted to push it,
However, seeing that his expression was serious, I let out a deep breath.
“Alright,” I muttered. “I won’t talk about him anymore. I’m sorry.”
His expression softened, and he raised his hand to pat my head, making me close my eyes. Evander always felt so
warm.
“It’s okay,” he said. “Everything is just in the past. So, can we leave it there, hmm?“”
I nodded once more, not wanting to argue with him.
We stood there for a while, with him just stroking my hair, before he spoke again.
“Why don’t we talk about my dad’s proposition?” he suggested.
I froze, my stomach tightening
Of course, it was about that again. I forced myself to look unaffected, shrugging with a small laugh. “Is it still about the heir thing?”
“Yeah,” he said, nodding to himself.
We had just finished another meeting with his old man, and he was still talking about the same things–about bringing an heir to the family.
Before I knew it, I sighed and stepped back, putting space between us.
“Anders, we’ve already talked about this. I’m not ready at the moment. I have my modeling career going on. I’m also in school. I am yet to finish my degree.”
understand,” he said with a nod, not looking bothered. However, please tell me whenever you’re ready.”
I nodded again, slower this time, my chest suddenly tightening. “Still, you wouldn’t leave me just because of that, right?‘
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
“Of course not,” he said, shaking his head quickly.
His gaze softened, and for a moment, I held in the urge to smirk.
‘Of course not,‘ I repeated in my mind. He wouldn’t leave me.
He owed me.
He was mine now.
w
“You’ve been there for me during my darkest times. I also know all of the sacrifices you’ve made just to stay with me. My dad will probably grow out of it anyway.”
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Chapter 17: Sweet Dating
“Yeah,” I said, letting out a chuckle. 1 felt too happy for my own good.
“Besides that, it’s not like you want a child already, right? thought you weren’t too fond of them. You sald they were pretty annoying,” I added.
He paused, and for the first time in a long time, there was something that appeared in in his eyes. Something unfamiliar. I frowned, tilting my head to the side when I couldn’t recognize it at all.
“Anders?”
He blinked, snapping out of whatever thought had trapped him.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice quieter now. “I’m not ready, too
I exhaled, relieved but still a bit wary. “Then, that’s great!” I clasped my hands together, showing him a cheerful
smile.
“We don’t have anything to worry about then,” I said, walking over to him and wrapping my arms around his neck.
Evan returned the favor and wrapped his arms loosely around my waist. I leaned into him, my lips curving into a soft smile. “You’re so good to me,” I murmured, tilting my head to look at him. “Can you clean up the kitchen? I’ll handle the art room. It’s such a mess right now.
I added a little tilt to my voice, just enough to sound sweet and helpless.
Evan’s resolve melted in an instant.
“Of course,” he said, his voice warm. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, lingering for a moment.
I smiled wider. “Thank you, babe. You’re the best.”
With that, he walked out of the art room, my smile fading the moment he was gone. It wasn’t hard to play the doting girlfriend when I needed to.
Finally, alone, I scanned the space–my art room. It was great. Anders did it for me. However, it smelled strangely like Julia now.
Roses?
I shook my head and opened the windows to let the scent alt out.
Julia.
Julia.
Julia.
Even though she was long gone from Evan’s life or so he claimed–her name still surfaced too often for my liking.
I approached the canvas, expecting to see the drawing I had done before the brownies became burnt.
Julia had done nothing but watch me, so her talent must have been fading for years. Maybe, she wasn’t the art prodigy our teachers once whispered about.
But when I turned the canvas to face me, my smile faltered
I froze, narrowing my eyes as I studied the image. It wasn’t complete, just a rough sketch, but it was undeniably
Evan
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Chapter 17: Sweet Doting.
I stepped closer, my fingers brushing over the edges of the canvas.
It was him. She knew him too well, and she had drawn him so beautifully
How dare she?
Julia had always been too good at this at seeing Evan in ways I couldn’t.
It made my blood simmer, but I kept my expression neutral I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction, even in her absence.
Still, the sketch lingered in my mind, and my fingers curled into fists at my sides. I forced myself to take a deep breath, steadying my temper.
“She still thinks she knows him,” I mittered under my breath. “But she doesn’t. Not anymore.
I reached for a cloth nearby, my hand trembling just slightly. The urge to destroy the drawing burned in my chest, but I didn’t.
Not yet.
Instead, I stepped back and smiled faintly, my lips curling with a dangerous sort of satisfaction.
Let her think she’s still the artist she once was. It won’t matter in the end.
Sand Kastle Author
