Chapter 297: Chapter 297

He had been observing her for a while and, without even knowing who she was, he had come to one conclusion that summed her up: She was clever yet endearingly innocent.

She looked like a young woman who could manage a household at her age, showing maturity but still retaining some of her childlike innocence, as if things around her were new and untouched. This was what captivated him. She was unlike any woman he had ever seen! This was in its literal sense.

"That’s the cutest thing I have ever heard!" He let out that annoyingly beautiful laugh, and Geneva let that weird thought go, thinking to herself,

’Yes, I may not have been paying much attention! How can a human appear out of thin air?’

The man smiled and then held out his hand to her,

"I’m Roman. Who might this beautiful drop of nature be?"

Despite trying to hold herself in place, Geneva turned a light shade of red,

"Hmmm.... Geneva. That is a beautiful name for a beautiful creature such as you."

Geneva shook her head at his choice of words. He spoke somewhat strangely and was dressed strangely, too.

"Are you cosplaying? What character are you?" She asked enthusiastically. He was the first stranger she had met without a chaperone, and Geneva was eager to know more about the world through him, conveniently forgetting that he was all but a stranger to her at that time.

She only knew his name, but she found herself wanting to get closer to him. This was absurd! Geneva, wake up! Even as she said this, she sensed that the feeling was a bit mutual, and Geneva let her slight vigilance go.

"Cosplaying? What is that?"

"Oh! You’re not? Never mind then."

Geneva brushed it aside, looked down, briefly missed the puzzling look in Roman’s eyes, even at her next question,

"Are you an actor then? What movie are you playing in?"

Roman shook his head, "I am not an actor."

"Why do you ask such questions, Geneva?"

Geneva felt a pure, sweet sensation rush through her, when he mentioned her name. It was overly sweet. At that time, her nanny’s words rang through her ears, as if prompting her of some unknown danger: ’Men are not to be trusted. They will use you and dump you with no remorse.’

In those times and in such conversations, Geneva would have usually asked, ’What does use and dump mean?’ Her nanny would always give her the same answers, even though they failed as if they were scripted answers: ’I hope you never find out what that means, my dear Geneva.

Stay true to yourself until Master Thornston completes the marriage rites. The Thornston family values you so much, and you are one lucky girl to have caught the eyes of the most influential family on the island. You will one day hold all the madams in the palm of your hand and they will fawn over you .....’ In those moments, Geneva would tune out of such conversations.

As a young budding woman, Geneva wanted to experience love and be swept off her feet. To her, love and power were two different things that repelled. She could not have both, and Geneva would instead fulfil all her fantasies and experience love and marry the most influential young master of the island.

Besides, at that time, even though Geneva had not officially met Alex, she had met some of his sisters and knew that she was not on their favourite list for some unknown reason. They disliked her even though she had not had much interaction with them and she had no idea what she had done to offend them. Geneva did not want such a life to be her eternal marriage normal.

Little did young Geneva know that she would come to understand what ’use and dump’ means through its most literal sense.

Roman lightly ran his index finger over her forehead startling her. The man had no sense of personal space but Geneva found that she did not dislike that habit of his.

"Why do you ask such questions?"

"Your dressing is weird, and you speak weirdly, too." She focused her eyes fully on him and then added, "Oh! Maybe you’re from a different island? But how did you get here? Who are you looking for? Do you have relatives here?"

"You sure are one curious person."

Roman sat by her on the bare ground, and Geneva grinned. He had just checked another box on her list by being free around her.

The two chatted for hours like old friends. They talked about everything and nothing. At the end of the day, when it started darkening, Roman escorted Geneva back to the edge of her garden and watched until she had gone off.

Geneva had a bounce in her steps and even her nanny’s anger and reproach did nothing to douse that. Geneva was in love after this meeting. For the whole day and night after this encounter, Alex never entered her thoughts.

Even though her nanny thought that something was amiss, she was never able to pinpoint her hand on what it might be.

Geneva was prevented from going out the next day, but she did meet Roman a few days after that. The two never made plans to meet, but it was as if they understood themselves.

Their meeting point became that parts of the woods by the stream that had been Geneva’s secret place. That was where they shared their first kiss. In Geneva’s thoughts, that moment was the best in her life, and even years after that, despite all that happened later, her heart would skip a beat when she thought of that first kiss.

They would continue to meet for a couple of more months and their relationship grew stronger. The day after they had first made magical love, Geneva’s nanny finally realized that something was wrong.

However, whenever they tried to follow Geneva and find what what she did hours on end ’alone’ in the woods, they would magically lose her trail after she leaves the confines of the home garden.

The nanny voiced her concerns, and then a visit was planned with the Thronstons to finalize the wedding plans.

Geneva remembered the day she had set eyes on Alex. He was manly, full of life and handsome in his own way, but in her mind, Alex never measured up to Roman. She had given her whole being to Roman and there was no room for anyone else.

For this reason, Geneva just gave a casual glance to Alex, said a quick hello and then did not do anything else. While their parents made the final arrangements in the house, Alex had tried his utmost best to make conversation with the girl who had captured his heart, but she was overly polite and only gave short, direct answers to any question asked.

After that visit, Geneva told her parents that she wanted to break off the engagement and all hell broke lose! She was confined in the house and for weeks, Geneva did not see Roman.

Their wedding was set a couple of months from then. One day, Geneva begged her nanny for one more day out and she begrudgingly agreed.

Like an animal released from its cage, she rushed to their meeting point but this time, she did not cover her trail much. Alex had been visiting and followed her into the woods, but she did not notice Upon seeing the love of her life, she was too ecstatic.

The two called out to each other and then embraced tightly, kissing like the world was about to end and that moment was the last time they had with each other.

"I missed you so much!" He whispered, and she also felt the same. Seeing Roman brought back the piece of herself that she thought she had lost.

Roman pulled her down, and Geneva clung to him. He had come there day after with the assurance that she would be there. Roman just had to have that trust for he had nothing else. Over time, he had started dressing like the men around that time so when Alex stumbled upon this scene, everything made sense.

Geneva was laughing and chatting with the man like he had never seen her do. She was like a different person then... more alive and in sync with nature. The Geneva he had seen and met was very different from the one with the man.

Alex’s heart hurt, but he did not want to give up on this love. So, instead of leaving, he confronted them.

He walked out of under the foliage and demanded,

"What is going on here, Geneva, and who is this man?"

Geneva gasped and stood up with one hand on her chest and the other clasping Roman’s hand. After a moment of composing herself, she looked Alex in the eyes.

"Sorry that you had to see this, but this is my boyfriend, Roman. We have promised ourselves to each other and. I have already told my parents to break off the engagement!"

Both Alex and Geneva never saw that Roman was overly composed and not startled. It was as if her had known that they had company.

"Break off the engagement? What!"

Alex could not understand and was not willing to let that happen but seeing how loving and happy the two were, he could not bring himself to intervene. How could he when she looked so happy.

Alex clenched his teeth tightly, trying to avoid any confrontation. At that time, he only blamed himself for not marrying her faster and losing her to another man. He could only swallow his grievances.

Alex took one last look at Geneva and the man called Roman and then left, willing himself not to cry for a man never cried!! That was what he had been raised to believe... But why did it hurt so bad?!

Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^

Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~