Chapter 43: flowers

Lucian stared at Avey, genuinely baffled. "Flowers… for me?" he asked, the confusion clear in his voice. His eyebrows furrowed in disbelief as he glanced at the bouquet in her hands. Why is she giving me flowers? he thought. It's not my birthday…He quickly slid his hand into his pocket, pulling out his phone to double-check the date. Nope, definitely not my birthday. So then… why?

Meanwhile, the crowd watching this interaction couldn't help but put their hands on their foreheads, collectively groaning at how oblivious Lucian seemed to be.

"This guy… and they say he's the Romeo of our generation?" one junior whispered to his senior, who was also shaking his head, his lips twitching as he tried not to laugh.

"No way!" Another girl from the crowd chimed in, holding her face in her hands. "How can someone so cute be so clueless?"

A slight blush crept up her cheeks as she continued to watch, utterly captivated by the scene playing out before her.

"Finally, Lucian's dream is coming true," someone else in the crowd muttered, releasing a deep sigh of relief as if they'd been waiting for this moment for ages.

Among the crowd stood another girl, strikingly beautiful, almost on par with Avey. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back, and she wore a stylish blue top with jeans. She watched the interaction with narrowed eyes, her expression torn between conflicting emotions. She felt an odd mix of happiness for Lucian and an unexpected pang of sadness, something she couldn't quite understand herself.

As Avey processed Lucian's genuine confusion about the flowers, a small chuckle escaped her lips. Flowers… for what? She glanced down at the bouquet in her hands, then back at Lucian's face, his bewilderment almost endearing. He really doesn't get it, does he?

Avey felt a slight ache in her heart, but at the same time, a small smile crept onto her face. I never knew my Lucian was this adorable. The chuckle that escaped her lips was soft, filled with the warmth of long-lost affection.

Lucian narrowed his eyes, his suspicion growing. What's that laugh for? he thought, his mind immediately jumping to the worst conclusion. Is she trying to humiliate me again? What kind of game is this?

Avey, now standing right in front of him, glanced around nervously. Her heart pounded as she noticed the crowd gathered, all eyes on them, waiting for what would happen next.

So many people… She felt her face growing hot with embarrassment. It was one thing to confess in private, but doing it in front of everyone like this was overwhelming. Is this how Lucian felt all those times when he proposed to me in front of everyone? Her face flushed deeper, realizing the courage it must've taken for him to do it so many times, despite the crowd.

But Avey took a deep breath, steeling her resolve. For my Lucian, I don't care. I'll do whatever it takes.

Without warning, she dropped down onto one knee, the crowd gasping audibly at her sudden movement. She held the bouquet out toward Lucian, her eyes filled with determination and vulnerability.

Lucian's breath caught in his throat. Wait… what the hell is she doing? His mind was racing. Is she… no way.

"Will you go out with me, my Lucian?" Avey asked, her voice trembling but strong. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, her hands shaking slightly as she offered him the flowers.

Lucian was frozen, completely thrown off guard. Is this… for real? His heart was beating wildly, his mind trying to keep up with what was happening.

"I know I've done so much wrong," Avey continued, her voice breaking slightly as tears slipped down her cheeks. "I rejected you in the worst way possible, over and over again. I don't know why, and I don't know what was wrong with me back then, but I've realized it now. I was so blind to your love, to everything you did for me. I understand now… I see everything clearly."

The crowd was dead silent, hanging on her every word.

"Please, Lucian," she pleaded, her voice thick with emotion. "Give me another chance. I don't want to lose you again. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I don't understand why I ever rejected you, but I swear I'm different now. I'll never take you for granted again."

Lucian stood there, stunned, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. His gaze shifted from the flowers to Avey's tear-streaked face. Her eyes were filled with so much sincerity, so much desperation, it almost made him want to believe her. Almost.

But then the memories came flooding back years of rejection, humiliation, and heartache. He remembered all the times he had stood in front of her, offering her everything, only to be shot down, not just in private, but in front of crowds like this one. How could he forget the way she had treated him, the way she'd looked at him like he was nothing?

Lucian stared at Avey, his eyes wide and his heart pounding. What is happening right now? The surreal nature of the moment hit him like a wave, leaving him completely off balance. Avey… proposing to me? After everything?

