Chapter 199 Head over heels
He hadn’t expected her to find him handsome in the midst of everything.
Come to think of it, how could a man who’s so devoted to protecting his girlfriend not be handsome?
Maybe this little white rabbit in front of him was already head over heels for him? She would definitely marry him now.
He curved his lips slightly, cupping the girl’s head in his large hand and running his fingers through her soft hair. “What happened just now? Was she really bullying you?”
Alana shook her head. “No, I wasn’t bullied.”
Stephan frowned and pressed further, “What’s your relationship with her? Why would she do that to you...”
Alana explained, “We were classmates in middle school. We had some personal issues. But don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”
Stephan chuckled. She really didn’t want to bother him at all.
“If you can’t handle it, just tell your boyfriend. I’ll take care of it for you.”
Alana asked curiously, “How do you plan to help me? Like just now, by beating her up?”
Stephan raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with that? Are you not satisfied with how I handled it?”
Alana hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I’m satisfied that you didn’t even lay a finger on her, yet you scared her off right away.”
Stephan gave a forced smile, “Are you indirectly saying I’m scary?”
“No, I’m complimenting you. You intimidated her without even lifting a finger, that’s so impressive and awesome!”
Stephan snorted with a laugh, reaching out to pinch her cheek. “Next time you get bullied, just drop your boyfriend’s name. That’ll really scare them off.”
Alana couldn’t help but chuckle. This man actually had a sense of humor.
She played along, replying, “Okay, okay, I get it!”
Stephan curved his lips, as if a thought had occurred to him. He lowered his gaze and took her right hand.
Seeing the girl’s bright red palm, he frowned. A pang of heartache welled up inside him.
“You little girl, you have no idea how careful you need to be, your palm is all swollen.”
Her skin was naturally delicate; even a slight touch from him usually left a mark.
That slap just now was so hard that the palm of her hand was completely red and swollen.
Alana saw him frown and asked cautiously, “What’s wrong?”
Stephan gently stroked her tender palm, his deep voice tinged with concern. “Does it hurt?”
Enveloped by his warm, large hand, Alana’s heart fluttered slightly. She blinked her beautiful, moist eyes. “Hmm?”
Stephan lifted his head and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Your hand...does it hurt?”
Alana paused for a moment before realizing what he meant. She shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“From now on, don’t resort to violence so easily. Otherwise, seeing you suffer the consequences will break my heart. If anyone needs to use their hands, I’ll handle it.” He lowered his head and gently blew on the palm of her hand.
The warm breath enveloped her palm, traveling along the lines of her skin all the way to her heart.
It wasn’t just a warm feeling in her heart, it was sweet, too.
Alana felt a warm glow inside; the corners of her mouth turned up, and her voice was
soft and gentle. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”
Stephan curved his lips, reached out, and affectionately ruffled her soft cheek.
Suddenly, Alana realized something, and her eyelid twitched violently. “Oh no, I’m
going to be late! I have to go clock in at the office now!”
With that, she started to run toward the company entrance.
But Stephan pulled her back, slipping the thermos into her arms as he did so.
“Don’t forget to take this!”
“Oh, oh, oh, right, right, thank you.” Alana clutched the thermos tightly and hurried away.
Stephan watched her dainty figure run into the company building until she disappeared from view.
A smile played around his eyes. “Little white rabbit, so clumsy...”
He paused, then looked in the direction Camila had left. The tender smile in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold stare.
What kind of personal grudge does that woman have against Alana?!
**************
As soon as Camila got home, she rushed to tell Cole what had happened. She clutched her badly swollen face, weeping uncontrollably,
“Brother! I just went to see Alana, and she slapped me in the face! She actually dared to slap my face! You have to go avenge me!”
Cole’s facial injuries hadn’t fully healed yet. He’d planned to rest at home for another day, but upon hearing Camila’s outcry, he couldn’t sit still any longer.
He walked over to Camila and stared at her, asking, “Why did you go to her? Who told you to go see her alone? Did you go warn her about something again? Lana isn’t the kind of woman who hits people for no reason. You must have provoked her again!”
Camila was both shocked and furious.
“Cole, you’re my own brother! Why are you siding with her? My face is all swollen up by Alana, and instead of checking on me right away, you’re taking her side?nWho exactly is your real sister?”
Cole said in a deep voice, “I stand by what’s right, not by family ties. I know your
temperament inside and out! Tell me, what exactly did you go to Lana for?”
Camila pouted angrily. “I didn’t say anything. I just told her to behave herself and stop bothering you.”
Cole had guessed as much. He furrowed his brow in exasperation. “Cami, how many times do I have to tell you? She isn’t the one pursuing me, it’s me who wants to get back together with her. That’s why I went to such lengths to find her and reach out to her! If anyone’s been pestering anybody, it’s me!”
“Don’t always shift the blame onto Lana, she hasn’t done anything wrong!
Camila was deeply unconvinced. “Brother, I don’t get it. You have all kinds of women around you. Why are you so obsessed with her? What’s so great about a woman like Lana? Her background doesn’t match yours at all, she’s just a pretty face, nothing more! Even while you two were supposedly dating, you also dated at least ten girlfriends over the years so I thought you two weren’t anything serious? Were all those women really no match for you?”
Yeah. When Alana thought she was in a “relationship” with Cole, he was never faithful to begin with. He only saw and hung out with her once in a while. He had dated several other women over the years.
He had felt that his feelings for Alana were nothing more than a passing infatuation; he hadn’t invested any real emotion in her.
But he was furious that Alana had suddenly blocked and deleted his number, she didn’t even try to fight for him when she found out about Sophia.
No woman had ever been as ruthless and heartless toward him as Alana.
For the first time, he started to feel that she was more important in his heart than any of the women he had ever being with.
And soon, he realized Sophia wasn’t the right woman for him at all. In fact, no other woman came close to the way Alana cared about him.
No other woman would willingly endure the pain of cold hands in winter just to knit him a scarf. Just because he said he liked wearing a scarf she’d knit herself.
Yet once she finished it and gave it to him, he never wore it even once.
Once, he was nearly hit by a car and scraped his knee. Alana ran to the temple and personally obtained a "Blessing of Safety" for him, saying it would protect him and keep him safe and healthy.
She gave it to him, but he never wore it either. Oh, and the sandalwood prayer beads on his wrist.
He had heard that Alana had climbed the 9,990 steps of a temple specifically to obtain it as a birthday gift for him.
It took her almost a whole day, and her heels and legs ached for days on end.
He didn’t know any of this; he found out from some of Lana’s close friends.
And he never wore them either; they were just left lying around in some corner of the house. Before, he’d looked down on the gifts she gave him as cheap.
But when he thought about it, how many women would go to such lengths for him?
The gift might have been cheap, but the sentiment behind it was precious.
But he realized it too late.
Still, it’s not too late to do something about it. He’d win her back.
Cole said earnestly, “Alana is different from all those other women.”