Chapter 185
Chapter 185:
“I won’t,” Fernanda replied, her voice firm.
He had been a part of her life in so many ways—how could she simply forget him?
“But I’m still worried,” Cristian murmured, his tone soft. “Fernanda, I feel sure about a lot of things, but with you, I’m not as confident. I’ve come to realize that I can’t fully understand you.”
His voice dropped a little more, a touch of vulnerability creeping in, almost pleading. “I’ve managed to get a bit closer to you, and while I respect your need for space, please don’t shut me out completely, alright?”
Fernanda felt a small ache in her heart, like a needle lightly pricking her, bringing with it a quiet, lingering pain.
After a long moment, Fernanda’s eyes remained locked onto Cristian’s, filled with earnestness, and she finally breathed a gentle sigh. “Why do you have feelings for me?” Fernanda couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer.
Considering his prominent social standing and rich experiences, Cristian had surely met all kinds of women. What made her stand out to him?
“Could it be because I once saved you?” Fernanda speculated aloud. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Cristian. I’m not particularly kind-hearted. The truth is, I only helped you that time because you had a knife and it scared me. Without that threat, I wouldn’t have intervened.”
As she spoke with such frankness, a soft chuckle escaped Cristian. “My feelings aren’t rooted in that incident. Yes, it made me notice you, and it certainly left a deep impression. But my feelings grew stronger over time because I see how different you are, much like me in some ways.”
“In what ways are we similar?” Fernanda questioned, her skepticism clear.
She failed to see any similarities between their lives.
Cristian hailed from the esteemed Reed family of Litdence, while she had been forsaken by her family since she was a child, left uncared for and alone. Their worlds couldn’t be more different.
Their backgrounds were worlds apart, and she couldn’t see any common ground between them.
Yet, Cristian’s response took her by surprise. “Neither of us can claim to be saints.”
Fernanda paused to consider his words, then shrugged off the ambiguity with a laugh.
Was he complimenting her, or was it a subtle insult?
Her laughter encouraged him to explain further, saying, “What draws me to you is your genuine nature.”
Cristian had encountered too much pretense and deceit, particularly since becoming an adult. People often masked their true intentions, whether due to his personal allure or the influence of his family, making genuine interactions rare.
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