Chapter 167: 2

“I am so glad that Mr. Geoffrey is quick witted to notice my struggle,” she said staring at the reddish mark on her Achilles.

“It’s not that I am quick witted at all times,” Geoffrey murmured. He knelt in front of her.

When she saw him suddenly kneeling on the floor, she felt the smile slipped from her eyes, lips and fell complete off her face.

“You are the only person I am looking, that’s why I can notice every single details.”

The answer came, and she was surprised, unable to speak at all. Her throat is desert-dry, and her tongue felt like a deadweight, swollen to twice its size.

Geoffrey head whipped and saw something changed on her face. Something flickered through her eyes, so quickly there was no time for him to read it. She fished away from his gaze and pretended she did not hear anything.

At times when you cannot understand why you are behaving indifferently than before, Adira knew that the best answer is to play ignorant.

She kept a neutral expression on her face. Yet when she felt a warm hand pulling her left foot, the scowl sneaked out. She threw a stare at him and saw Geoffrey taking her heels off.

“What are you doing?” she asked, although she knew the answer.

“Aiding you,” he said. Then, he took something from his pocket.

A batman band-aid.

That is the same band-aid that he gave to her when they met each other in the hospital.

They stayed in their positions, in a silence rich with things they couldn’t say. She watched him unwrapped the band-aid and put it on the wound on her Achilles.

“I am curious,” Adira murmured to the man who could not lift his head. “Why do you bring band-aid with you?”

That’s a good question for Geoffrey, and a smile painted beautifully on his heart-shaped lips. Keeping his eyes on her smooth and white left foot, Geoffrey detached his mouth.

“Long time ago…” he started.

Adira frowned at the word. She really hates stories that start from that phrase. Because that means it will be a long one. Yet, she did not complain and listened without complaints.

“There is this woman in my school. She’s a skillful volleyball player. An ace at the top of that.”

He is talking about her. She snorted then crossed her arms. Now she’s interested to hear more, even if it is long.

“Whenever I see her coming out from the gym of the school, she always wears band-aid on her hands.”

Adira can remember that. Injuring her hands became natural when she was a volleyball player. So, she always brings band aids with her.

“So, since I wanted to look for a way to approach her, I brought band-aids with me every day. Today, tomorrow, the next morning…”

Gradually, he raised his eyes to her.

“It became a habit,” he whispered in hoarse bass voice, like an echo in an empty house. “A habit I gained for longing of her attention. But I failed on doing so, years ago.”

Adira uncrossed her arms and stared at him. They looked at each other and the world stopped.

She recalled the night when Geoffrey chased after her just to give the band-aid in his hand. That is… the first time he got the courage to break the habit he has for many years. Yet, he chose not to stop there. Because he loves her. He loves her sincerely and that is her doing.

“I will be honest,” Adira said. Nothing in her tone changed, but Geoffrey saw something in her eyes. Resolve.

“Go on. I will listen.”

“I rejected you before because I don’t want to be in this messy life. And I have no intention of indulging myself in lovely relationship.”

Geoffrey smiled a beam that says he knew her.

“I know. You were always like that.”

“But now, I am confused,” she added. “I kept on asking myself what’s gotten into me that I am hesitating over my decisions. That is why that night when I got two confessions, I escaped.”

Why can’t she reject Geoffrey and Chadwick?

She thought about this for sleepless nights. Whenever she does, Hansel’s words repeated in her mind.

[“It’s not about the situation, age, or responsibilities. If someone truly wishes to be happy, then she will prioritize her feelings above else. So, what do you feel ma’am? You should know that to get the answer.”]

Thinking about that, a warm smile spread on her lips. It is a bottled elixir of magical delight for Geoffrey, who’s staring at her.

“I think I know it now. I can love someone, romantically,” she answered.

To open the heart of Adira, it is a quest that one of the difficult games in the world. It is like unlocking a door with a lost key.

“I think I should congratulate you for being a normal person, finally,” Geoffrey chuckled, still kneeling in front of her.

“Thank you,” Adira replied with small giggles too. 'But I think you will pull out your congratulatory soon.' she continued inwardly.

“So,” he murmured in slow pace. He let go of her foot, looked at the floor then diverted his eyes back to her. “To whom is that for? The romantic feelings you discovered.”

“I am allowed to be honest. Right?” she asked.

Geoffrey nodded his head.

If she will be honest, then the answer is…

“Both.”

A question mark invisibly appeared next to Geoffrey’s head. He doubted if she heard her right or what.

“You and that idiot Chadwick, I think I can like you both.”

His lips parted, then closed. The tip of his tongue holds many questions, but he couldn’t throw it all.

What does she mean that she can like both?

“I didn’t mean to be a two-timer. But I realized that the two of you can make my heart wavered. So, what should I do?” she said, grinning.

Geoffrey’s jaw fell down.

If Isa is a greedy girl who wanted to keep a man beside her even though she does not like him, then how about Adira who said that she can love two people at the same time?

He breathed sharply then blinked swiftly. “Adira, you…”

Before he could finish his words, Adira said, “Yes. I am an evil woman.”

At least she admitted it right away.

“An evil woman who wanted to test who I like the most. That’s me,” she proudly introduced herself while pointing her chest.

Geoffrey couldn’t believe this. This is the first time he saw someone say this openly. Indeed, Adira was right when she guessed that Geoffrey would regret calling her a normal person

She is not!

From the full moon, his expression went as sour as unripe grapes.

“So, what will an evil woman do?” he asked.

She smirked at him and answered, “I will enjoy this love triangle until I can choose. Two handsome men are fighting over me. Isn’t that exciting? And nostalgic?”

After she said that, she tilted her head to the side and Geoffrey followed where her gaze headed. From afar, they saw Chadwick standing while staring at them with a box of band-aids in his hands.

“If it is worth knowing,” Adira spoke while staring at her ex-husband.

From Chadwick, Geoffrey’s eyes tended to her side profile, and he saw no smile or smirk settling on her lips. All left is her sincerity, the window of her soul.

“If it is really worth knowing, I wanted to find it out,” she added.