When she turned her face to look at him, Gideon caught his breath at the way those eyes stared at him. He had left her again without a word, so realistically, she should be furious with him right now. She should be telling, or even yelling at him that she no longer wanted to see him again. She should be shouting at him how much she hated him right at this moment. However… her eyes seemed to be glittering as though she was just so glad he had come back to her. Her initially dulled and lifeless eyes looked so much more alive now instead at the sight of him. It was as if her ultimate wish had just came true. 

His jaws worked and his fists clenched for a moment when he saw such raw emotions flowing out from those expressive blue eyes of hers. He could not deny he was crazily flattered at her welcome of him no matter what he did. But he shook himself out of that state and composed himself before silently letting out the breath he did not realise he was holding and approached her with measured steps. 

"Your back… are you alright now?" her sweet voice echoed out and floated into his ears, a sweet and honeyed melody that soothed his troubled soul. He just felt as though he had heard a mystical music that had given him instant goosebumps. 

"Don't move." He gave her the order when she attempted to leave the bed. "I came back to replace the bandages I removed." 

Gideon squatted down, not meeting her gaze as he took her feet in his hand. Though this was not the first time he was doing this, he still could not help but marvel at how small and dainty her foot looked to be when held in his own large hands. 

Vera just stared at him without saying anything. But it was as though she had somehow already felt that he came back this time to tell her some bad news, and her eyes became incredibly sad and a wealth of hurt shone out of those blue orbs as she fixed her gaze onto his perfect face. 

"After this…" Gideon started as he continued wrapping her feet ever so gently. "I'll be sending you away. You can go wherever you want and with whoever you want… with the exception of myself." He finally lifted his face and met her gaze head on. The sight of her expression made his heart skip a beat and paused but he gathered his resolve and swallowed before he continued speaking, reaching out to touch her face. 

And Vera just teared up, so silently, just staring at him longingly while her quiet tears flowed down her cheeks as twin streams before dampening the front of her nightgown. 

"W-why?" she choked out. She could feel her throat tightening as it burned due to her holding back her tears. She should not cry before this man over this issue. She had known that there was someone important to him that he kept within his heart. So why was she behaving this way? But she could not help herself from wanting to find out more about it. "Is it because… of her? It is her… right? Because you can't bring yourself to forget her?" Vera's choked voice cracked at the end.

Gideon's eyes widened at her words and Vera's heart shuddered as her mind just registered what she had just said. Was he going to get angry at her again? Would he storm out in a fit of suppressed anger again? Did she accidentally signed her own death warrant now that she had inadvertently mentioned his love in this situation? 

But contrary to what she had feared, he did not blaze out in anger. His brows just creased for a moment before smoothening out again and his darkened visage cleared off as if a storm had just been blown off by a strong westerly wind. He opened his mouth as if to retort but for some reason, something made him hold back and stay his tongue from spouting those words. Then he looked away from Vera without saying anything, just shaking his head lightly.

Seeing that he was not planning to say anything further on the matter and that what she had just uttered did not ignite his rage, Vera tentatively reached out her pale hands to him and he stiffened the moment her delicate fingers brushed against his taut jaw. 

"I…" Vera stammered. "It's okay even if you can't bring yourself to love me. I am not asking for much… I just want to… I mean, just let me… let me stay with you. I am not asking you to forget her. I never will ask that of you. I can promise you that." She looked at him with an earnest stare as she picked up her hand and laid it over her heart as a solemn oath that she is swearing her promise to him.

Again, Gideon's electric blue orbs stretched even wider as his gaze flew back to her face. He looked at her in disbelief now, his mouth hanging slightly open, utterly speechless at the extent this lady with the fiery hair would go to. He went silent for a moment, thinking if he should consider her proposal. But the very next second, he internally jerked and chided himself on even allowing the thought to cross his mind at all. Did he not swear to himself earlier that he would not involve her in his plans any longer? Did he not say he needed to stay away from her as she would be detrimental to the success of his plans being carried out? 

From this, he could see how easily he was being swayed by her words and thoughts. Even when he was shielding himself so hard, he still got swayed by her momentarily. Thus, he stood and turned his back from her for a moment. 

From this one experience, he could see how 'dangerous' this little lady was to him. Just some words here and there, and he was already wavering even when he had put up his ultimate guard.

[2/8]

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