Engagement?

Rowena looked down at her hand, which had dropped weakly beside her, to the large hand that held her waist tightly and to the icy blue gaze that was piercing her. 

She felt as if everything was torn and tangled in her head, wondering what the hell was going on and what the hell could possibly happen next.

She thought of all kinds of situations but never had ever thought of a situation like this.

“Rowena.”

Killian, holding Rowena’s shoulder with his other hand as she stiffened like a doll, brought his face closer to her and whispered in her ear.

“Smile.”

Instead of replying, Rowena slowly turned her head to face him. His face was close to hers, their noses almost touching and their hot breaths entwined.

Rowena’s long lashes quivered as she asked.

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

“What’s the problem?” It’s what you wanted.”

Killian answered nonchalantly, turning her body toward him. He lifted Rowena’s chin with his index finger, their eyes engaged in a violent tension as if making a conversation with their gazes alone. Unconcerned by the stare they were receiving from other people.

A wave of shock, bewilderment, anger, and frustration hit Rowena all at once. In a daze, Rowena stared at the man who looked down at her while having a blank expression on her face.

Engagement? Marriage? Yeah, obviously, she had wanted that at some point, perhaps even wished for it. 

She wanted to be by his side, have his children, and live as his wife in a fair and honest way. But all of that was a long time ago; it was a small wish from a foolish past that vanished without a trace like a sandcastle built on the seashore.

She let go of such wishes when she realized that the love she had believed existed was all nothing but her own illusion.

“Rowena.”

There was a crack in the man’s expressionless face, which was like a hard mask as if his soul had been drained from his face. It was a somewhat impatient look, an expression she had not seen on his face ever before; with that expression having vanished before she could question it, Rowena concluded that she must have been mistaken. Finally calming down, she shook her head.

“Indeed.”

Rowena held his shoulder tightly as she buried her forehead into him. With the engagement now firmly in place, she had only one thing she had to do as well.

“Well then, I have a wish.”

“Tell me.”

His answer came quickly, which was unusual coming from him.

****