Avery, determined to cover for her annoying cousin's attempt to blow off their plans, kept telling the workers they were good friends, helping Evelyn for the big day. But the way Zevian's eyes followed Evelyn as she stood on the small dais, his icy demeanor softening instantly to one of admiration, left the workers suspicious.
"Wow! This looks perfect," Avery mused, admiring the gown Evelyn wore—the very one Zevian had pointed out earlier. "You have good taste," she praised Zevian, sitting beside her. His puppy-like smile and twinkling eyes made her shake her head. Only her best friend could evoke such reactions from this iceberg.
Evelyn couldn't help but smile at her reflection in the mirror. The off-shoulder gown fit her perfectly. She stole a glance in Zevian's direction, appreciating his suggestion with a small smile.
"Now that the gown is finalized, why don't we go have lunch, Mr. Reign?" Vincent's voice interrupted her thoughts. Evelyn scoffed, shaking her head at his blatant attempt to get Zevian's attention. It gave her a strange satisfaction, recalling the months she had spent yearning for his attention and love while he was busy caring for poor Annabelle. Karma was indeed a twisted thing.
"We have no interest in having lunch with you, Mr. Blake," Avery retorted, glaring at Annabelle beside him. "Especially not with someone who has taken everything from my best friend. So, stop trying to lick my cousin's boots and get out of here."
Vincent's smile faded, his jaw clenched as the staff stifled their laughs. He had never liked Evelyn's so-called best friend and now even more so, not just for disrespecting him but also Annabelle. He shot a glare at Evelyn, hoping she would at least take her sister's side. But all he got was a blank stare.
"Let's go, Anna," Vincent said, grabbing Annabelle's hand. She winced in pain while trying to get up. Concern overtook Vincent's anger, and without a second thought, he lifted Annabelle in his arms and walked out, surprising everyone.
Avery watched them leave, shaking her head. "I pity Blake's future," she muttered. "Elder Edmund built his company with sweat and tears, and if it falls into his gullible grandson's hands, bankruptcy is inevitable."
"Can you get me a first aid kit?" Evelyn asked a staff member as she took off the gown. The lady nodded and exited the room.
As Evelyn emerged from the changing room, Avery linked arms with her, beaming. "You looked smoking hot, babe!" she exclaimed, making Evelyn chuckle at her friend's effusive praise.
"Miss, here you go," the staff member interrupted, handing the first aid kit to Evelyn. She accepted it with a thank you and then passed it to Avery, eyeing Zevian, who was sitting on the couch, engrossed in his phone.
Avery blinked in confusion before understanding Evelyn's intention. She had been so excited about seeing Evelyn in a wedding gown that she had almost forgotten her cousin was hurt.
An idea struck Avery, and she shoved the kit back into Evelyn's hands. "You should treat him! I'll go settle the bill." Seeing Evelyn's face pale, she quickly added, "He got hurt while saving you, Evy. It only makes sense for you to help him out."
Despite her fears of Zevian hurting Evelyn again, Avery knew no one could treat her better than him. Though they were only getting tied in a contract, she felt Zevian deserved a chance to grovel and win her heart again, understanding why he had betrayed Evelyn in the past.
"Go!" Avery gently pushed Evelyn toward Zevian's couch. With a smile, she quickly went to the manager and asked for a tour of the boutique, admiring its interior. The manager eagerly agreed, thrilled to host the CEO of the city's top interior design company. The other staff followed, leaving the room exclusively for the couple.
Hesitation was written all over Evelyn's face as she stood staring at her departing friend's back. Her gaze shifted to Zevian, who had moved to the French window to take a call. Taking a deep breath, she approached him, her heart pounding with each step.
Stopping a foot away from him, Evelyn cleared her throat, but since Zevian was wearing his AirPods, he didn't hear the soft murmur.
"Zev—" She hesitated, shaking her head at the inappropriateness of using his first name after nearly six years of silence. "Mr. Reign, you should treat your burns."
"Mr. Reign?"
Frustration mingled with her anxiety as she failed yet again. With no other option, Evelyn tentatively raised her hand and tugged at his coat sleeve.
Zevian turned around, his frown melting into surprise at the sight of her. His creased brows relaxed as his eyes traveled to her hand holding his sleeve. A subtle smile unknowingly spread across his face, finding her flustered expression cute.
"You should treat yourself," she mumbled, quickly releasing her and moving the box forward. From the way her heart was beating, she was certain this wouldn't end up well.
Zevian glanced past her to see Avery and the staff leaving the room. Assuming Avery's hand in this, he refused to let her cupid efforts go to waste.
"But I don't think I'll be able to reach it," he innocently murmured, forcing her to look up and meet his eyes. When he seemed genuinely concerned, Evelyn sighed and gestured for him to sit on the couch.
