Chapter 11

He actually made breakfast?

Evelyn froze, thinking her eyes might be playing tricks on her.

In her mind, Alexander was the kind of highborn young master who didn't even lift a finger in the kitchen.

Though he always did all sorts of things while chasing her, seeing him personally making breakfast was still... kind of surreal.

Feeling her gaze, Alexander turned around.

When he saw she was awake, his expression stayed calm—except for the faint blush crawling up his ears.

"You're up? Breakfast's almost ready."

Evelyn walked into the dining room, watching him place the food on the table with smooth, practiced movements.

She looked a little embarrassed and mumbled, "Thanks... I didn't expect you could cook."

Sitting down across from her, Alexander replied softly, "Yeah. You mentioned once you liked guys who can cook, so I learned."

A random comment she'd made ages ago, something about how men who cook were really attractive.

He remembered it. And now, finally, he had a chance to act on it.

That one simple sentence made her chest feel unusually warm.

She nibbled slowly on her food.

To her surprise, it actually tasted really good.

Throughout the meal, Alexander didn't speak much.

But his eyes kept drifting to her, silently watching her little habits while eating.

After they finished, Alexander dabbed the corner of his mouth and said, "I'll drive you home later."

Evelyn froze, still holding her cup.

A flicker of disappointment flashed across her face.

Alexander noticed, and his tone softened. "You've been gone a while. Your mom must be worried."

She understood what he meant.

Even if she didn't want to leave just yet, she nodded obediently. "Yeah, I get it."

She got up and went upstairs to give herself a quick tidy.

Alexander also headed to the bedroom and changed into a tailored charcoal suit.

By the time he was back at the door, Evelyn was just coming down the stairs.

His ears turned red again as he quickly looked away.

"The car's in the garage. Come on, Evelyn, let's go."

"Okay," she said softly, the corners of her lips curving slightly as she followed behind him.

...

The black Maybach rolled smoothly to a stop outside the Mitchell villa.

Engine off. Silence filled the air.

Evelyn twisted her fingers around the hem of her dress, a lump of reluctance stuck in her throat.

"Alex," she called softly.

When he turned toward her, she suddenly leaned over and hugged him.

Alexander tensed, clearly caught off guard by her sudden closeness.

"I meant what I said last night," she said, her eyes locked onto his.

"I'm going to try to like you—no, I'll work on loving you. Alexander."

"..."

No reply. He stayed silent.

But his hand on the steering wheel clenched slightly.

He wasn't sure if he could trust it. Was it really love, or just gratitude for what he did last night?

Seeing no response from him, Evelyn grew anxious.

Her chest tightened.

If words weren't enough...

Just as Alexander thought she was about to let go and get out of the car—

She lifted her head, took a deep breath, and quickly pressed her lips to his.

Soft. Cool. With a faint scent that was uniquely hers.

His eyes widened. Brain—completely blank.

Frozen in place, Alexander sat still as her kiss landed light as a feather.

Her courage only lasted that one moment.

As she started to pull away, cheeks flushed, Alexander snapped out of it.

Everything he'd been holding back came crashing to the surface.

He held the back of her neck, stopping her from pulling away.

The kiss deepened, intense and unreserved.

It carried all the bottled-up longing and unspoken affection he'd been hiding for who knows how long.

Their lips tangled, pressing closer, a silent battle of passion playing out between them.

His breath surrounded her—hot, commanding, and filled with an unmistakable possessiveness.

"Mm..." Evelyn let out a soft whimper, cheeks burning instantly.

As her mind cleared a little, reality kicked in—they were, after all, right outside her house.

She pressed a hand against Alexander's chest.

Only... he didn't budge.

So warm.

Evelyn's thoughts turned fuzzy, her head spinning.

That's when Alexander finally registered her resistance and reluctantly let her go.

Both of them were flushed and breathing heavily, eyes locked with a strange tension in the air.

Evelyn's heart was still hammering away like crazy.

She bit her slightly swollen lip, trying to act casual. "My promise still stands. No matter when.

"Whether or not you wanna say yes, Alexander, that's your call!"

With that, she didn't give him a chance to respond. Quick and awkward, she scrambled to open the car door and bolted for the house without so much as a backward glance.

Alexander stared at her retreating figure, frozen in place.

Not until she was completely out of sight did he finally slump back into his seat as if the last bit of strength had left him.

He brushed his fingers over his lips, still warm with her taste.

Then, covering his mouth with his hand, he let out a deep, helpless laugh.

...

The blush hadn't faded from Evelyn's face.

That kiss kept replaying vividly in her mind like a looping clip she couldn't shut off.

As soon as she stepped into the living room, she spotted her parents, Edward Mitchell and Vera, waiting on the couch.

The moment they saw her, their eyes were full of concern.

"Sweetheart, you're back,"

Vera stood up quickly, her gaze scanning Evelyn's face. "Did everything go okay at Alexander's last night?"

They'd heard from William that Evelyn had left with Alexander, and while Vera trusted the guy, she couldn't help but worry.

Seeing the genuine care in their eyes, Evelyn felt her nose sting. The guilt from her past life—where her foolishness had cost her parents everything—came crashing back.

She walked over, no longer the defiant daughter she used to be. Instead, she lowered her head sincerely.

"Dad, Mom," her voice trembled, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have pushed you away or believed outsiders so easily.

"I even said horrible things... just because of them..."

Edward and Vera were first shocked, but what followed was nothing but heartache.

Vera pulled her into a tight hug, her voice gentle. "Silly girl, how could we ever really be mad at you?"

Even Edward's normally serious face softened a little, and he spoke with rare warmth. "Evelyn, life teaches you lessons. What matters is you learn from them.

"As for Alexander, we've always known how he feels about you. The Mitchells and Grays go way back—we know his character. He's capable, and he truly cares about you.

"We're not here to control who you end up with, but we'll never just stand by and watch you get led astray either."

His words, so full of affirmation, eased some of the heaviness in Evelyn's heart.

But the thought of how things ended before, of what her parents had suffered because of her, still brought tears to her eyes.

She clung to her mom, buried in that familiar embrace, sobbing softly.

"There, there. Mom knows—you've grown up now," Vera whispered soothingly, stroking her back.

"If your heart's set on something, be brave enough to reach for it."

Edward added firmly, "A daughter of the Mitchell family doesn't need to hesitate or hold back."

Evelyn nodded hard, sniffling. "I got it, Dad."

Vera gave her a warm smile.

"Go for it, sweetheart. Don't miss your chance."