Yu leads me into his uber expensive cruiser and jumps in next to me. I watch his hologram fly the cruiser. The windows roll down , the wind snatches at my hair with greedy hands, almost tugging it loose from the low bun I had put it in. We soar through the night sky, the sprawling cityscape a glittering tapestry spread out beneath us. A million tiny lights mimicking the vast expanse of the stars above.
The Buildings now looked like toys, their grandeur diminished by our elevated range. It was a breathtaking view, one that should have filled me with awe, a sputter of hope flares in me .
I glanced at Yu, his profile is sharp and dashing against the backdrop of the night sky. His expression unreadable, I sense a tension in his posture, a subtle energy radiating from him that hinted at the turmoil beneath his calm exterior. Soon, we began our descent, gliding smoothly towards a rooftop flanked by buildings all around.
Bathed in the soft glow of the city lights, It offers a wholesome view that stole my breath away. Yu takes my hand, his touch sent a strange shiver through me. We stood there for a moment, the city lights coat our faces in a soft, ethereal glow. The air felt charged, expectant, as if the very night held secrets. He turned to face me, his gaze direct, unwavering.
The usual cool severance in his eyes was gone, replaced by a strange emotion I have never seen on his face.
"Aida," he began, his voice low. He took a step closer, closing the distance between us, and my breath hitched in my throat. The air crackled with so many possibilities, a palpable tension that mirrored the turmoil within me.
"Tonight… tonight was not how I wanted things to be." His gaze flickered down to me. When he looked back at me, his eyes held a pain that mirrored my own.
"Min Tiangchi… our engagement… it not what I wanted." His words were measured, each syllable carrying the weight of a lifetime of expectations. "It is what my family expect of me. This marriage will make my family's influence stronger."
My heart clenched. I knew this, logically. I knew the world he came from, the intricate web of alliances, of responsibilities that each heir-born has. Their loyalty is to their families first. Yet, hearing it spoken aloud, so plainly, makes everything raw all over again. He took another step closer. His eyes, dark and intense, held mine prisoner. "But Aida," he continued, his voice dropping to a near whisper, his voice trembles. "My heart… my heart does not lie with my family's wishes."
My breath caught in my throat. T All I could hear was the frantic beating of my own heart, the blood rushing in my ears. He reached out, his hand hovering near my cheek, as if afraid to touch me. His gaze was filled uncertainty, that I might reject him.
" You're everything I ever want, I don't want this wealth, I don't want Min. I want you."
His fingers whispered on my skin, a feather-light touch that sent a jolt of energy through me. His thumb traced the curve of my cheek, he gaze longingly at my lips.
My own emotions were a whirlwind, a chaotic mix of disbelief, longing, and a fragile, dangling hope. Could this be real? He took a deep breath, his gaze searching mine with an almost desperate intensity.
"I know our worlds are different now, Aida. . But I can't bear the thought of a future without you." His hand dropped from my cheek, and he took a step back, creating a small space between us once more. He looked at me, his eyes filled with a vulnerability that mirrored the raw emotion in his voice. "Aida," he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, acute honesty reflected in the depths of his beautiful eyes. "Will you be with me? Will you choose me, despite everything? We will go far away from here, wherever you want us to go."
My heart pounds in my chest, a steady staccato that roots me in the moment. His words hung in the air.