Zevian moved to the couch and sat down, watching her with a mix of amusement and tenderness. Evelyn stood in front of him, her fingers trembling slightly as she placed down the first aid box and opened it.
Taking out the ointment for treating burns, she turned to him and her eyes widened at the sight of him taking off his shirt. Zevian's well-defined torso came into view, each muscle sculpted to perfection, making her gulp reflexively. From his Adam's apple down to his toned chest and defined abs, each feature stood out beneath his skin. Ah, it was impossible not to appreciate such a sexy sight!
Zevian then turned around to reveal a rather mesmerizing back, broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist. Her eyes then fell on the red marks below his neck, and that's when Evelyn realized she had been almost drooling at him. Heat crept through her cheeks, turning them the reddest shade of red.
Damn it! She was here to help, not admire his Greek-god-like physique! And this was exactly what she feared—falling for the thirst traps he always set for her, just like in the past.
Zevian smirked, fully aware of her weakness and successfully exploiting it. But as her fingers touched his bare skin, he found himself falling into his own trap.
As Evelyn applied the ointment, he cursed inwardly, the coolness contrasting sharply with the heat radiating from his skin. A slight shiver ran down his spine as she massaged it in, her touch delicate yet firm.
Luckily, his burns were minor, and Evelyn decided to finish quickly and escape. But when he winced, she worriedly leaned closer and blew gently on the sore spots, her warm breath almost causing him to suck in a breath.
Each touch stirred unspoken emotions, and he gritted his teeth. Zevian decided to distract himself by breaking the silence that heightened the tension between them.
"Did you like the gown?" Zevian asked, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Evelyn nodded hesitantly, her voice soft as she replied, "Yep, it's beautiful."
Her small smile lit up the large mirror in front of them, and Zevian couldn't resist teasing her. "Nah, not more than you," he said softly, his words causing her heart to skip a beat.
Ahhhh! Am I the only one squealing while reading this chapter >.< If you liked it too, don't forget to throw some gifts, golden tickets, etc. It will boast me to write more fluffy sweet scenes ლ(╹◡╹ლ)
Evelyn's cheeks flushed red, butterflies fluttering in her stomach as their eyes locked in the mirror. Zevian's familiar teasing smirk and his almost pitch-black eyes twinkling with a mixture of admiration and something deeper made her heart beat erratically. Memories of their shared passion and love flooded back, overwhelming her senses.
Quickly, Evelyn averted her gaze, cursing herself and her treacherous heart that still seemed to hold a corner for him. She had thought she had completely moved on, that he wouldn't affect her anymore, yet one glance from him stirred emotions in her that even her ex-fiancé hadn't managed to evoke in the past few years.
She rapidly applied the ointment with as much care as she could muster, trying to ignore the electric tension between them and his eyes that seemed to be constantly on her.
"It-it's done," Evelyn stammered, quickly placing the cream tube back into the box and closing it. Without daring to look back at him, she rushed toward the large front doors.
A chuckle escaped Zevian's lips as he watched her flee like a startled rabbit. He missed this, and it made him realize how much he had missed her, despite acting like he had moved on. If only he hadn't made that mistake six years ago, they wouldn't be here, feeling awkward like strangers. And, she would have been safe, away from these schemes and sacrifices.
Avery, who was having tea with the manager, smiled as she saw Evelyn emerge from the room. Her flustered expression was all Avery needed to know her mission was successful. Considering the devil her cousin was, he had probably melted Evelyn's walls a little.
Walking over to Evelyn, Avery spoke as if unaware of what might have happened inside. "What should we have for lunch? Let's go to my favorite sushi restaurant!" she added excitedly, having missed eating there for more than two weeks because of her business trip.
Evelyn nodded with a smile, thinking it would be the perfect way to escape and also to discuss Mr. Igor's future projects.
"Drop us off at Nexus Street," Avery instructed her cousin as he walked out of the room. Zevian nodded, but his sulking expression didn't go unnoticed by Avery. It seemed he was a little sad about not spending more time with Evelyn, and she sighed aloud.
"God, do you always have to make me their cupid?!" Avery grumbled inwardly, walking out of the boutique recalling the good old college days when she had pulled crazy stunts to send them on dates.
"Oh shit! I had a very important meeting scheduled with Mr. Igor, and I forgot about it!" Avery murmured as they walked toward the gates. John, who had finished dealing with Nicholas and was waiting for his boss, quickly pulled the car in front of them seeing them exit the boutique.
"Let's go to the company then," Evelyn suggested, seeing it as a good opportunity to apologize to Mr. Igor for her absence during the trip.
