“It’s nothing. I should be doing this anyway.”
Susan’s lips twitched upward slightly.
At Rose Garden.
A myriad of colorful roses bloomed across the entire place. The scene was absolutely stunning.
Pointing at the rose trellises, the kids asked, “Mommy, do you remember this?”
“Mommy, we used to live here.”
“We stayed at the rear house while Daddy stayed in the main house!”
Nicole took in the beautifully designed courtyard. However, she did not feel a single speck of recognition. No memories came rushing at her.
As they continued to pester her, she smiled and shook her head wordlessly.
They sighed miserably at her response.
Evan had been following them at a distance. His emotions churned inside him chaotically. At that moment, he thought that Nicole not remembering anything might be for the best.
He hoped that she would be able to live out the rest of her life happily and without worry—free from her past.
That way, she would not need to remember him nor deal with his current marriage to Susan.
Maya twisted her head around to look back at Evan. “Daddy, could you make a flower wreath for me?”
Evan stared at his daughter’s chubby face and innocent eyes. Grinning slightly, he nodded.
Since her sister was getting a flower wreath, Nina piped up saying she wanted one too. Evan readily agreed to weave two—one for each of them.
Something occurred to Nina and she said, “Daddy, how could you be so petty? Why don’t you make another one for Mommy?”
Evan turned to look at Nicole, the adoration and affection practically overflowing from his gaze. She stiffened uncomfortably.
That jerk has that look in his eyes again! He’s thinking of me as his ex-girlfriend again, isn’t he? The flower wreath he’ll make is probably for her and not truly for me! If that’s the case…
She stared him straight in the eyes as she refused sharply, “I don’t want one!”
The disdain was clear in those words.
Evan’s heart clenched in his chest. If this had been the old Nicole, she would have pestered him relentlessly until he made one for her.
The Nicole before him now was not the same Nicole he knew. She did not care for him and did not want nor like anything from him.
This is all normal. I shouldn’t treat her the same as the old Nicole. She has her own path to walk now. A path that will never cross with mine again…
At this thought, desolation and grief swelled in him.
Bowing his head, he focused his attention on making flower wreaths for his daughter.
A short while later, he abruptly questioned, “Ms. Lane, are you married?”
There was a slight tremble in his deep voice.
He wanted to know the answer, but at the same time, he was afraid.
Nicole’s chest felt tight at the question as she suddenly remembered that Levant was waiting for her back at K Nation.
Her heart stuttered while her emotions were all over the place.
Deep down inside, she was well aware that her rejection to Levant’s proposal had something to do with Evan.
However, she could not bring herself to face the reason why. She was in denial herself.
She would always fantasize about Evan returning to the estate someday. He would become her bodyguard again and accompany her on strolls through the garden. He would help her do so many things…
Even though she knew he was already married, and that she had witnessed it herself, she still…
She did not know why she still hoped that he would suddenly appear by her side one day—that he would stay with her.
I really must be crazy!
She pushed such dangerous notions aside, burying them deep within her subconscious. She did not dare tell anyone of these thoughts. How could she? Every time such thoughts haunted her in the middle of the night, even she could not help mocking herself.
Since Nicole was being quiet, Nina answered for her, “Daddy, Mommy hasn’t married yet. That Levant keeps bugging Mommy though! Mommy found him too annoying, which is why she’s trying to avoid him…”
“Nina!” Nicole cut the little girl off.
Anxiety had her heart beating a little faster. She was worried Evan would be able to tell her reluctance in marrying Levant was because of him—that she was having impure thoughts and feelings for him.
With his head still lowered, Evan allowed his delight to flash through his eyes.
The news that Nicole had not yet married Levant made him immensely happy.
But in the next second, he began to feel conflicted. She was still so young! She should not be alone all the time.
He did not want her to marry Levant, but he did not want to see her alone either.
