Chapter 70: Defeat

In fact, by the third day he had reached his limit.

That night, Chris waited eagerly for her to give him a clear answer; he sensed she was avoiding him, and he didn’t understand why.

Just the last time they parted, the atmosphere had been good—they had cleared up some misunderstandings, like untangling invisible knots in their hearts; he could feel her emotional locks had begun to loosen. That kiss on the balcony had been wonderful—better than any before.

But suddenly, she began avoiding him—without reason, without cause.

Damn it!

Did she think he hadn’t noticed her clumsy lie? She frantically rummaged through a pile of invitations to pull out one for a banquet, her movements almost frantic.

Maybe she was nervous. He told himself: set aside all her external Guanghuan , just look at the girl herself—she was introverted, emotionally sensitive, inclined toward introspection, and avoided the outside world and interpersonal relationships. Her heart was chained shut with countless iron locks, possibly forged by an unpleasant past.

He knew her father had died early—damn it, online rumors circulated about her past, yet she had never mentioned it to him; she had been abandoned by her mother—that was the only thing she had ever told him about her past. He had shown her his life, his family, his past, his growth; he had barely earned this small return. On this point, she was a miser—even more stingy than the greediest tycoon when it came to speaking of her own past.

He had no choice but to act like a detective, piecing together her past, her personality, her thoughts from every word she uttered. He had never devoted himself so completely to a woman; since meeting her, he had poured nearly all his attention onto her.

She was a mystery: the surface seemed simple, yet the answer twisted endlessly, like a winding path leading into hidden depths—just when he thought he was close to the truth, the next turn revealed a new labyrinth. She was like a black hole: once his gaze fell upon her, his entire being involuntarily drew closer under her gravitational pull. He had tried to escape countless times, struggling like someone trying to flee a swamp, yet he was pulled relentlessly toward her…

He speculated that her sudden avoidance might stem from developing feelings for him—oh God, the thought made him want to leap up; if this were true, no, it must be true—if this was the real reason she avoided him, he would forgive her, not just forgive her, but he would kiss her uncontrollably, repay her with everything he had—if so, if she felt uncertain about this sudden emotion, even feared it might hurt her, then her avoidance was understandable. For such an introverted, sensitive girl, this guess was entirely reasonable.

So he managed to obtain an invitation to that banquet; before going, he hired a renowned celebrity stylist to design his look—he had never been this meticulous, not even for the Oscars.

He wore a strict dark blue suit, a sapphire tie clip matching the color of his eyes—he knew she liked his eyes; on several occasions, she had suddenly become politely distant, yet whenever she met his gaze, she seemed to grow entranced, her demeanor softening again.

He could easily sense others’ emotions; this gift allowed him to win trust effortlessly and made him a public favorite. But now, he used every ounce of his talent and experience to analyze her—to dissect every glance, every curve of her lips, every lingering tone of her voice.

He was fully equipped: sprayed with her favorite citrus perfume, rinsed his mouth with orange-flavored mouthwash.

Every piece of this outfit was for her, the optimal choice tailored to her tastes. A man willing to win the heart of the one he loves will cleave through thorns, storm dragon dens, even sacrifice his life—so what were these efforts? Catering to her preferences, capturing her gaze, seizing her attention, leaving her dazzled, making her fall for him, making her—submit utterly to me.

He had almost succeeded—yes, almost.

Her gaze lingered on him constantly; she licked her lips five times, sipping champagne nonstop. Every time her eyes settled on him, they grew distant; every time she met his gaze, she flusteredly looked away.

Girls always believe their affection for the opposite sex can be perfectly hidden—but in truth, every expression, gesture, posture, every averted glance, every nervous retreat, every faint blush betrayed her inner feelings.

Without doubt, she liked him, and was deeply infatuated with him.

She didn’t want their relationship made public, yet throughout the banquet she searched for him with her eyes. Some perceptive people had surely noticed the unusual atmosphere between them.

Until her colleague stared at him suspiciously. She offered no objection, not even a word of defense for him… He didn’t know what he thought at that moment, perhaps he understood this truth: oh, she doesn’t fully trust me. Between her country and him, without doubt, she stands with her country. That’s normal. He told himself.

Until she looked at the B-rank Awakened, Daniel Davies—with an appreciative gaze. And that damned Daniel? He looked at her with the eyes of a man looking at a woman!

He could no longer bear it. He had originally intended to avoid confronting her avoidance—he feared it would scare her off like a wary little animal—but he could no longer endure it. He needed a clear, definite promise to soothe his restless, wavering heart.

But it was all over—she wouldn’t even grant him this simple assurance, not even to comfort him. And the look of shock and doubt in her eyes after his confession shattered him completely.

She didn’t believe him.

When he had sunk completely into her swamp, submerged in mud, with no escape, barely able to breathe, he reached out to her—yet she stood on the shore, watching him with astonishment and doubt.

He lost. If this were a game of chess, he had prematurely moved his king into the enemy’s center; every move since had only pushed defeat closer.

He decided to leave for now—his mind was in chaos; he could not make any decision while emotionally disordered.

Reason! Reason! As he left the banquet, he kept repeating it to himself.