The man who was sitting there with a smirk on his face looked horrified. He had thought that she would get a shock but she was giving him the shock of his life.
He opened his mouth to say something but only sucked air and closed it. His face was looking pale.
"Should I recognize you?" she asked with a bewildered look on her face, "and pardon, but you should call me miss Thawyne. Only my family and friends call me by my first name." her tone was so cold and harsh that he flinched.
He stared at her face and then at the roses on his lap. Could it be that she had forgotten completely about him? Why and how?
"Evel.. I mean, lady Thawyne, did you have a head injury or something?" he stood up and his hands instinctively reached to her hair when she leaned her head back to avoid his touch.
His face turned red and he looked awkward as his hands stayed in the mid air for a few minutes before he finally took it back.
"I think you have some misunderstandings. I have never met you before as I have never left the empire. Since you are our guest, I will not mind your actions but I hope that you will behave appropriately from now on." she smirked in her heart as she noticed how his face was turning paler and paler.
He had never reciprocated her feelings and always told her to behave to stay within her limits.
Now it would serve him right! She would never accept that she was the one he was looking for.
"I shall ask the maid to escort you to the guest room. You are our guest. I will inform my brother as soon as he comes back." wiping her sweaty hands from her gown which were hidden under the table, she stood up to leave.
She was afraid that if she would stay here for long, she would not be able to hide her feelings.
Even now her hands were scratching to hug him and at the same time beat him for leaving her alone.
"But.. but..!" He stood up and tried to stop her but when she turned to stare at him with that cold look on her face, the words died in his mouth.
How could it be a misunderstanding? He had imagined her face every night all these months. He remembered how he used to stay there in the orchid area. How she used to bring food for him. How he had loved and cared for him.
He could have ready her love written all over her face but he always feigned ignorance. He was not sure how his father would react when he would go back since he had asked the side of the emperor to find him, capture him and send him back.
He was sure that he would never go back to his empire but he went.. Just for her.
If he wanted to accept her love, he had to be worth her. That was why, not only did he return, but he also apologized to his father, the emperor, to get his attention back on him.
Since then he left all his habits and did hard work to get the appreciation of his father while flattering his mother to create a soft corner in her heart.
With the good relationship between both empires, when he heard about the position of duke was transferred and a convoy was needed to be sent, he tried his best to gain the seat.
If only she knew how much hard work had he done to convince his father that he would learn a lot from this experience.
He took a deep sigh and ran a hand in his hair when he saw her standing up and leaving.
"What shall i do now so that you remember me, Evelyn?" his face turned full of longing when he continued to stare at the door like a love sick fool.
"Lord.. my lord! My lord!" he blinked and stared at the girl who had come to escort him and nodded his head.
"Shall I take you to your room? The lady asked me to make sure that you did not face any problem here." he looked at the girl with a helpless look on his face but then how could he give up after coming so far!
By hook or crook, he would remind her who he was! But if she still did not remember then he would make sure that she would fall in love with him once again so that she would never be able to leave him.
With that thought, he once again came back in high spirits and smiled.
"Actually, I need one favor from you."
"........."
Evelyn walked with hurried steps as her heart started to hammer hard around her ribcage. She felt like she would lose all her senses and her heart would leap out from her body.
Holding the edges of the rectangle table in the garden, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Her face turned redder when she recalled his face.
How handsome he was looking in that uniform only thinking about it she felt herself losing again.
Picking up the glass of water from the table, she drank all the contents in a single gulp only to realize later that it was not water.
"Oh my, i never knew that you like drinking wine so much. Shall I order another glass for you?" huh! Was she having an illusion since he had returned back. How could his mind still be stuck at his thoughts?
She did not turn as she knew that he was not there in reality.
Sitting on the table, she stared at the glass thinking why were there drinks in the garden when the maid came with another glass of drink and a few more snacks.
"My lady, this is the last remaining snack for tasting." Then she stared at the glass which was empty now.
"Oh my, how red are you looking? That made me want to kidnap you and take you with me."
"........"
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