"No, you can't!" Avery freaked, and when Evelyn frowned, she quickly added, "I mean, you must be tired from all the trials. You should rest up! Leave Mr. Igor to me, I'll take care of him."
"But—"
"I will use your car since it's urgent," Avery said to Zevian, cutting off her best friend. "Get another car and drop her off at my apartment. It's on the way to your company, anyway," she added, getting into his car.
Evelyn looked troubled, clearly not yet ready to be alone with him, but Avery didn't leave her a chance to even speak, demanding John to drive. John looked at his boss, and at Zevian's nod, he reluctantly started the engine.
"Make sure to have lunch together first," the cupid said, waving at them with a cheeky smile.
Zevian nodded in delight, making a mental note to give her a bonus later as the car rode away, leaving them alone on the street.
But his happiness was short-lived as Evelyn turned to him and said, "I'm going to take the subway. It's not far from here."
"Have a good day, Mr. Reign." Slightly bowing to him, Evelyn turned on her heels and walked in the opposite direction. As she took a curvy turn, she heaved a sigh of relief, thinking Zevian hadn't followed her.
But as if even the heavens were disappointed by her decision, they thundered loudly and it suddenly started to rain, the slow drizzle quickly turning into a heavy downpour.
"Shit!" Evelyn cursed under her breath for not bringing an umbrella, despite the weather forecast's warnings. Placing her hands over her head, she frantically looked around for some shelter, shivering as her white cotton shirt clung to her skin, offering little protection from the cold rain.
Suddenly, like a scene straight out of a romantic movie, a thick black coat appeared above her head. She turned to her right to see Zevian bending down to her height, covering both their heads with the coat, leaving just an inch of space between their faces.
He turned to her, their eyes locking once again, and it still had the same impact on her heart and mind, even though they had done it countless times today.
"There," Zevian pointed to a nearby building, pulling her back to reality. "Let's go." He ushered her forward, and they crossed the road to the other side of the street. Evelyn's cheeks almost turned red as their bodies brushed against each other, their faces so close she could hear his breathing.
Reaching the building, they stepped onto the tiles, sheltering under the small covered roofing. Zevian flicked his coat, shaking off the raindrops, and instead of taking it back, he placed it over her shoulders.
Evelyn's eyes widened, heat rising to her cheeks as he made sure she was properly covered. Once satisfied, he stood beside her and leaned against the wall, leaving her heart racing again.
But it didn't end just there. Zevian noticed that the roof wasn't big enough to completely shelter her, leaving half of her body exposed. He tentatively stepped in front of her, causing her breath to hitch again. She lowered her head and quickly moved back, her back pressing against the cold wall with only a few inches separating them.
Badam! Badam!
Evelyn could hear her heartbeat in her ears, the urge to run away intensifying. As she stood there, lost and troubled, her eyes noticed the raindrops soaking his white shirt, wetting the back she had just treated. Subconsciously, she clutched his shirt and pulled him closer, her action catching Zevian off guard. He placed his left hand on the wall for support, leaning into her gentle pull. A small smile spread across his lips as he saw her glancing at his back, concern evident in her eyes as she made sure it wasn't getting soaked.
Evelyn's gaze returned to his, her eyes slightly widened as she realized her own actions. She instantly let go of his shirt, her hands clenching into fists as they fell beside her. Her heartbeat only grew wilder as his gentle gaze remained fixed on her, their close proximity and that damn familiar intimacy flooding her with memories of their bittersweet past.
It was these little gestures that had brought them closer in the past, the very reasons they had madly liked each other, even though they had barely dated for over a year. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine reliving these moments, in the same rain that had witnessed both their joy and their heartbreak.
"Didn't you love playing in the rain?" Zevian broke the electric silence between them, glancing at the downpour that once brought out the inner child in her. Evelyn used to jump into the streets, pulling him along and forcing him to dance with her.
"I don't like it anymore," Evelyn replied, a small pout gracing her lips, but she didn't dare to look up at him. The rain reminded her too much of him, so she had given up on it completely.
A small smile tugged at Zevian's lips, and he bent down so they were face to face. "Aww, seems like you have finally grown up." He teased, ruffling her hair like he did in the past.
Evelyn felt her entire body heating up as she looked at him, their faces so close that if she leaned in any closer, they would almost kiss. But along with the embarrassment, a kind of rage mixed in her veins.
The urge to pull him closer and bite his cheek the way she did whenever he teased her overtook all the awkwardness she had felt around him until now. But she held herself back, making a mental note to deal with him after their marriage. She would get many such opportunities to pay back, wouldn't she?
Yes, Eva! I will make sure to help you tease him in the future \^o^/ Please throw some gifts, golden tickets, etc if you like the progress. It will boast me to write steamy scenes in the future hehe~
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