Chapter 11
Keira cleaned her room. Then, she opened her suitcase and took out all her clothes to put them into the closet. Next, she unpacked her fragile items one by one and arranged them carefully.
When her room was finally set up to her liking, Keira felt a sense of satisfaction. After a long day, she washed up and went to bed.
That nap on the plane had been far from restful. So when she woke up again, it was already 2:00 pm..
As Keira glanced around her new room, it still felt unfamiliar. It took a moment for the reality to sink in–she had truly arrived in Ozalia.
It was February, so it was summer in Zedney right now. Keira put on a light, breezy summer dress and stepped out. This was unlike the polished, careful outfits she used to wear back in Comdria
She just wanted to enjoy the sunshine outside that day. She planned to eat at a restaurant first and then pick up some groceries on the way home.
Suddenly, her
I nose picked up the scent of something delicious that aroused her appetite. She instinctively followed the aroma to a restaurant.
She found that the eatery specialized in steak, so she ordered their signature dish. However, she asked them to remove the cheesy potato wedges.
When the steak was served, Keira eagerly took a bite and found the meat tender and flavorful. It was absolutely scrumptious. She was very satisfied with bermed
Just as she was about to settle her bill, she suddenly realized that she had left both her cash and her card in the pocket of another outfit. She had completely forgotten about it when changing into the dress!
Keira was caught in an awkward moment, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, a hand reached out with a card, followed by a voice offering to pay for both meals.
Startled, Keira’s eyes traveled from the outstretched hand to the person’s face. It was the man from the airport that morning.
It was only now that she got a clear look at his face. His bone structure was striking, with a well–defined brow ridge and nose bridge that balanced each other perfectly. Altogether, he carried an air of quiet aloofness.
Keira thanked him profusely and asked, “How can I pay you back?”
“It’s okay. I’ve got a cash card,” he replied, lifting the golden card in his hand as he spoke.
His fluent Comdrian caught Keira by surprise. Based on his features, he didn’t exactly look like someone who would speak the language.
However, the meal wasn’t cheap, so she was determined to pay him back
“That won’t do. I must repay you,” Keira blurted instinctively.
The man turned to look at her and said, “Then treat me to ice cream next time. I like the one from that shop right below the apartment building ”
Keira froze for a moment. That was when she realized that the figure she’d seen by the stairs earlier had indeed been him. So she hadn’t been mistaken,
after all.
“Okay, I’ll treat you to ice cream next time,”
Keira agreed
After he walked away, Keira realized that she had forgotten to ask for his name. She felt a little miffed at how scatterbrained she was after letting
for her meal an expensive one, no less.
someone else
Soon, Keira was back at her apartment. After retrieving her cash, she went out again to buy groceries and stocked her fridge. A fridge full of cooking ingredients instantly gave her a sense of security
Suddenly, her phone chained. Upon checking, she saw that it was an email from Kimberly with a few photos attached.
In the photos, she was wearing a wide mermaid style gown and smiling sweetly at the camera. Behind her stood Vincent, who was looking at her with deep affection. The two of them looked every bit the happy couple about to be married.
The remaining photos showed a diamond ring and a family portrait featuring them with Frank and Melinda.
Keira’s grip on the phone tightened slightly. She knew exactly what Kimberly’s intention was. The latter just wanted to show her that Vincent’s heart now belonged entirely to someone else
Beneath the photos were several paragraphs of taunting text.
“This is the wedding dress I finally close. Isn’t it beautiful? I liked another one better, but Vincent insisted that this one highlighted my figure mare. So, be bought them both! It was the same for the diamond ring, too. I told him it didn’t have to be this big since I won’t wear it much, but he insisted.
“We were going to invite you to the wedding, but Vincent didn’t want you there. He said he didn’t want to see you on such a joyful day. Mom and Dad also said your presence would jinx our wedding. So we all agreed not to invite you.
“Now that we’re about to get married, it’s time for you to let go. Whatever you and Vincent had in the past is no concern of mine. But from this day on, you had better remember that the one who gets to be by his side is me. Vincent is your brother–in–law and nothing else!”
As Keira read the words, she could almost hear Kimberly’s tone and picture the expression on her face.
She didn’t reply to the toessage. She simply closed the email in silence.
At that moment, she remembered how Vincent had once gently described her features, saying that her eyes must be beautiful.
She had asked what would happen if he didn’t think she was pretty when he finally saw her. Vincent had replied that no matter how she looked, she would always be the most beautiful in his eyes.
Vincent’s words had been so passionate and straightforward.
Keira had blushed after hearing them back then, imagining a future with him. Naively, she had even pictured them marrying and building a happy family.
Although she had long let go of Vincent, seeing those pictures still caused a slight ache in her heart.
But she knew that there was no point in dwelling on what was past. She would no longer hold on to any expectations.