His gaze dropped to her trembling hands holding the bouquet out to him, and then back to her eyes, filled with wetness, gentleness, and something else was it hope? This is the same girl who rejected me over and over again… how could this be real? Sёarch* The nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Lucian's mind raced, searching for answers that didn't seem to exist. Is this some sort of parallel universe? Did I not just come back in time, but land in an alternate reality? What is going on? His breathing became shallow, and the sound of his own heart was deafening in his ears.

"Max, explain this to me," Lucian whispered inside his mind, his voice tinged with desperation. This can't be real.

[Nothing is wrong, host. It's simply the result of you acting differently than you did in your past life.]

Acting differently? Lucian scoffed inwardly, his disbelief still strong. So, in just two days, things have changed this much? How did I not know that all it took to get Avey on her knees, proposing to me, was to stop chasing her? If you'd told me that in the last life, I could've saved myself years of heartache!

His mind kept spinning. But what if… What if Avey also came back in time, like me? Or maybe…

[No, host. No one else has regressed. The system's influence is strictly limited to you. Whatever changes are occurring are a natural result of your own actions.]

So this is real? Lucian thought, his gaze never leaving Avey's face, which was still full of expectancy. She's actually doing this? Proposing to me?

A wave of emotions crashed over him anger, confusion, nostalgia, even a flicker of the love he had buried so deeply. His fists clenched at his sides, trying to anchor himself in the storm of feelings raging inside him.

Avey remained on her knee, the bouquet shaking slightly in her hands as she waited for his response. Her heart was pounding so loudly she could hardly hear anything else. What if he says no? The thought terrified her. She'd always had Lucian wrapped around her finger, always knew that no matter how much she pushed him away, he would be there.

But now, for the first time, it felt like she was the one hanging on the edge, waiting for him.

The crowd around them was frozen, holding its collective breath, eyes wide as they watched the unbelievable scene play out before them.

"This… this can't be happening," Lucian murmured to himself. He looked at the students, some with their hands clasped, others whispering amongst themselves.

A group of girls, blushing and clutching their hearts, whispered excitedly to one another.

"Oh my god, this is just like a romance movie!" one girl exclaimed, stars in her eyes.

Lucian's hand instinctively raised toward the bouquet, almost by reflex, as if all the years he spent hoping for this very moment had taken over his body. But just before he touched the flowers, he stopped. His hand hung there, frozen in midair, trembling slightly.

His mind raced with memories memories of rejection, of heartbreak, of the countless times he had stood before Avey, offering her everything, only to be cast aside.

His heart screamed at him to take the flowers, to forgive, to finally have the one thing he had always wanted. But his mind his mind was stronger now. No. He had made a commitment to himself in his past life, before it all ended, to never go down this road again. To never beg for love from those who had repeatedly broken him. I can't… not again.

Avey's hands shook as she held the bouquet out toward him, her eyes brimming with hope and desperation. She could see the conflict in his eyes, the way his emotions seemed to swirl like a storm inside him. For a brief moment, she thought he was going to take the flowers, to accept her apology and her love. But then, just as quickly, his hand withdrew.

Lucian let out a deep breath, filled with a lifetime of sorrow, pain, and bitterness. He didn't take the flowers. Instead, he slowly extended both hands and gently placed them on Avey's trembling shoulders, his touch soft but firm. He could feel her body tense beneath his fingers, her breath hitching as the realization dawned on her.

Avey stood frozen, her heart pounding so hard she could barely breathe. Tears welled up in her eyes, the weight of what was happening crushing her. She had expected him to grab the flowers, to finally embrace her, to take her back like he always had. But instead, Lucian was distancing himself.

When he gently made her stand up, there was no anger in his touch, but the tenderness was not one of acceptance it was a silent goodbye.

Her tears, now freely streaming down her face, blurred her vision as she looked into his eyes, searching for any trace of hope. But all she saw was a man who had once loved her with everything he had, and now… he was letting her go.

"Lucian…" she whispered, her voice breaking, the bouquet shaking in her hands. "Please... I'm sorry. I didn't know… I didn't know how much I was hurting you."

Lucian's eyes softened for a moment, but they remained distant, locked in a battle between the past and the present. "Avey…" his voice was calm, but there was a deep sadness to it, like a person who had given up on something they once cherished.

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hey guys thanks for all your support and love.

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today i was in so bad mood that didn't even wanted to write but sighhhh...i won't stop this novel until its completed

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