Chapter 70: Chapter 70

"Wow. It's look like I am on the golden garden!" The flowers was so beautiful, shining so brightly because it reflecting the moonlight. Cecilia's cant let her eyes but fixated on it.

Then she turned to the man next to her, "If you didn't take me to Hagrav, maybe I will never see this. Thank you."

Max saw her without saying a word. Cecilia always effortlessly, succeed took his breath away.

He is a mighty man from powerful guild. But in front of her, he's just a lovesick teen-boy.

At the same point, this feeling start to hurting him. Why did Cecilia fail to see him as a decent man?

Cecilia noticed his disappointment and mistakenly though that he must be wanted to see this beautiful scenery with his lover.

Something creeping in her heart as if his sadness was her, too. She wants to stay by his side.

But, it feels so wrong to love a man who loves another woman. No matter what, she will not include in his future. Today, they will be parting ways.

She wants to let him know about her feeling, but it will burden him.

Might as well, it will make their relationship became awkward, or for the worse, he will go away and unreachable.

But, if she stays still, this feeling became hard for her to bear.

What a selfish woman I am for wanting a man who belongs to someone else, she thought.

"Chili?" Max's voice feel so soft. She can help but wonder if he used the same voice to his lover. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." She said it in faintly voice. She wants to stand up and walked away, but she has no strength left.

"Chilly?" Max's voice now sound as sweet as honey. Why did he call her like this and make her feeling special?

"No, don't. Don't call me like that!" Cecilia snapped and she is surprised by her courage.

Max's eyebrow raised, "What's the matter? It's unlike you to irritated into small things."

Cecilia frowned. She really wants him as a part of her daily activities. Seeing his smile and calling her name every day. Just a thought about it, make her suffer.

"Gee, why are you crying? Is this became so emotionally to you?"

Max wiped out her tears with a white handkerchief. His gentle touch makes her weeping louder.

Then, Bai Lin's voice creeping in her mind. [Be brave, or you will lose the most precious one.]

"I love you," She said in the middle of her cry. "I'm sorry. I know… this is wrong. I don't deserve… you. Furthermore, I'm... sorry."

Max's heart stop beating when he heard that. What the hell is happening?

"Ch, Chili… Are… you--"

Cecilia wiped the tears with her hands and exhale heavily, "I know. I'm sorry for my incapability to control my feeling."

Max gulped and found nothing to say. It feels like a dream for him. Loving back by his dream girl? A late realization came back in his sensed, so he is not rejected by her…

"I should go. It is already late. See you."

Max blinked twice, "Wait! Chilly, did you remember your promises that I can take my day off to date with my beloved woman?"

Something ached her heart when hear 'my beloved woman'. As if, he wants to rub a salt in her wounded heart.

She turned her body and refused to let him saw her face. "Our contract was end. So, you can do whatever you want."

"Then, can you… you… Go out with me?"

Suddenly, an unknown rage creeping her heart. Just how much pain she has to bear just to love him?

Cecilia doesn't need a pity. And why do Max keep playing her heart like this? "IT IS ENOUGH, MAX! I SWEAR, IF YOU JUST--,"

She can't continue her word when Max kneeled and showing her a small red box with a ring inside.

It is a silver ring with red ruby shaped like chili.

Cecilia stunned and unable to breathe when she heard he said, "Do you want to have an official relationship with me?"

Max smiled faintly and approached her when saw that Cecilia is weeping again, "People will think that I am a bad man to make you cry."

But, when he tried to wipe the tears, Cecilia hugs him tightly. Burying her face in his chest.

Max wrap her into his arms and let out a sigh of relief. Even in his wildest dream, there is nothing more perfect than this.

"I love you, Cecilia Margaretha Lancia. For the first time we met, I can't take my eyes of you. Thank you for letting me in to your life."

He kissed top of her head and Max can smell a wild rose scent from her hair.

By the time Cecilia let go from his embrace, she has no courage to see his face. Cecilia asked faintly she looked down to the ground, "Ha, handkerchief… please."

Max tilted his head, "Hmm, I can't hear you."

"Give me the handkerchief. Now."

"My lovely Cecilia, that was not the right way to talk with your fiancé."

Hearing that, her face got reddened. Fiancé? What a precious word to hear. Undescribable happiness flooded in her heart.

But, she can't let it show. She can't embarrassed herself more than this. So, she tried her best to be as cold as she can."Handkerchief."

But her fiancé giggling so hard, "You are so cute! Okay, this is your handkerchief."

In her surprise, Max turned to be a prankster by take her waist and put the ring to her left ring-finger.

Cecilia gasped when she noticed Hangul alphabets on it surface. Her name was engraved in it.

"Do you like it? I asked that Bridgerton boy to write it down for me."

She frowned."Max, he is older than you. Please be respectful. Besides, when did you prepare this ring?"

He sneered, but his arms wrapped around her waist, "Did you remember when you are sleeping on the guild's office? That's when I took this ring.

Honestly, I was going to confess to you tomorrow, Chili. But, I forget that you are always surprise me."

Suddenly, Cecilia feel nervous, "I thought we never meet anymore and, and, I thought you are in love with someone else."

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway." He said while hugging her tightly. "What's more important is you in my arms now."

She nodded and burying her face to his embrace. Unable to say anything. If it was a dream, Cecilia choose not to be awake.

But, still, sometimes reality can be more dazzling than her dream.

"Chili?"

"Hm?"

"Please grow up quickly. Too bad, we can't marry before you reached sixteen."

Cecilia glad he can't see her blushed red. Something warm flooded in her heart.

"Just one year. Please bear with it." She whispered it.

"Hm-hmm. Do you like children? Which one do you prefer, a daughter or son? Actually, I want a dozen of them."

"Max!" She flinched and pinched his left cheek. "What are you saying?"

"Ouch! Why are you doing this to your fiancé? I'm just asking."

She wrinkled her forehead, "You can't say something like that!"

He smiled widely before he said, "Oh, no. This is bad. You still look beautiful even when angry. Please wear this."

He took off his crow mask and put it on, stunned, Cecilia. It was the first time for her sober self to see it. Yet, her reaction was the same.

She moved her hand to his face, slowly touch his smooth skin.

Max close his eyes and let her doing that, "I never thought that you are this beautiful, Max."

He smiled and kissed her palm, "You are too humble. Look, even this mask failed to conceal your beauty."

She laughs so hard and this time, she only sensed a pure sincerity from his word.

Then Cecilia talked something in Hangugeo,"[You are the apple of my eye.]"