Chapter 438
Evelyn Roland lounged lazily on the sofa, her tablet carelessly discarded beside her. She propped her chin on one hand, her gaze boldly tracing the figure bustling in the kitchen.
Sebastian Valdemar wiped water droplets from his slender fingers and leaned against the doorframe. "Are you free tomorrow afternoon?"
"Hmm?" She arched a brow. "Is this an invitation for a date, Mr. Valdemar?"
"Visiting the special school to see the children," he said, his voice low. "I'd like you to come with me."
Her heart skipped a beat.
"Sure," she replied without hesitation. "Just the two of us?"
A ripple of emotion flickered in Sebastian's eyes. "Yes. No one else."
The chessboard lay spread across the coffee table, black and white pieces interlocking as time slipped by unnoticed. When the clock struck eleven, Sebastian rose to leave but lingered at the door, reluctant to let go.
"Planning to stay the night, Mr. Valdemar?" she teased.
"The thought did cross my mind," he admitted frankly.
"Dream on." She laughed, pushing him out the door.
In the darkness, Sebastian sat in his car for a long while, waiting until the lights in her apartment went out before finally driving away.
The next morning, his car was already parked outside her house.
"Eager, aren't we?" She glanced at her watch. "Did you even sleep last night?"
"How about I move in?" He leaned against the doorframe, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"Not a chance." She had no intention of facing the wrath of her two brothers.
At the mall, they carefully selected gifts for the children. Toys, stationery, and clothes filled the trunk, while snacks overflowed onto the back seat.
The iron gates of Sunshine Special School creaked open as the headmaster and teachers welcomed them warmly. From the end of the corridor came the halting notes of a piano, abruptly silenced as they approached.
Inside the classroom, a dozen children reacted to the strangers in their own ways. Some trembled in corners, others sat vacantly with hollow eyes that shattered the heart.
Sebastian's fingertips turned ice-cold.
Evelyn seized his hand, feeling the tremor in his palm.
"Thinking of Theodore?" she whispered.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he nodded. Their fingers intertwined tightly in the unnoticed corner, as if sharing the weight of each other's pain.
Suddenly, a little girl with pigtails dashed forward and clung desperately to Evelyn's leg. Her wide, innocent eyes brimmed with heartbreaking fear.