Chapter 15
After that day, Zayne would drop by Candace’s bakery every day.
Their relationship eventually progressed to the point where they could talk about anything and everything. They also grew closer to each other. One day, Zayne invited Candace to watch him play in a basketball tournament. When the match was over, Candace ran over to Zayne to hand him a bottle of water. He covered her eyes and said, “I have a surprise for you. Follow me.”
བ ཝ ཋ ཅཅ ཝཿ རྫ ཋིག
He guided her up a flight of stairs that seemed to go on forever. A long while passed before his deep voice reverberated in her ears. “You can open your
eyes now.”
When Candace peeled her eyes open, she was greeted with the stunning sight of countless butterflies dancing across the sky. She raised her hand and allowed a small butterfly to perch on her fingertip.
“Zayne, how did you manage to find so many butterflies in the middle of winter?”
“This is my butterfly sanctuary,” Zayne explained as he rested his hand on her shoulders. He made sure to emphasize the importance of his next words. ” I built this sanctuary just for you. We’ve been nurturing them for 14 years now.”
“That long?” Candace asked, surprised.
“Yes. It was from the first moment I saw you. I’ve had someone take care of them since.”
Zayne looked at her with passion blazing in his eyes. “Candace, our encounter all those years ago has been forever engraved in my heart. You’ve taken up permanent residence there for the past 14 years. Your existence has become a part of me that I can never erase.
“Can you give me a chance? Will you let me take care of you?”
Candace felt like she was melting under his heated gaze. She lowered her head and murmured, “I’m not ready to get into a new relationship yet. Can you give me more time?”
“Of course. I’m willing to wait for you, no matter how long it takes,” was Zayne’s response.
After his confession, Zayne would drop by Candace’s bakery to look for her at least three times a day. She soon realized that Zayne wasn’t just good at taking care of children, but he was also an expert when it came to running a business.
Candace’s bakery business began to improve drastically after she made some adjustments according to Zayne’s suggestions. It only took half a year for her bakery to gain a good reputation, becoming a famous establishment among the locals.
She eventually transformed her single bakery into a retail chain, opening two additional branches elsewhere.
Her eyes were crinkled into crescents as she counted the money that her business had raked in, feeling as if her hands might cramp from the sheer amount of cash before her,
“You’re amazing, Zayne. You managed to turn my bakery’s losses into profits. I want to repay you somehow. What would you like?”
“I want you to accompany me to our high school reunion that’s taking place the day after tomorrow.” Warmth and affection swirled in Zayne’s eyes. “Is that okay?”
“Of course!” Candace agreed easily.
The next day, Candace and Zayne boarded the plane that flew them back to the country.
During the high school reunion, Zayne and Candace became the hot topic of the night when they appeared together, with Candace locking arms with Zayne. The other guests surrounded them and chattered away.
“Has The Great Zayne found a replacement for his first love? Your date is the spitting image of Candace.”
“Her name is Aurelia Sinclair.” Zayne introduced Candace with a smile. “I’ll foot the bill for tonight’s reunion. Enjoy the food and drink, everyone!”
The atmosphere turned even more lively the moment the words left his mouth.
“Zayne had a one–sided crush on Candace for 14 years. It’s a pity he wasn’t able to confess his feelings before his beloved passed away, I guess the next best option was to find a replacement to soothe the pains of his yearning.”
“It was shocking how he got into a fight with Shawn over Candace. Shawn was punished, but Zayne was forced to transfer schools. Unfortunately, all the waiting he did was for naught. Anyone would shed tears just listening to his tragic story!”
“Zayne released butterflies for Candace for three whole years. He’s such a loyal and romantic man. Truth be told, I was rooting for them to be a couple, but Shawn snatched Candace from right under Zayne’s nose.”
Aurelia, Zayne has the riches, the looks, and is the heir of a prestigious family. Your future happiness is basically guaranteed if you stay by his side!”
Candace smiled in response.
Halfway through the banquet, Candace excused herself to use the restroom. When she exited the restroom, she bumped into Shawn in the hallway. He was wearing an icy expression.
