Chapter 202 Only Coveting the Time of a Dance
Hot air balloons floated in the sky, while on the ground, a Maybach drove through the streets.
After William dropped Isabella off, he didn't stay long at her place.
Even though Isabella repeatedly tried to get him to stay, he still left.
He knew what Isabella wanted.
But he didn't want to give it to her.
The internet was full of stories about Amelia and York's romantic outings.
Countless witnesses were talking about how much York loved her.
"Seriously, is York still saying he's pursuing her? Hasn't Amelia agreed yet?"
"There's still no news that Amelia has agreed."
"Does anyone know what William is saying about this? His ex-wife is being pursued by York right after they split up!"
"Isn't William doing fine with Isabella? They should just be together."
"True, haha, but what will Isabella do after four months when William is gone?"
"Who knows?"
......
The more William read, the more upset he felt.
Why was York doing this? To make him suffer? Or to strike at the Brown family's power?
And what about her?
She clearly knew that going on dates with York again and again would attract huge attention and gossip, so why did she keep agreeing to go?
What did he mean to her?
Had she really stopped waiting for him?
He remembered that rainy night in the car when he asked her that question.
He had asked if she still loved him.
Her answer had clearly been "yes."
The light ahead turned red.
William hit the brakes.
He looked up, as if trying to see through the car roof to some distant hot air balloon in the sky.
He stared for a long time, until the red light turned green and cars behind him started honking, then he finally looked away.
He couldn't accept it. He couldn't let her go to York.
He wouldn't allow it!
......
Meanwhile, on the other side.
York controlled the hot air balloon's direction, slowly descending toward a destination.
Amelia stood beside him the whole time.
Her feelings were complicated.
Learning about the past, receiving an item from so long ago - it all stirred up her emotions.
Just as her feelings were starting to settle, she felt numb in this moment, only clutching the blue diamond at her chest and watching York beside her.
Finally, the hot air balloon landed, and numerous staff members came to secure it.
Then he helped her down, step by step on the stairs the staff had brought, climbing down.
Amelia looked around and realized they were near the Jenkins Villa.
They had been floating in the sky for quite a while.
"Come with me," he said, taking her hand and leading her onto a shuttle cart.
The night breeze blew gently. He looked at her eyes, still slightly red and swollen from crying, feeling something stir inside.
She would probably never know that in his heart, she had always been beyond his reach.
Everything she worried about, everything she thought made her unworthy - none of it mattered.
He saw again that day at the harbor, when he had nothing, and he met Amelia, surrounded by people, the center of attention.
Her wavy hair fell smoothly down her back, her smooth skin and the dazzling jewelry she wore made her look incredibly precious.
And this precious girl had broken through the crowd to walk toward him, handing him that pendant.
"Take it, it will help you," her voice seemed to echo from many years ago.
If not for that first meeting, if not for the heart-shaped pendant she gave him, he might have died in some ocean long ago.
In front of her, he would always be the one in the lower position.
Amelia watched the night scenery.
She didn't know what she was feeling right now. She didn't dare think about the past, could only passively follow York.
The car entered the Jenkins Villa.
They drove through, finally stopping in front of the main house.
"Mr. Jenkins!"
"Mr. Jenkins!"
Many people came to greet them. York just nodded and led her past the rock garden into the house.
Mr. Jenkins's decor really matched his personality.
Last time Amelia had brought Briar here to play with the cat.
Just as she was thinking about this, they opened the door and walked in, and Whiskers came out to greet them.
The cat circled around their feet, its big brush-like tail held high.
"Stop that," York said to Whiskers.
Amelia smiled and reached down to pet Whiskers.
Honestly, she really did like Whiskers.
"Otis moved out recently," York said, then led her upstairs.
Amelia nodded, not sure why York was telling her this.
But now wasn't the time to think about that.
Amelia followed York to a room door.
"This might scare you," York said, standing with her at the door, hesitating slightly, but still saying, "I thought about this for a long time, but I still want you to see it."
Amelia nodded. She pressed her lips together, mentally preparing herself a bit.
The room door opened. Amelia looked inside and saw countless shelves.
But with the lights off, she couldn't see clearly what was on them.
At least it wasn't some scary totem or something, which is what she'd been worried about.
As York turned on the lights, Amelia finally saw what was on the shelves.
Paintings, one after another.
And they were all of her!
This really did scare her.
York looked at her apologetically: "I'm sorry."
Amelia adjusted to it, then looked at York beside her, blinking.
What was going on?
Why were they all of her?
It was kind of creepy.
"Come with me," York said, taking her hand again.
They walked into the room.
Calling it a room wasn't quite right - it was actually very large. York led her to a shelf.
He turned on a small light there, then unrolled a painting.
Then Amelia saw it.
It was her from years ago, dancing in a square, and in the painting she was holding someone's hand, wearing a Christmas scarf around her neck, smiling at someone beyond the canvas.
Next to it was a photo and a mask.
The square, Christmas night, red-roofed houses, white snow - everything looked like stepping into a fairy tale.
Mulled wine.
Amelia's lips parted slightly.
She looked at that mask. It was very familiar.
Amelia turned to look at York.
"It was me," York said. "This was the first time I worked up the courage to dance with you."
Back then he'd been badly injured, shot in the chest, nearly died.
Conditions at sea weren't good, so his recovery took much longer.
Two months before he was almost healed.
It happened to be Christmas night when he met her.
So he made a decision to be brave for once.
Even though he knew that back then, her eyes and heart were full of someone else.
But he only wanted the time of one dance.
He didn't know what he felt for her back then, just that watching her risk everything for someone else gave him a strange feeling.
Later, slowly, that strange feeling turned into attraction.
That moment of bravery was when his attraction began.
It was also, many years after their first meeting as children, the first time they met as adults.
Even though there was a mask between them, it wasn't secretly watching her, wasn't a fleeting glance.
It was face to face, a proper meeting.