Chapter 354: I promise
As Roxanne made her way toward a familiar spot, Thea’s words kept echoing in her mind.
She would be lying if she said they hadn’t affected her.
Knowing Baldon, she dreaded the day he discovered where her heart now truly belonged.
She knew that, in a battle, Luke could easily defeat Baldon. At his current level, there was no one in the entire village who could truly challenge him.
But what frightened her was what would come after.
The people were loyal to Baldon, and they already held a deep fear or animosity toward Luke. If things ever came to that, Luke would be cornered and eventually forced to leave the village where he had grown up.
She didn’t want him to make any decision that might bring him pain.
Yet, at this point, it felt inevitable.
"What are you thinking so deeply about?"
"Ah!"
Roxanne startled as Luke suddenly appeared behind her and whispered into her ear.
She nearly tripped from the surprise, but Luke caught her by the waist and pulled her closer.
His warmth and familiar scent immediately eased the tension that had been building inside her. For a moment, she simply allowed herself to savor his embrace.
It had only been a day since they had last seen each other, yet somehow...
She had missed him terribly.
"You know, you only need to say the word, and you’ll never have to miss me again. We could always be together."
He whispered the words sweetly into her ear, his arms gently tightening around her waist. Roxanne’s lips curved into an unconscious smile.
She glanced at him before quietly saying, "Not now... Let’s settle this once those people leave."
Luke hummed in surprise.
"You sound rather sure about this now."
"I always was."
Luke shook his head.
"Until now, it’s always been me telling you that you belong to me. You never fully agreed, so I was a little worried."
Roxanne lowered her eyes.
"I’m sorry for being so indecisive. But now, I don’t need to hide my feelings anymore."
She turned toward him, her eyes meeting his.
"I always want to be with you, Luke. I can’t bear being called someone else’s anymore. My heart desires you, and I’m tired of lying to myself."
A smile spread across Luke’s face, the relief and happiness in his eyes impossible to hide.
He leaned closer and rested his forehead against hers.
"I’ve been dying to hear those words. Thank you for trusting me."
Roxanne slowly shook her head, her eyes closing as she leaned into him.
"Thank you for not giving up on me."
She had rejected his advances time and again, keeping her distance out of fear that they might be discovered and she would end up creating trouble for him.
The fear of society, the fear of how her mother would react, the countless consequences that awaited them... All of it had crowded her mind, leaving no room for her to truly understand what her heart had always wanted.
But after this incident, after she had nearly lost herself and come so close to death, everything had changed.
As her vision faded, the last face she had seen was his.
His eyes had been filled with desperation, pleading with her to return to him. And somehow, he had pulled her back.
How could a woman resist a love so pure that it had fought against death itself to bring her back?
Well, Roxanne was not an exception. And now, she has acknowledged that fact.
...
They soon sat beneath the tree, where Roxanne told Luke about the conversation she had with Thea before coming to meet him.
Luke was naturally flustered and embarrassed. He had never realized that Roxanne had heard them that morning. What was even more unsettling that he never told her about his relationship with Thea till Roxanne came forward and revealed it herself.
"I’m sorry, Roxanne," he said earnestly.
She simply shook her head, dismissing his apology.
But Luke persisted.
"No. Let me apologize properly. I know how much she has tormented you, and yet I still gave in to her temptation. I have no excuse for that. I’m beyond redemption for what I did."
Roxanne gave him a faint smile.
"I’m glad you’re honest about it. But trust me, it has hurt her more than anyone else. You stripped away her pride and left her completely exposed."
Her smile faded slightly.
"At least now she won’t do anything impulsive."
Luke exhaled softly. "Are you really fine with this? I mean..."
Roxanne stared ahead for a moment before speaking.
"I always knew I couldn’t have you all to myself. Not when you already have a family and a mate you love so deeply. That’s why, when I decided to follow you, I kept reminding myself of that. There would be others who would have your attention. There would be days when you might not even spend the night with me."
Luke lowered his voice.
"And?"
Roxanne looked back at him.
"But when I imagined not being able to see you, not hearing your voice..." She paused, her expression softening. "Suddenly, all those arguments disappeared. There was nothing left to weigh."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"The decision became very clear to me."
She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes.
"Just keep looking my way from time to time," she murmured. "Keep bringing me to places where we can be ourselves, and I’ll be content with my life. I won’t ask for anything more."
Luke felt his chest grow warm, his affection for her suddenly surging. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned back against the tree, holding her close.
"I promise, Roxanne. I’ll always be there for you. And if you ever feel neglected, don’t keep it to yourself. Come to me. Grab me and tell me yourself while looking straight into my eyes."
Roxanne giggled softly.
"I believe you’d like that."
Luke grinned.
"Won’t deny it."
~~~~
A/N:- Thanks for reading.