16
Marcus gently pulled me into his arms, his scent warm and woodsy, like fir trees, wrapping around me.
“It’s alright now. Auntie’s gone, so I’ll take care of you in her place.”
In the weeks that followed, I continued living there.
When I had been pulled from the sea, Marcus had seen the scars that covered my body.
After we arrived in Canada, he invited renowned doctors to consult, hoping they could help repair the damage to my skin.
“Belle, Dr. Bailey said that as long as you follow the treatment, most of the skin can recover,” he said with a gentle smile at the corners of his eyes.
After I moved into the villa abroad, a replica of my childhood home, I was deeply touched.
But as months passed without once seeing Marcus’s parents, unease quietly crept into my
heart.
“Marcus, do Uncle and Auntie not approve of me?”
I took a deep breath, finally giving voice to the doubts I had long held inside.
‘I know coming to you was bold, and I’ve also left you a way out…”
The next moment, a warm pair of lips silenced my unfinished words.
Marcus’s voice came low and husky, “I’ve never regretted it.”
tilted my head, meeting his kiss, a kiss that felt like it held every ounce of longing in the world. ‘My biggest regret is that I never…”
didn’t catch the rest. Just as I was about to ask, he interrupted. “Since Belle asked, then let’s do t today.”
That evening, Marcus brought me to the Murphy residence.
The moment we stepped inside, we were met with celebratory confetti and a burst of enthusiastic welcomes.
Marcus pulled me slightly behind him, frowning, “Dad, Mom, you’ve been planning this for half a month, and this is it?”
Elena looked at me, and before she could say a word, her tears began to fall.
When my mother was still alive, I often saw Elena.
She had always been vibrant and bold, like fire, while my mother was soft-spoken, gentle as
water.
Elena quickly composed herself and took my hand, leading me inside. “Sorry, Belle. It’s just that seeing you all grown up made me emotional.”
“You’re looking more and more like your mother.”
The two of us walked ahead while Atlas and Marcus remained behind.
Atlas shot Marcus a sharp glare. “You brat, making your mom cry on purpose!”
Marcus raised his brows, feigning innocence. “How is that my fault…”
Seeing Atlas so clearly henpecked, I couldn’t hold back a laugh.
That small exchange lifted the mood in the room, warming it instantly.
Elena pulled me down beside her and insisted on showing off her cooking.
“I remember your favorite dish when you were little, braised spare ribs. Come on, have a bite.”
The familiar taste burst across my tongue, and a bittersweet warmth spread in my chest. My nose tingled with a wave of emotion.
After dinner, Elena took out a yellowed sheet of paper from her pocket, which was worn at the edges but carefully preserved.
She passed it to me with a soft, nervous smile.
“Belle, this is a betrothal agreement your mother and I made years ago, back when she was still
with us.”
“Auntie just wants to ask, would you be willing to marry my silly boy?”
