Chapter 186 The First Time Opening Up
After all, back then everyone had been convinced Alexander would never wake up again.
The Hayes family had made their terms clear,if Alexander never regained consciousness, she couldn't remarry, but the Hayes family would cover all her living expenses.
Grace had figured being a young widow wouldn't be so terrible, so she'd felt no psychological burden about the arrangement.
Of course, she could never dare voice such thoughts to Alexander.
Grace asked, "Is your father overseas?"
Alexander nodded.
Grace pressed on, "When is he coming back?"
Alexander replied, "Next week. I'll take you back to the Hayes estate for a family dinner."
Grace looked conflicted. "In what capacity would I be going with you?"
Alexander stated simply, "As my fiancée."
Grace suddenly felt defiant. "Just because you say I'm your fiancée, that makes me your fiancée?"
She wasn't usually one to be difficult, and she didn't expect Alexander to go to extraordinary lengths to court her. But surely he could manage a simple "I like you," couldn't he?
Otherwise, what grounds did she have for saying yes?
She had her own small pride, after all.
Why should she agree so easily?
Alexander asked, "You don't want to?"
Grace finally couldn't hold back. "Would it kill you to say 'I like you' to me just once?"
Alexander's face suddenly took on an unnatural expression. "I already said it."
Grace stood firm. "No, you didn't."
Her tone was so certain, so adamant,she was absolutely positive he'd never said those words.
Alexander insisted, "I did say it. You just forgot."
Grace declared, "I can guarantee you never said it. You've said 'I want you' and 'You're mine,' but you've never said those four words: 'I like you'."
Alexander's brow furrowed.
Those words seemed unexpectedly difficult for him.
He was an extremely reserved man who rarely revealed his inner thoughts.
To bare his heart and say those words to her,how could he possibly get them out?
Grace saw his hesitant attitude and felt rather dejected. "Fine, forget it. I don't want to force you."
She turned to go back to her room.
Alexander followed like a shadow.
Grace had just entered her room and hadn't yet managed to shut him out when the man grabbed her hand and pulled her into his embrace.
The tall man suddenly held her tightly.
Wrapped in his arms, she couldn't see his expression at all.
Alexander lowered his head, burying his handsome face against her neck and shoulder, and softly uttered a single word from deep in his throat, "Like."
His brief response was very low and deep, as if he were suppressing some emotion.
Grace froze.
His answer was too sudden,she hadn't been prepared for it at all and wasn't even sure she'd heard correctly.
She asked with some dissatisfaction, "What does 'like' mean?"
Alexander replied, "It means exactly what 'like' means."
Grace asked, "Like who?"
Alexander said, "You."
Grace laughed despite herself but asked with mock seriousness, "Who am I?"
Alexander said, "You're you. You're Grace. Grace is you."
Grace still wasn't satisfied. "Who likes me?"
Alexander said, "I do."
Grace felt like she was pulling teeth. "Who do you like?"
Why couldn't this man just string the sentence together?
Alexander suddenly cupped her small face, gently kissing her lips. His usually cool eyes held a tenderness and affection she'd never seen before as he spoke earnestly and devotedly, "I like you."
He was so solemn about it, treating the matter with extraordinary seriousness.
Grace held back her laughter, working to maintain the same serious expression as him. "Say it again."
She hadn't heard enough yet.
Alexander could clearly see through her little "scheme," but since he'd already said it, he might as well say it a few more times.
"I like you."
"One more time..."
"I like you."
He kissed her while speaking, saying "I like you" with each kiss.
Since she wanted to hear it, he'd say it until she'd had enough.
Perhaps having opened the floodgates of tenderness, he poured out all the sweet words buried in his heart, "Grace, I like you. I like you desperately."
"Grace, will you be with me?"
Grace's thoughts were suddenly scattered by his stream of sweet words.
She'd always thought that a straightforward man like Alexander would never learn to whisper sweet nothings to her.
Yet those endearments, coming from his mouth, sounded so beautiful and warm.
His voice was already pleasant, but it was even more captivating when he was confessing earnestly.
She couldn't help but listen in fascination, becoming greedy for more.
"From now on, let me cherish you, all right?" Alexander gazed deeply into her eyes, his gaze warm with emotion. "I'll cherish only you, Grace. Will you be with me?"
Grace started to say, "I..."
His tender offensive had somehow robbed her of control, leaving her lost in this tenderness.
She couldn't help but ask, "You say you like me,how much do you like me?"
She'd given him quite a challenge.
Alexander chuckled softly, pressing a light kiss to her lips. "More than yesterday, less than tomorrow."
His love for her would always be a little more than yesterday, a little less than tomorrow.
Even if it meant cutting through thorns, he would give his all to the task of loving her.
Grace's heart immediately began thundering, her cheeks burning hot.
This man either said nothing romantic at all, or when he did speak romantically, it was devastatingly moving.
The more she listened, the redder her face became, flushing all the way to her ears.
"All right." Having heard this much, she was already quite satisfied.
But having bared his heart, how could this man easily stop now?
He was such a proud manandhe felt these were words he might never speak again in his lifetime.
Though his personality was domineering, he was also a persistent person. When he liked someone, he would love them wholeheartedly and obsessively to the end.
"I want to give you all of me, completely intact, belonging only to you, Grace."
Alexander pressed close to her ear, each word clear and warm, "Except for you, I don't want anyone else. I only want to love you."
Alexander's profound gaze locked onto her face, "Grace, be with me. I'll dedicate my entire life as Alexander to you."
Grace stared at his face, dazed for a long time before finally smiling. "You're scaring me."
"Hmm?" Alexander wasn't sure which words had frightened her.
Rather than frightened, she was more... surprised.
Each of his words was more moving than any oath of eternal love.
No flowery language, just honest directness.
Grace was moved as she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her small face in his shoulder. "Yes, let's be together."
Suddenly, the sound of Max clearing his throat came from outside the door.
Grace jumped in surprise and turned to see Liam and Max standing in the doorway.
The two children stared at them with bright, clear eyes.
She had no idea how long they'd been standing there or how much of the sweet exchange between the two adults they'd overheard.