257 Not enough
As if Vincent’s presence wasn’t enough to bother Eve, Theophilus had turned quiet, wanting to give her time to think about his proposal to her.ﾂ�
“When did it start to snow?” Eve questioned Theophilus while making an empty conversation to avoid awkwardness.ﾂ�
“Two days before Lady Aubrey arrived here. How about Meadow?” He returned the question, and on noticing Eve turn to look behind her, he turned too, but there was no one he knew or believed Eve was familiar with. He asked, “Are you looking for someone?”ﾂ�
Eve quickly turned back and replied, “No. I missed some of the buildings there and wanted to窶ｦ look at them.”ﾂ�
Theophilus nodded, believing Eve’s words to be true, while not knowing the time he gave her to think about him, she was thinking about another man.ﾂ�
They returned home, and noticing Eve’s pale face, Lady Aubrey said, “I have fixed a hot bath for you, Eve. Why don’t you go to your room?” Theophilus stared at Eve and Lady Aubrey, who noticed this, added, “You too, Theo.”
The man quickly fixed his starstruck gaze and smiled at the older woman, before hurrying to his room.ﾂ�
Lady Aubrey murmured, “What is up with him?”ﾂ�
Eve shook her head and walked to the guest room given to her.ﾂ�
[Music Recommendation: Fame- Nina Rosell]
Entering the room she closed the door, she heard the sound of water. When she walked towards the bathtub, her footsteps froze noticing the shadow behind the wooden divider. He sat on the edge of the bathtub with his back facing her.ﾂ�
“You should tell your aunt that the water isn’t warm enough. Don’t want you to catch a cold now, do we?” Vincent hummed. When she turned to look at the window and heard him say, “You should learn to lock the windows. How careless.”ﾂ�
“I will do that once you leave. Now,” Eve’s eyes narrowed, not knowing why he decided to come here. In her room. Thankfully she didn’t undress before getting closer to the bathtub. But her memory let her know that he had already seen her naked body in the past.ﾂ�
Vincent stopped playing with the water’s surface and questioned, “Are you sure you want that?” He looked up from the bathtub and turned to look at her through the gaps and holes of the wooden divider.ﾂ�
“Yes. I want to take a bath and it would be right for you to leave,” Eve’s words were firm, and she tried to calm her heartbeat, hoping it wouldn’t give away to this sadistic vampire’s whims.ﾂ�
Vincent clicked his tongue before standing up and stepping away from the wooden divider so that he could stand face to face with Eve. He said, “I told you I was going to return.”
“I left a burning lantern for you,” Eve answered him with an intelligent response and noticed the pureblooded vampire’s eyes narrow at her. “What are you doing here?” She asked him because she doubted her heart would listen to her if he stood under the same roof with her for longer.ﾂ�
“You have been missing work days. Allie is missing her beloved governess,” Vincent watched Eve. He was so angry that if it were someone else, he would have snapped the person’s head for making him look for her for days when she was here. Walking with another man next to her.ﾂ�
Eve shook her head, “I sent you my resignation letter窶能”
“Hm? When did you send one?” Vincent played ignorant as if he hadn’t read her letter, and Eve’s eyebrows furrowed.ﾂ�
“I know you did. It was why you were at Meadow that day,” she stated because he had no other reason to be there the day she was being shamed in public. The memory made her clench her hands. She said, “If you didn’t get it before, here. I cannot work for you anymore. I quit being a governess to Allie.”
“No,” Vincent deadpanned, and Eve stared at him. He sauntered to where she was before stopping in front of her. “I am here to take you back, Eve,” and those mere words were enough to let her heart skip a beat.ﾂ�
“I reject your rejection,” replied Eve, and Vincent rolled his eyes. “Mr. Moriarty. We don’t have to complicate things between us, and instead it is better to leave the past on a good note. To remember that we were friends even if it was for a short time. Now if you can leave, please? People here aren’t used to seeing a man with a woman in a room.”
Vincent stared into her blue eyes and said, “What if I want to complicate things between us?”
Eve looked away from him, staring at the window through which he had entered. Did he understand what he was asking from her? She said, “I don’t want to窶ｦ I cannot do it. Please spare me from your list of amusements.”
Vincent ran his fingers through his hair and sighed in controlled frustration. He said, “I want you, Eve. Next to me. Now, later and forever.”
Believing he was still talking about her blood, Eve was the next one to be frustrated, and she said, “No. If you want I will look for the next quality of blood窶能”
Suddenly Vincent’s hand banged on the wall next to her, and Eve’s eyes widened. Vincent muttered something under his breath that Eve didn’t understand what he said, though she stood close to him. His eyes had darkened, and he said,ﾂ�
“You have some nerve to run away from me. Did you think I would let you leave without a chase? I have been looking for you since the last five days. Worried something happened to you considering your ways of crossing paths with trouble. And here you are, walking on the streets, smiling and unbothered.”
“I never asked you to look for me. Did you not get the message from窶能”
Eve stopped talking when Vincent placed his other hand on one side of her head. He stated, “You are right, we aren’t friends as it is pointless to hold something that doesn’t hold to be true.” His words pierced through her heart. He then said, “Because being friends is not enough.”