He gets up. I instinctively take a few steps back, but he stops. A flicker of disappointment crosses me. He slips his hands into his trouser pockets, I’ve seen him do this during his gentleman mornings. Now I wonderwhy.
“And second, my mother taught me that fucking around doesn’t make a man better. A man should only have physicalrelations with a woman he genuinely wants to take care of. And again, that woman was 5,620 miles away from me.”
I kind of knew about it, but hearing these words from his mouth feels entirely different than hearing them from Kaz. The feeling is like something warm pressing against me in the biting cold.
There have been countless rumors about him on social media. I try not to care, but I can’t stop myself. One day, I finally ask Kaz about it, and he saysMatleon doesn’t do casual.
He takes a step closer. This time, I don’t move back. His hands stay in his pockets as he leans slightly, bringing his face in line with mine. A smile spreads across his lips—a beautiful, dangerous smile.
“I waswaitingfor you, Angel.”
My heart goes still again. Is it not life-threatening to have your heart stop so many times in such a short span? Matleon is absolutely not good for my health.
My phone rings in my coat pocket, and I realize why I’ve been feeling so hot. With my coat on, there’s no way I wouldn’t feel warm inside the house; it has nothing to do with this man.
I pull my phone out and see Papa is calling me. I look up at Matleon. “You should leave my room.”
He smirks. “How about I keep you company?”
I purse my lips. “Kindly get lost.”
He chuckles, then turns and leaves the room, closing the door behind him. I take a few deep breaths before calling my dad back. I spoke with him just a few hours ago—something must be important for him to call me again.
He picks up instantly.
“So, is it a yes?” Mom asks happily.
I sit on my bed, removing my jacket. “For what, Mom?”
A silence, then Papa speaks. “Didn’t Matleon propose to you?”
My mouth hangs open. “How do you know?”
“Everyone knows, Kroshka.”
“What?! Since when?” My brows pinch together.
“Alessio proposed this idea to your dad four days ago. He told us that Matleon likes you a lot and wants to marry you, that he is courting you.”
Wait. What is going on? Matleon’s dad talked with my dad about our marriage. Why does everything feel like it’s tilting around me?
“From the photo we just got, it looks like you said yes,” Mom chuckles.
“What photo?” I ask almost silently.
A photo pops up on my phone. It’s from today, Matleon is holding my face, his forehead pressed against mine, and I’m standing straight with my eyes closed. I close it immediately.
“I didn’t say yes. And I have no plan of saying that.” I’m going to have a serious talk with Matleon about what he did. He even involved our parents in it. He isn’t playing fair. He’s converted this whole setup into a well-organized arranged marriage plan.
After a long silence, Papa speaks. “You’re just mad at him, Kroshka. Matleon likes you and takes care of you. He’s a very competent man, so it’s a yes from my side. I’m not letting go of such a man just because you’re mad at him right now.”
“Papa, you can’t force me to marry him,” I say, hurt.
His voice softens. “I don’t want to force you, little one. But at the same time, I want you to marry a man who can keep you happy and safe. And Matleon is that man.”
“I am not happy with Matleon, Papa.”
“But you are safe with him. He has proven this very clearly. And Kroshka, I know about your problem with him, you liked him back then, and then after your sixteenth birthday, yourbehavior changed. He must have done something to hurt you, but now he has changed. Everyone deserves a second chance.”
