His eyes welled up with tears as he spoke from the heart.


    Flossie felt a bitterness rise within her.


    She was overwhelmed, unsure how to respond.


    Avoiding his gaze, she lowered her head, lost for words.


    Though disappointment flickered across his face, Edmund nodded understandingly, recognizing her inner turmoil.


    He let go of her arm, a casual grin spreading across his face.


    “No worries.


    No need to feel burdened.


    Your safety and well-being are what matters most to me.


    If you’d rather not see me again, I understand.


    I just want you to be okay.


    ”


    When she met his disappointed gaze, Flossie’s heart softened.


    She said softly, “I’ll give it a shot.


    ”


    Edmund couldn’t believe his ears.


    “Seriously?” he eximed, taken aback.


    Flossie nodded, her voice gentle.


    “But I’ve been on my own for so long.


    I need some time to adjust.


    Edmund’s eyes lit up with joy.


    “Of course, take all the time you need,” he said happily.


    Caught in his hopeful gaze, Flossie struggled to find the right words.


    Eventually, she simply remained quiet.


    Ste and Matthew arrived at the band’s concert venue.


    The hall was deserted, except for the two of them.


    Taking her seat, Ste spotted Thea on stage.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She shot Matthew a surprised look.


    Matthew grinned.


    “I’ve been meaning for us to catch this together.


    Last time, we missed out, and I regretted it.


    Tonight’s our chance to make up for it.


    ”


    Ste’s mind raced, memories flooding back.


    It felt like a lifetime had passed since then.


    Beside Matthew, Ste savored the music, letting it weave its spell around her.


    Even after leaving the concert hall, its melodies lingered, trailing them to the restaurant where they settled for dinner.


    “Thea is amazing.


    After all these years, she still mesmerizes everyone.


    Every time she ys, it’s like magic!” Ste eximed, her admiration for the musician evident.


    “I always wanted to catch her live, but tickets were always sold out.


    Tonight, though, I’m beyond satisfied.


    ”


    Matthew grinned, cing a juicy steak before her.


    “If you like, we can do this more often in the future.


    But let’s eat for now.


    ”


    His words reminded Ste of how hungry she really was.


    So she smiled and began to eat the steak he had already cut for her.


    After a few bites, she looked up at Matthew with a curious expression.


    “You’re acting differently today.


    What’s up?”


    Matthew raised an eyebrow, curious.


    “What do you mean?”


    Ste nced at the flickering candlelight on the table, taking in the thoughtful details of their evening together.


    “You arranged the concert, this romantic dinner…”