Time flew by, and over the past three years, my parents had a son abroad.
Things had turned out well for us overseas, and we were thriving, starting fresh from scratch.
After we settled abroad, my parents noticed my personal life.
My father looked at me seriously. "You're not a child anymore. We've arranged a blind date for you. Why don't you go see him?"
My mother nodded in agreement. "You haven't been close to any men these past three years. It's time to meet some. Besides, for a blind date, it should be someone from back home."
Hearing their words, I couldn't help but feel weighed down. There hadn't been any men in my life these past few years, and I couldn't forget Leander.
When they mentioned the blind date, I frowned and felt reluctant, but under their persuasion, I reluctantly agreed.
So I went. On the day of the date, my parents had to attend an important event, and they left my three-year-old brother with me.
Since this was my first blind date, I dressed carefully and arrived at the agreed location. I seriously reminded my brother, "Don't cause any trouble, be good. After we're done, I'll take you to get a lollipop."
At the mention of candy, my brother nodded seriously.
Soon, my date arrived. He looked like the stereotypical image of a programmer.
Honestly, he wasn't my type, but out of courtesy, I continued talking to him.
His smile was warm and sunny. "Miss Belle, for such an outstanding woman like you to be single, I guess the others just weren't lucky enough."
I awkwardly smiled in response.
As we were talking, there was a sudden stir outside the café. The door swung open, and a tall figure stepped inside. The man was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his every movement radiating an air of inexplicable nobility.
He walked toward me, his long legs encased in the suit pants, and stood before me, looking down at me.
His brow furrowed slightly, lips pressed into a straight line, jaw clenched, as if struggling to hold back his emotions.
The moment I saw Leander, I was stunned. Instinctively, I stood up, holding my brother's hand.
When Leander appeared, the programmer across from me instantly tensed up. He stood and, in a proper manner, said, "Mr. Caldwell."
Leander kept his eyes locked on me. His eyes had turned bloodshot at some point, and he spoke in a calm voice, "You should leave now. I'll handle the rest of the assessment."
Hearing those words, the programmer was clearly confused. He gave me a final deep look and then respectfully left.
I was left utterly confused.
Leander's gaze shifted to my brother, his brow furrowing.
Then, he suddenly extended his large hand, firmly grabbing my wrist. Without giving me a chance to resist, he pulled me into the restroom and locked the door.
His movements were swift, and I had no time to react.
I found myself trapped between the wall and him, the oppressive feeling suffocating me. His eyes, bloodshot, burned into me as he spoke, "You're going on a blind date... with a child?"
"Why not consider me instead?"
Seeing him in such a state, and with our proximity so close, a strange, almost intimate tension filled the air. It made me uneasy. "Are you out of your mind?"
Was this madness?
But to my surprise, he didn't understand my words, his gaze intense.
"Yes, I'm out of my mind. I've been mad since the moment you left."
His black eyes were full of deep, unspoken emotion. The intensity in them felt like a bottomless abyss, as though one wrong move would lead to a point of no return.
The suppressed feelings of the past three years seemed on the verge of exploding the moment I saw him. The proximity between us only made it harder for me to control my emotions.
I longed to rush into his arms, to confess how much I had missed him over the years.
But the me from back then had selfishly chosen to break up, and now he must hate me for it.
Unsure of how to face this situation, I panicked and averted my gaze. Taking advantage of his distraction, I hurriedly escaped.
I didn't dare to linger. Grabbing my brother, who was sitting and eating a lollipop, I quickly fled.
