Chapter 220 - Choices

"Wh...What?"

"I have feelings for you...Czar." She murmured with a sad smile evident in her eyes, sounding quite tranquil.

For a moment, awestruck at her sincere confession Czar stood like a rock, gawking at her with his surged wide eyes. The rustling mild breeze was floating encircling them standing still while gazing into each other, and a few oak leaves dropped down on the ground. 

After a moment of anticipated silence between two fervent hearts, suddenly, his fixated gaze hardened as he scrunched his brows. Seeming a bit ruffled at her, he whispered coldly, "didn't I...forbade you from doing so?" 

"Yes." She averted her eyes down and nodded sincerely at his question. "But it was my choice. Before even realizing...I fell for you despite the danger signs..." Her husky pitch quavered a little. 

"And must I ask, why?" His cold stare stiffened further along with his tone sounding quite troubled. "Didn't we both agree earlier on budding a relationship with no strings attached? Hadn't I inform you about my insecurities regarding a commitment? Don't you know how badly...I am messed up from inside!?"

"Yes..."

"Yes? Despite knowing everything... you fell for a jerk like me? Woah...you are still not aware of my reputation as a Cassanova who used to hunt for new women just for the sake of my apathy...

Just because...I liked your presence and was a bit nice towards you... did you grow feelings towards me? Haha...Woah... I see... I had a little hope of you might be but sadly, you are no different from that of those vulnerable women I have met earlier..." Answering in a hostile tone while smirking with a frozen, sarcastic look prominent on his face he diverted his gaze away from her. 

"You are wrong." Apprehending his aloof response quietly until now, all of a sudden, she objected to him aloud seeming quite offended at his remark. Her eyes were darkened with a void of despair and rolling her eyes impatiently, she further proclaimed, "I didn't grow feelings towards you just because you were nice to me, Mr. Czar. If you are thinking of such a summing-up then you are terribly wrong!" 

"Then what possibly could be your reason?"

"Because you are badly broken from inside... Just like me..." Her dark brown squinted pupils were shimmering in tears as she halted her intense words for a second. 

"What?" Baffled at her response, he frowned his grimace impertinently, lifting his chin up to ogle at her. 

"I couldn't fell for someone all my life due to the wall I had built around myself for protecting me from getting hurt. But...when I watched you...understood you and spend my moments with you, I could realize that how poorly you have been wrecked inside but still manage to stay brave and firm before this harsh world. It made me curious about you...slowly my curiosity turned into fascination...

You...were the only one who broke the wall I had spent years making around me. At first... I thought it was just a mere attraction or a fleeting feeling with will swoon away with time but...no! It wasn't!

Watching you sad made me worried and anxious... Watching you looking at Eva with those compassionate eyes unknowingly started to ache my heart. I felt restless, guilt-stricken at those moments but...that's when I realized... that I have broken our deal and fell for you. I even fell for your dark sides before I hold myself back! I...I am sorry..." Slowly warm tears of hopelessness streamed down her pale cheeks as she replied to him fervently, sighing out heavily. 

Standing numb and jaw-dropped while peering at her with his wider, rolled gaze he couldn't utter a single word and stood absolutely still without moving an inch. The ambiance around them was turning out very intense as for a moment he even forgot to breathe in! The withered sunrays were on the verge of fading into the approaching darkness as the atmosphere was becoming quite murky. 

"Cl...Clara--"

"It's alright." Before his words could reach her out precisely, she interrupted him all of a sudden lifting her hand up indicating him to halt through her gesture. "I didn't confess to you expecting for an answer nor I wanted to pressurize you... I just wanted to be honest today from my heart forgetting every boundary encircling the two of us." 

Hearing her husky, shook pitch loud and clear amidst the rustling soft breeze, unknowingly his surged eyes were filled with tears. Looking at someone who was standing before him, sincere with her emotions and embracing his torn, shameful sides from deep inside her soul left him speechless for a while. Slowly, trying to hold himself firmly, he quivered out, "won't...won't you regret liking someone...twisted like me?" 

"I don't know the answer... Maybe time will tell whether I will regret loving you ever or not...but, I just don't want to abandon you.

If you ever reach your hand sincerely to me one day...I want to hold your every broken piece together. I will be looking at you with a possibly brightest smile waiting for both of us to grow and heal together because...we both are sick from inside. You came into my life as a hope and a reason I started to seek my own happiness, not only Eva's...

That's why...I want to wait for the day with the hope if someday...you could summon me sincerely from the deepest root of your heart. And if it never happens, I will consider it as our fate who forced us to part ways. It won't be your fault.

That's all I can say... I...will leave first. Take care...and thanks for spending a good day with me." Bowing her head tenderly before him, slowly, she started walking past him intending to leave first from the place leaving him back there. 

Standing alone behind as she left him slowly, he stayed absolutely numb, clenching his fist battling his inner turmoils. Involuntarily, tears started streaming down his pale cheeks, and biting his lower lips, he murmured on his own, "my heart aches... Why does it...feels...so helpless to let...her go...

Fuck..." 

...........

A giant black Rolls Royce car stopped right before the huge golden entrance gate of the Romano Mansion tossing out a heavy puff of smoke. The mansion guards seemed to rush towards the car hurriedly as if they were quite eager for its arrival. Swiftly, the car doors opened from both sides and wearing a dark chocolate shade sumptuous suite, Zeus first stepped out holding a majestic, elegant appearance adjusting his silver Rolex watch on his arm.

From the other side, dressed up perfectly in wine-colored silk, embroidered dignified short knee-length sleeveless gown, Eva stepped out of the car slowly followed after him. Her smooth, shimmering hair was gracefully permed into a loose bun supported with a gorgeous golden hairpin. Both of them were looking like a royal couple leaving the mansion guards in awe. 

Steadily Zeus walked closer to her and tenderly held her hand with a small smile on his face. From her expression, she seemed a bit nervous, but trying hard to stay all composed. 

"Eva, are you alright? Are you still intending to head inside? Do you wanna have some more time to think about your choice?" He sounded concerned about her. 

"I am, completely fine Zeus. Don't worry about me. It is my choice and I am assured about it." She gripped his hand tighter, reciprocating back with a timid smile. 

.

"Welcome back... Master!!"

All the mansion guards lined up together and chanted it aloud, causing a sharp reverberation in the dusky atmosphere followed by the sunset. Glancing at them by shifting his gaze, he responded to them kindly, "are you all doing well?"

"Yes, Master! We all were waiting for your return... We were...very worried about you Master... Thank you, for coming back safely." One of the tall, masculine guards stepped a bit closer to him before replying in a warm, considerate note. Indeed from their pitch, they seemed very relieved to see him again. 

But soon after his greeting, their curious wider gaze shifted towards Eva distinctly. The smile they had on their faces started to fade away, occupied with a troublesome eloquence. All of them started to glance at each other's faces seeming a bit baffled and fretful. 

Evidently, Eva could anticipate the building confusion in their minds and seemed a bit more anxious, lowering her eyes down. Watching her getting perplexed, he groped her arm tighter before them answering out aloud, "I have an important announcement to make today. I want each one of you to follow us inside. And pass my command to our elder pack members to arrive here now." 

Announcing with a sharp declaration, he walked inside the mansion holding her hand tightly leaving them all confused behind. As soon as they headed inside the yard, one of them whispered looking very perplexed, "isn't she a human? Why is our Master taking a human inside our mansion?"