Chapter 348 Belated Vlog
The footage started off shakily. Subsequently, Rayna appeared in the shot. It seemed like she was placing the camera on the table. Then, she stepped backward and sat on the couch before the camera lens.
Taking in the thin, pink long-sleeved knitted dress on her, Curtis figured the video was recorded during the start of autumn. Rayna, slender and beautiful, blinked her clear, charming eyes.
The man fell into a daze, staring at her countenance.
It was then he realized love was indeed a complicated matter. They had broken up for so long, yet despite his effort to distract himself with work, he still could not help but be reminded of her at the sight of her face. He wondered about her life abroad and whether she had gained or lost weight. At the same time, he reminisced on the times when she was still by his side.
“Hi!” Rayna, in the video, waved her hand at the camera lens and started talking to herself. “I’m taping this vlog to record my current beauty in case I don’t look as pretty when I become old and wrinkly in the future.”
Facing the camera, she tidied her hair and smiled faintly with her lips pursed. “Of course, I also have plenty of things I’ve been keeping to myself that I wish to express with this opportunity. Hmm… I haven’t decided how to produce this video or if I should publicize it in the future.”
She deliberately paused for a brief moment before waving her hand in front of the camera lens again. “Even if no one sees this, I still wish to share the happy news. That’s right. I’m engaged!”
Then, she wrinkled her nose and mumbled, “However, this ring was given to us by another couple when we participated in an event because they didn’t want it. Alas. Mr. Faymon didn’t even propose to me properly.”
At that point, Curtis could not help but chuckle.
If he had known she was so particular about details, he would have planned a romantic wedding proposal for her.
Unfortunately, they had broken up.
While regret and sorrow churned within him, Rayna, in the video, suddenly beamed at the camera with her eyes twinkling. “But it doesn’t matter. I’m delighted as long as I can be with Mr. Faymon. Mr. Faymon, if you stumble upon this video, I want to tell you that I really, really love you. Therefore, I don’t mind all your imperfections.”
Laughing, she threw her head backward before she added, “No, no. That’s not right. You’re just a little insensitive toward the minor details. Otherwise, you’re still relatively perfect and a great boyfriend.”
A beat later, she repeated that sentence firmly, “I’m speaking the truth. You are a super great boyfriend! Mr. Faymon, you are not only a great boyfriend but also a competent teacher.”
Facing the camera, she smiled gently. “I’ve learned a lot from you, and it was also you who taught me how to grow as a person. When I was little, I didn’t think much of love because of my parent’s divorce. In fact, I was even a little fearful about it. Even though I didn’t lack suitors when I was a student, I disregarded all of them and focused on my studies.”
Rayna lowered her head, seemingly recalling the past, as she spoke with an undertone. “At that time, my only aim was to earn as much money as possible to ease the burden on my mom. After that, I was accepted into Norham University’s Faculty of Translation. I met Jefferson on my first day at the faculty. We got on well, and he eventually asked me to be his girlfriend. I agreed without thinking twice. He was my first love and also the person who made me realize that there are many different types of men in this world. Not every man would abandon his wife and children as my dad did.”
There, she paused briefly before continuing, “However, we did not date for long… I returned to the country in a hurry to escape the trauma he inflicted on me and casually married a man I found acceptable. At that time, I was still clueless about what love was like. I was simply yearning for a safe harbor.”
With a grin on her face, she remarked, “Mr. Faymon, I figure you’ll be outraged and jealous at this point. I suppose you’ll be wondering why I am recollecting my exes when I am about to marry you.”
While staring right into the lens, Rayna uttered with all seriousness, “This is because I finally understand the meaning of love after I got together with you, Mr. Faymon. One could recognize their love for another person almost instantaneously. That person could easily alter their mood, be it anger or joy. Because of the affection one harbors toward the person one loves, an apology would suffice to earn his or her forgiveness. I am very grateful for Jefferson because he exposed me to how it feels to like someone. But that wasn’t love. Instead, it was just pure fondness for another person. I’m also thankful to Julian. He kept me company during the toughest period of my life. I had thought of living that way for the rest of my life, but…”
Ultimately, she did not finish the rest of her sentence. Instead, she merely smiled at the camera and spoke in a mischievous tone. “Mr. Faymon, you should really express your gratitude to them. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have met with this refined version of me. I’m talking so much nonsense because I want to let you know how much I love you. I want you to understand my feelings. Mr. Faymon, I wish to spend the rest of my life with you. Is that something you’d be open to?”
Then, she cleared her throat and said solemnly, “I know you are very exceptional. Countless socialites will gladly offer themselves up to you without you having to lift a finger. Still, I think I’m not that bad myself. Aside from coming from a poor family, I’m still considerably smart, right? I’ve always told you I want to learn more to accomplish something on my own. That’s the truth. I have to do that for your sake as well as my own. You’re an overachiever, so I don’t want others to say that I’m an eye candy, relying solely on my beauty to keep you by my side.”
After saying that, she stuck out her tongue and muttered, “Of course, I do realize that I’m not as pretty as Kristie. Still, I’m better looking than eighty percent of women. You’re not allowed to refute my statement if you see this video. Do you get it?”
Curtis’ heart gradually softened as he watched her talk to herself in front of the camera with various entertaining and quirky facial expressions. Even the pent-up rage that had been in his heart for over a month dissipated abruptly.
He touched the screen with his fingers, a tender look filling his gaze. A longing to caress her face washed over him. “I got it. You’re the prettiest of all.”
“Belle, what are you muttering about?” Linda’s voice sounded from the video.
Curtis noticed the footage shook. The next second, Rayna was gone. All he could hear were the sound of someone dragging their slippers across the floor and Rayna’s conversation with her mother.
Rayna seemed to have gone into the kitchen and clung to Linda, speaking in a piping voice. “Mom, didn’t you learn embroidery previously? Can you make me a traditional wedding attire?”
“Are you getting married to Mr. Faymon?”
“Engaged. We are merely engaged!” Rayna corrected Linda in slight embarrassment. “Still, our wedding will happen sooner or later. Mom, will you make one for me, please?”
The latter replied, “I can do it if I have the pattern and materials, but making a traditional wedding attire requires a lot of hard work. I’ll have to take at least three years to put together the outfit. Don’t you want to get married in a wedding dress?”
“I don’t want to. I want to get married in the traditional wedding costume that you make.”
“You’re just a woman who’s getting remarried. Why do you have so many requests to make?” Linda disdained her daughter. “Curtis is such a highly eligible man. He could’ve been with any woman he liked. I wonder why he fell for you.”
“Are you even my biological mom? Besides, nothing happened between Julian and me after we registered our marriage!”
“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re stepping into your second marriage.”
“In that case, should I seek a son-in-law in his second marriage to suit your preference?”
Linda immediately uttered, “Can’t I compliment Curtis since he’s such an excellent bachelor? You can quit searching for another man because no one will be as remarkable as Curtis.”
“What about the traditional wedding costume—”
“I’ll look for the materials once I’m done with my work on hand. However, three years are too long. Curtis isn’t getting any younger, and you shouldn’t keep him waiting, either. I’ll see if there are any skilled embroiderers I can hire to assist me in embroidering the wedding costume. If there are a few people to work on the project together, we can complete the outfit in seven or eight months.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Dear sweetheart novel (Rayna and Julian)