Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Evelynnes
Rhysand’s hands on my thighs subtly tightened, and I noticed how rid he looked beside me. Watching his sudden change of mood made me rethink back to the time he sent me out of his office when I mentioned about his mother.
He had stories, past stories which seemed to have left a deep unhealed scar, and somehow I was curious about it. I wanted him to tell me everything, I wanted to know about him, I wanted to listen to him talk, I wanted him to simply confide in me.
But soon as it clicked to my head that if he was going to talk to me about things and open up to me about his past, then I will have to do same, my head began to ring warning bells,
Realizing I had spent much time glancing at him and forgetting the presence of anyone else in this room or the present curious gazes directed at us, made me look away immediately.
Looking up, my eyes met Mrs. Blackwood’s undivided attention, she shook her head simply at me, before turning to her husband, “They seem serious enough, you don’t have to ask about that.”
The moment she said those words, the deeper my curiousity about the man beside me spiked.
“Rhysand is hardly ever serious about any woman that ever entered his life, and I want to be certain he wasn’t just doing this to get my signature on the file. Mr. Blackwood remained unyielding, he wanted an answer to his question
Fear clawed at my chest with the thought that we’ve been caught already, Rhysand shifted in his seat and before I could say anything, he finally opened up, “She knows bits-”
“I want a response from her and not you.” Mr. Blackwood said, eyes still on me as he watched me skeptically.
With all the little courage I have left, I revised the words in my heads before my lips finally pulled into a subtle smile, Tve had glimpses of his past through our conversations.”
Rhysand’s tense shoulders finally settled, and his hand which was unconsciously gripping my thigh, eased up.
For a moment, it seemed we both forgot the fact that touching each other, was unacceptable, cause his hand remained on my thigh, and I let it be.
The tense air in the room finally lessened but that was until Mr. Blackwood asked another question, “How deep do you know?”
His wife subtly glanced at him, brows furrowed as worry clouded her expression. Her eyes moved to Rhysand, then to me, and then to her husband, trying to tell him to stop with the questions.
I cleared my throat, “Deep enough to know that his parents are a topic he usually threads carefully about.” The response was curt, short and not giving away the fact that I had no idea what his backstory was about.
Silence fell in the room once again, and I could feel three different gazes directed at me. One out of warmth, second out of suspicion, and the third was from beside me.
I was unsure of what to decipher in his eyes when I turned to meet them. But the subtle movement of his pupils dilating didn’t go unnoticed by me..
I looked away from him, unable to focus on the deep rooted gaze from him, and my eyes settled on Mr. Blackwood’s.
“You don’t feel he might not be serious by not telling you about his past and opening up to you?” He questioned again, eyes
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Chapter 39
never moving from mine.
“No. It’s completely understandable. And I’ve learned that everyone has heir own pace when it comes to sharing their stories. He’s still figuring out what he’s comfortable sharing about his past- I’m just happy to be a listening ear when he’s ready to open up.” Lies and goddamn lies kept escaping from my lips and I couldn’t do anything
The awful feeling that clawed on my chest that they’ll later realize all this was nothing but lies soared in my heart, and I felt terrible cause after two years they’ll realize we were lying straight to their faces.
Mr. Blackwood stared deeply at me, as if trying to understand something, and then after a while, he asked another question which was directly out of line from what he had been inquiring about, “What’s your surname?”
A lump formed in my throat at the question and I badly hoped he wouldn’t know who my parents were if I mentioned my
urname.
Cause everything would end up in jeopardy if there was a slight chance that he was connected to my family, or know them, “Milton.”
After a long while of nothing but silence, he finally nodded, and looked over to his wife, who was watching him in confusion. He smiled at her and rested his right palm on her thigh, muttering, “All good.”
The tensed air in the room settled and I relaxed my back on the couch, holding back the sigh that threatened to escape my lips.
The conversation finally shifted to a more simpler topic about what I was interested in–it seemed like parents asking their future daughter–in–law questions.
Hesitation gnawed at my chest and although my answer was right in my mind, I didn’t want to say them out, till a couple of seconds later. “I write,” my lips tightened into a thin line at the admission, “And I have a few completed manuscripts.”
I could feel Rhysand’s gaze on me and it took me everything to not turn to meet his eyes and get lost in them, “That’s impressive. How many books have you written?”
“Five.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Have you ever published any of them?” Mrs. Blackwood asked, eyes shining with genuine interest.
“No, I don’t want them published.” The moment the words were out of my lips, I realized how it sounded and immediately added, “I’ll still publish them someday, but not now,” the atmosphere in the room suddenly felt cold, and my palms rubbed each other, as I seeked warmth.
“Why not now though? I have a friend who owns a publishing company. We could get editors and bea readers to-” she pushed further but my mind was far gone.
One monent she’s talking and the next moment I wanted her to stop, “NO!” my mind was far gone as I shook my head repeatedly, “I don’t need proofreaders or beta readers or editors.” I unconsciously rubbed my palms again and again, completely forgetting that it might leave a scratch because of how badly I’m scratching them.
I don’t want them published.
I wanted them with me for long.
I wasn’t interested in sharing my story.
Neither was I interested in having other people read it.
10:08 Kee, 11 Feb
Chapter 39
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My reasons remained tightly hidden in my thoughts and I forced a smile
Im not ready to publish. When I am, I will
Mrs. Blackwood smiled warmly at me, “Well, that’s fine. I’ll wait for it to be our
Thankfully, the topic about my books soon ended and we conversed about other things.
Close to an hour later, Mr. Blackwood spoke out, “Rhysand, where’s the fle: This faing between you two be waved his finger at the two of us, “Doesn’t seem like a charade. So, I’m convinced you have a woman And I like to fulfill my promise by
ghing the contract. Not just because of anything, but also cause of your hardwork
