However, once they were in the car, the driver drove them to Lucas’s villa. “I can just stay at Minnie’s place!” Coco said hastily. She wasn’t totally ready to face him yet. She figured that Minnie had let something slip, which had led to this sudden encounter. “Since you’re back, why would you still want to stay at Minnie’s place?” Lucas asked.“Let me stay at my apartment, then. It’s more convenient and comfortable for me.” “What’s wrong with my place?” “Your bedroom is on the second floor. You’ve seen my leg now, and you know it’s hard for me to use the stairs.” Coco finally found a reason. “I’ll arrange a room for you on the first floor. It’ll be easier for you to move around,” Lucas suggested. “No, thank you. I’m not used to it,” she refused while keeping her head low. Lucas noticed her resistance, and he asked after a pause, “Coco, do you... not want to see me at all?”Coco was stunned. “No...”“Is that so? Then why did you let Minnie know that you’re back but
Coco hugged the cushion and gently touched the comic book. “You must be hungry. I’ll ask them to prepare dinner and set up a bedroom for you. All your stuff is still here. I’ll have them moved to the new room,” Lucas said and immediately instructed the servants.Coco noticed Lucas was being cautious around her, and it burdened her. She didn’t want him to act this way as it only made her more aware of her change. Just then, Lucas’s phone rang, and he quickly answered Minnie’s call. “Are you with Coco right now?” Minnie asked anxiously. “Yeah.”“Let me have a word with Coco.” Lucas glanced at Coco and handed the phone to her. “It’s Minnie. She probably couldn’t reach you, so she called me.”Only then did Coco remember that her phone was still at Minnie’s place.Minnie’s urgent voice came through the phone. “Coco, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to reveal that you’re back, but... if I hadn’t, a murder case would have happened in town.” Then, she quickly summarized the events at
“Coco, please don’t avoid me, okay? If you hate me or blame me for not protecting you, you can always hit me, curse me, or do whatever you want to me. But please, don’t avoid me. Don’t look away from me,” Lucas pleaded. His usual cold and indifferent tone was replaced by sincerity.Coco looked into his eyes. After a brief pause, she said, “Lucas, I’ve never hated you or blamed you for what happened. I decided to put Eden into the cradle, no one forced me! And the last words I said to you before I was swept away were truly from the bottom of my heart. So, you don’t need to feel guilty at all.”Lucas looked hurt. Those final words she had said to him had echoed in his mind countless times over the past year, each time adding to his agony.“Coco, you once said that I would eventually find someone else to love. But did you ever think that maybe I had already found her?” Lucas said while gently caressing her cheek. “I had already found her, but I was too blind to see it and kept denyin
Coco stared blankly at the man in front of her, then looked down at their intertwined hands. She felt a pang of bitterness. “I know, and I’m truly grateful that you’re willing to tell me your feelings. It means a lot, and I feel satisfied. But Lucas...” She paused, trying to maintain a normal expression. “You don’t need to say that you’ll never love anyone else but me. In the future, you’ll meet a wonderful woman, and I’ll be happy for you too.”Lucas was taken aback. “Do you think that I didn’t mean what I said?” He croaked.“I... I want to believe you’re being genuine. So... please don’t make me say things I don’t want to, okay?” Coco murmured.Hearing this, Lucas's heart sank. He realized that Coco felt that he wasn’t being sincere at all. “Are you thinking that I’m saying those things out of guilt and self-reproach?” He asked.Coco didn’t respond, but he knew the answer from her expression.Lucas took a deep breath and gripped her shoulders firmly. “Coco, listen to me. I
“O-only one of my legs is crippled, so I can still walk. I can walk on my own!” Coco insisted. She didn’t want to rely on Lucas anymore. Now, she needed to be independent and strong more than ever.“I know. I just want to make things easier for you,” Lucas explained.“But it can’t last forever. No one can carry another person all the time. Everyone must learn to be independent, especially... someone like me,” Coco replied.“Why not?” He retorted. “I can carry you forever, Coco. If you don’t want to be independent, you don’t have to be. I’ll support you!” Lucas said anxiously.However, Coco constantly created more and more distance between them. “But Lucas, I want to be independent. I don’t want to rely on you anymore!”At that moment, Lucas felt that a big gap had formed between them.-Lucas stood outside the bathroom with his mind in turmoil. Coco was taking a shower, and he could hear the water running in the bathroom. He had always thought that he would be incredibly hap
Coco’s anxious expression made Lucas heartbroken. She was clearly afraid of him and wanted to avoid him. Lucas wasn’t sure what she was afraid of and the reason for avoiding him. He had been tirelessly trying to find her in cities outside Solaria these days. He never expected her to be in Solaria, hiding from him. He thought she must have gone to see Minnie as soon as she returned, but she had been back in Solaria for much longer than he had thought. Suddenly, his desperate search, his inner torment, and even his love felt like a joke.“Coco, you didn’t have to stay away from home if you really didn’t want to see me. You could have just told me!” Lucas laughed bitterly. “During the time you were missing, I told myself that if I ever found you, I would fulfill all of your wishes no matter what. So... you only need to tell me what you want and I’ll do it!” Coco felt a pang in her chest when she heard him laugh. Despite that, she didn’t know what to say to comfort him. “The serva
The servants privately gossiped about how deeply Lucas cared for Coco. He wouldn’t allow anyone to touch her belongings in the villa, insisting on cleaning and organizing everything himself, preserving the space as it was when she left. Once, a servant had secretly tried to sell a few pieces of her clothes, and Lucas had almost beaten them to death. Another servant claimed to have seen Lucas clutching Coco’s clothes and crying late at night. Coco had become a mystery among the servants. Many said she was incredibly lucky to be loved by a man like Lucas. Out of curiosity, the new maid wondered what kind of woman Coco was. Upon seeing her, she felt a bit disappointed. Coco’s appearance was ordinary, and she had to use a crutch to walk since her leg was crippled. The maid couldn’t fathom what Lucas saw in her.“I see,” Coco said with a hint of self-mockery in her eyes. Lucas was really angry this time. He had even left early to avoid her. Minnie came to Lucas’s villa after
"Minnie, I want to pack my things and leave now. Can you help me move my stuff?" Coco asked. After all, she had many personal items, including daily necessities and work-related things in the villa. Since she planned to move back to her apartment, she needed to take these things with her.Minnie was startled. "Are you really planning to move back?""Yes," Coco replied firmly.Minnie could see from Coco's expression that she wasn't joking or acting on a whim. "Have you talked this over with Lucas?" Minnie asked.Coco’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked down. "He said... I just need to tell him what I want. I’ve left him a note in his room and informed the servants to tell him when he gets back.""But..." Minnie looked troubled."Minnie, I really want to go back to my place as soon as possible. It’s fine if you don't want to help. I can move everything myself slowly," Coco said."I didn’t say I wouldn’t help!" Minnie quickly responded. Minnie felt a pang of sorrow seeing t