CHAPTER 203: CHAPTER 203: HER FOREHEAD RESTING AGAINST HIS CHEST

Serena stared fixedly at the man in front of her.

"That was a long time ago." Her eyes were slightly moist.

Silas Hawthorne nodded with a smile: "Yes, a very long, long time ago."

From so many years ago until today.

His feelings for her have never ceased for a single day.

Even knowing she has married someone else.

On her wedding day, he had looked from afar in her direction, watching her stand in a wedding dress beside another man.

Watching them light up the entire city’s fireworks together.

He was jealous.

So, on that day, he wanted to prepare a drone fireworks show to overshadow everything Julian Lawson gave her; he wanted her to have him in her heart.

"Come with me." Seeing her eyes slightly moist, he led her to other paintings.

"This is you buying spices at the harbor," Silas pointed at a painting along with the corresponding photo and the spices she bought back then.

"This was at..."

"This was in Zetania, when you and Julian Lawson were trapped; it was the first time I helped you escape." Serena was slightly startled, looking at the small boat.

"This..."

She remembered the events of that year, when they fled quickly, facing an unknown future, fearing the boat would sink halfway, and fearing an enemy would appear ahead.

That year, she and Julian Lawson tightly clung to each other in the cramped cabin, relying only on each other.

Now, she unexpectedly learned, in that escape, that Silas Hawthorne was part of it.

"Yes, I took care of some issues you left behind in Zetania and had my people follow your boat, protecting you as you left."

He had stood back then on the deck, watching the boat carrying her and Julian Lawson gradually sail away.

"Raine was discovered in Zetania during that time," Silas spoke softly.

Serena recalled the blue rain from their first date.

She remembered him saying he watched a whole night of blue rain from the deck that year.

Silas held her hand, guiding her past each painting, those paintings accompanied possibly by photographs or items from those years.

He spoke softly about the events of those years.

Many years ago in other countries, and also after returning home.

Especially, there was a painting of her in a wedding dress.

It was her appearance when she married Julian Lawson.

Step by step, they walked to the most recent painting.

The two stood there silently, watching it.

Their eyes filled with love.

It was only at this moment that Serena realized how many times he had quietly watched her.

Watching her be happily in love with another man, sharing a long-lasting love.

Even though he only spoke about the scenes in those paintings, nothing more.

Yet, she felt it.

Moreover, she was deeply shocked.

She had never imagined that for so many days and nights, someone could keep her so close to their heart.

A tear fell on the back of his hand as he held hers.

Since entering, he had been holding her hand all along.

Now, he noticed her tear and reached out to wipe it clean.

"Don’t cry." He comforted softly, "Serena, I didn’t bring you to see these to make you cry."

"Serena, don’t be sad; I don’t want to see you cry."

Serena didn’t know how to respond, emotions tangled in her chest, making her unable to speak.

The two remained silent, the whole room quietly hushed.

About half a minute passed.

Silas gently wiped her tears from her face once more.

He hesitated slightly, then extended his hand, gently pulling her toward him, letting her forehead rest against his chest.

She did not resist, which gave him a sense of relief.

He gently patted her back, soothingly saying, "It’s my fault."

"My intention was to show you these to express that my feelings for you are sincere, and you..."

"You can fully trust me."

Serena lifted her head, looking at the man before her.

His eyes were already red-rimmed, yet it made him appear even more passionate.

Throughout the years, she had only known Silas, the eldest of the Hawthorne family, as a mysterious figure who took control of the Hawthorne Group after returning from the sea and managed it well with his siblings. Since returning, he had never had a woman by his side.

Someone once told her he was betrayed at sea, nearly costing him his life.

She believed it too, thinking perhaps he carried a wistful love for someone in his heart.

But she had never thought.

That the one dwelling in his heart was she.

Serena didn’t know how to carry this burden of affection.

Since her father’s passing, she had no longer accustomed to unmerited love and kindness from others; it seemed everything required her tremendous effort to earn just to struggle and survive.

Julian Lawson and Vera Hansen’s affair had dealt her a brutal blow emotionally.

That day in the hospital, losing that child almost cost her her life. If not for Bianca Lynch arranging a blood donation, she might have died.

Since then, she dared not hope.

Dared not to want more.

But now he... Silas Hawthorne...

"Silas," she called his name.

"Hmm?" He responded softly.

Her eyes slightly lowered, words almost escaping: "I..."

"Don’t answer me now." Silas seemed to know what she wanted to say, looking at her long eyelashes, said, "I want you to think it over thoroughly."

"Not a decision made in a moment of impulse, not out of emotion, but a choice made upon calming down, one you won’t regret."

She looked up, gazing at him under the lights.

He was always like this, considerate, accommodating her, understanding her.

Her heart thumped wildly.

At this moment, it seemed to have gone astray.

Astray because of the person before her.

"Hmm."

She smiled.

Though it was a somewhat ugly smile, with tear stains still on her face.

He smiled too, his eyes still slightly red.

"Silly," he said, "weren’t you going to play with the cat just now? Shall we go find it now? I see it really likes you; it doesn’t usually cling to me like that."

"Okay." Serena nodded, then tidied herself up a little, and the two of them walked out together.

Watching Silas switch off the lights and close the door, Serena lowered her eyes slightly.

"Meow~"

The chubby ragdoll cat had climbed up at some point and was now circling around Serena’s legs, rubbing its head against her foot, its tail held high.

"Mimi." Serena crouched down, reaching out to pet its large head.

Silas also squatted down beside her, somehow fetched some snacks to let her feed the chubby ragdoll.

While feeding it, Serena remembered Silas’ earlier remark about almost naming the cat Chubby Piglet, which she found amusing.

After a while, Serena changed back into her previous outfit, and Silas was about to drive her home.

But as soon as they pulled up to the gate of Hawthorne Manor, their way was blocked.