Chapter 157: sunday afternoon tea XIV

Chapter 157: Chapter 157: sunday afternoon tea XIV

(Damian POV)

"I hope that puts your mind at ease."

Damian looked at her.

For a long moment...

He simply stood there.

Anthony?

Was that really what she thought this had been about?

...

Of course it was.

From her perspective...

Why else would he have pulled her aside?

Anthony was his cousin.

Anyone would have assumed the same.

He almost laughed at himself.

She had misunderstood completely.

And somehow...

He couldn’t bring himself to correct her.

How could he?

What would he say?

"I’m sorry."

"I rushed over because I couldn’t stop thinking about the man you were exchanging phone numbers with."

...

Absolutely impossible.

He wasn’t suicidal.

Vivienne waited quietly.

Patiently.

Only then did Damian realize...

She was still waiting for an answer.

"...It does."

The words were true.

Just...

Not for the reasons she imagined.

A quiet silence settled between them.

Then, after a moment, Damian asked softly—

"...When?"

Vivienne looked at him.

"When?"

"When did it happen?"

"Yesterday."

"After we returned from East Junction."

Damian remembered.

The Foundation lobby.

He had walked away first.

She had remained behind.

So...

That had been why.

"...What happened?"

Vivienne was quiet for a moment.

Then answered simply.

"We talked."

"Honestly."

"About the engagement."

"About what we both wanted."

A small smile appeared on her lips.

"It turned out..."

"We wanted different futures."

"There wasn’t an argument."

"There wasn’t anyone to blame."

"We simply realized..."

"It was better to let each other go."

She shrugged lightly.

"He apologized."

"I thanked him."

"And..."

"We ended the engagement."

Her voice carried neither bitterness nor regret.

Only acceptance.

Damian found himself studying her expression.

There wasn’t any trace of someone forcing herself to move on.

No lingering sadness hidden beneath a smile.

She looked...

Peaceful.

"...Are you all right?"

The question escaped before he realized he’d spoken.

Vivienne met his eyes.

Then smiled.

"I think..."

"For the first time in a long while..."

"I really am."

Those words settled quietly inside him.

She wasn’t pretending.

She truly meant them.

She had let Anthony go.

...

Something warm spread quietly through his chest.

Relief.

No.

That wasn’t quite it.

Happiness.

The realization startled him.

Anthony was his cousin.

He should have felt guilty.

Instead...

One thought echoed inside his mind.

She doesn’t love Anthony anymore.

His heart answered before his conscience could.

Thank goodness.

Damian froze.

...

What was wrong with him?

He had never considered himself selfish.

Yet...

He couldn’t bring himself to regret the feeling.

Because suddenly...

Everything made sense.

Christopher Archibald.

The exchanged telephone numbers.

The panic that had driven him across the Student Union Hall.

Interrupting their conversation without so much as a plan.

It had never been concern.

It had never been simple curiosity.

And it certainly wasn’t because Anthony was his cousin.

...

He liked Vivienne Beaumont.

The realization settled quietly inside him.

Simple.

Undeniable.

He liked her.

Not as a friend.

Not merely as Anthony’s former fiancée.

Not because she’d become part of his routine.

He simply...

Liked her.

His thoughts drifted back.

The little girl who had once followed Anthony Ashford everywhere.

The child he’d always remembered whenever someone mentioned Lady Beaumont.

A quiet breath escaped him.

How unfair.

He had been comparing the young woman standing before him...

To a memory from six years ago.

Of course she wasn’t the same.

People grew.

People changed.

Children became adults.

Somewhere during those years...

Vivienne Beaumont had grown into someone entirely different.

Someone whose laughter came easily.

Someone who was surprisingly kind at heart.

Someone who teased him without mercy.

Someone who could let go of the future she’d once believed was inevitable...

And smile again.

...

Somewhere along the way...

Without ever realizing it...

He had begun to like the woman she had grown up to become.

--

Vivienne smiled.

"Anyway..."

"I never expected to see you at a Sunday Afternoon Tea."

Damian blinked.

"...Neither did I."

"Oh?"

She tilted her head.

"What changed?"

He hesitated before answering honestly.

"...Julian and Adrian."

"They insisted."

"I see."

A knowing smile crossed her face.

"So?"

She clasped her hands behind her back.

"Did you meet anyone interesting?"

Damian looked at her.

...

A quiet answer escaped almost before he realized it.

"...Yes."

Vivienne blinked.

"Really?"

Only then...

Did Damian realize what he’d just admitted.

His ears warmed.

"...No."

"I mean..."

He cleared his throat.

"...Not exactly."

Vivienne tilted her head, amused.

"Which is it?"

"...Let’s just say today wasn’t what I expected."

She smiled to herself.

"I suppose that’s fair."

"And you?"

The question left his mouth almost automatically.

Only after speaking...

Did he realize he’d just invited the answer.

Vivienne didn’t seem to notice.

She nodded naturally.

"I did."

Damian’s heart quietly resumed its suffering.

"...Senior Archibald?"

"Mhm."

"I think he’s pleasant."

She smiled.

"I’d like to get to know him a little better."

That unpleasant tightening returned to Damian’s chest.

He tried very hard not to let it show.

After a brief silence, he spoke carefully.

"...Isn’t it..."

"...a little soon?"

Vivienne looked at him curiously.

"Soon?"

"You and Anthony..."

He chose his words with care.

"The engagement only ended yesterday."

"And..."

"It isn’t even official yet."

"Our families don’t know."

"The university doesn’t know."

"As far as everyone else is concerned..."

"You’re still Anthony’s fiancée."

Vivienne blinked.

Then...

The corners of her lips slowly lifted.

"Oh."

"So that’s what you were worried about."

Damian suddenly wasn’t sure whether he should be.

She smiled reassuringly.

"I’ve thought about that too."

"But..."

"I already asked Anthony."

Damian looked at her.

"If someone invited me out..."

"He said he wouldn’t mind."

"He told me I was free to accept."

She shrugged lightly.

"So I think that’s what matters."

"Our grandfathers don’t know yet."

"But once Anthony and I explain everything..."

"I don’t think either family will object."

She sounded remarkably certain.

Matter-of-fact.

As though she had already thought through every possible consequence.

Then...

She fell unexpectedly quiet.

A thoughtful expression crossed her face.

"As for it being too soon..."

"I don’t really think it is."

She looked at Damian.

"You know how things were between Anthony and me."

"There wasn’t really..."

She searched for the right words.

"...that sort of relationship."

A thoughtful expression crossed her face.

"Come to think of it..."

"I think I missed out on quite a lot."

She laughed softly.

"So..."

"If I’m only getting started now..."

"I think the timing is just about right."

--

Tbc