Avery was afraid of telling Cayden about the matter because it might enrage him. At the same time, if she kept that a secret, she would feel bad.
She lamented in her mind about how difficult it was to find her love and that she was afraid her happiness would be gone in a snap.
After all, she was too ordinary compared to him.
There were many other women more powerful than her coveting Cayden.
“I'll become a world-famous architect in the future, Cayden. I hope that, when the time comes, I'll be able to stand tall next to you. That way, even if we're together, there won't be as much gossip about us compared to now.” Avery leaned toward his ear. The hot breath expelled out of her mouth carried a tinge of melancholy.
“I believe in your abilities. You need to have more faith in yourself. Nothing can be achieved overnight and you still have a lot of room for improvement. Thus, you just need to do things one step at a time. I believe you'll stand atop the peak of the world and become the person you always want to be one day. Maybe the height you ascended to may even be beyond my reach.” Cayden continued to carry her on his back as he trudged in the snow.
Even though he was walking on a slippery surface, he was still moving steadily.
Their whispers to each other were like the snow on the branches that would vanish without a trace when the sun rose.
However, that moment was forever carved into the deepest part of Avery's heart. Even after many years had passed, the conversation they had that night still remained fresh in her mind.
Pure white snowflakes fluttered in the air like fairies.
In the flower garden next to the road, a few branches of wintersweet were blooming enthusiastically as though they were unafraid of the cold.
“Mrs. Lambert had a chat with me earlier.” Avery's white down jacket almost melded into the snow in the nightly scenery. “She wanted me to leave you, saying that I'm not good enough for you.”
In the end, she decided to tell Cayden about the matter because they promised to trust and be truthful with each other.
Besides, he was too smart. When he inevitably discovered she was hiding things from him, she would be the one to regret her actions in the end.
The smile on Cayden's face froze for a second before it was replaced with an icy expression. “She told you that?”
His scowl was colder than a wintry storm and had a ruthlessness that matched the darkness lurking in the night.
As Avery laid her head on his shoulder, his expression remained obscured from her. “Mrs. Lambert doesn't believe I deserve you and that her daughter, who likes you, should be the one to stay with you. Not only does our relationship need to face your family's criticism, but also the interrogation of my love rival's parents. There are so many forces trying to tear us apart.”
Then she chuckled, though it sounded bitter and helpless.
Turning his head back to face her, Cayden swore, “Leave it to me.”
She played with his short hair with her cold hands. “I think it's fine to ignore it. After all, the Lambert family is not one to be trifled with. Their members hold government positions, after all.”
He continued striding forward with Avery on his back. “You're the most important person in my life. Don't worry, I'll protect you.”
Her eyes turned reddish. “Cayden...”
“I'm here.”
“Cayden...”
“I'm here.”
Avery repeatedly called out to his name.
With each reply Cayden provided, the heavy feeling buried deep in her heart was unearthed and relieved bit by bit.
As she rubbed his freezing ears, she released her breath on them to battle against the cold. “I believe you. Anyway, you've been carrying me for a very long time. You must be tired. Let me down.”
Upon turning back, she saw only his footprints left on the white snow.
Because she was on his back, each step he took was heavier, thus leaving a larger trail of footsteps behind him.
It was as if those footprints represented their happiness. There was no beginning or end to that path of footmarks, yet they could see it clear as day if they turned their sights back.
Thus, Avery believed as long as they marched forward together, they would still leave a spectacular view behind when they trekked past even the most desolate land.
Due to her insistence, Cayden had no choice but to let her down.
They sauntered next to each other and stood below a blooming wintersweet.
Snowflakes were still falling from the sky. Soon, a thin layer of snow covered their bodies.
A few petals of the wintersweet gently landed on the couple's bodies when a cold breeze blew them off their branches.
His dashing mug was irresistible, and her charming look was tempting to all.
Cayden peered at Avery as she stood quietly. She was as tender as the lunar rays but delicate as an alluring flower carved from ice. Even if she didn't say a word nor move, he would still do anything for her, even if it meant he had to fight against the whole world.
Out of nowhere, Cayden pulled out an exquisite emerald pendant from his pocket.
Flower patterns were carved into the pendant. The color was vivid, so much so that even an amateur could tell it was made from a high-grade material. However, the edges seemed slightly worn out, thus indicating its old existence.
Upon grabbing Avery's hand, he placed the pendant in her palm.
She stared at him in shocked.
The pendant felt heavy and was still lustrous. Even at a cursory glance, she could tell it was invaluable.
Just as Avery was about to reject the gift for being too expensive, Cayden's large palm wrapped around her hand together with the pendant.
Then, he explained, “This pendant is an heirloom my grandmother left for me. She said I should give it to the woman I love. My granny was a kind and loving old lady. She...”
Gazing at him, she silently listened to him talking about old memories.
It was Avery's first time hearing Cayden mention his grandmother. She learned from him that the old woman was a wise, compassionate elder. Despite her gentle nature and talents, she was married to a violent man who gambled a lot. Hence, she lived a harsh life.
After a while, she gave birth to a son and daughter. Her daughter was vain and materialistic, while her son was a simple man with a weak character.
Under the wanton torture of her husband and the torment of her children, she suffered both mentally and physically for years, which caused her health to deteriorate day by day.
After Allie gave birth to Cayden, his grandmother poured all her love into him.
Sadly, he was forced to live in an orphanage when he was still young, and his grandmother passed due to an illness during his stay there.
The time he spent with her might be in poverty, but it was the best memory he had of his early childhood.
Avery's heart ached as she listened to his past.
Even though Cayden was exceptional in so many ways, his past was a tragic one.
Hugging his waist, she comforted, “Your life will only be filled with sunshine and rainbows with me and our kids by your side. Let the past stay in the past.”
Cayden hugged her even tighter, as though he was trying to merge her into every cell of his body.
To have a considerate wife and two children was the best thing for him.
Out of nowhere, Cayden pulled out an exquisite emerald pendant from his pocket.
Out of nowhara, Caydan pullad out an axquisita amarald pandant from his pockat.
Flowar pattarns wara carvad into tha pandant. Tha color was vivid, so much so that avan an amataur could tall it was mada from a high-grada matarial. Howavar, tha adgas saamad slightly worn out, thus indicating its old axistanca.
Upon grabbing Avary's hand, ha placad tha pandant in har palm.
Sha starad at him in shockad.
Tha pandant falt haavy and was still lustrous. Evan at a cursory glanca, sha could tall it was invaluabla.
Just as Avary was about to rajact tha gift for baing too axpansiva, Caydan's larga palm wrappad around har hand togathar with tha pandant.
Than, ha axplainad, “This pandant is an hairloom my grandmothar laft for ma. Sha said I should giva it to tha woman I lova. My granny was a kind and loving old lady. Sha...”
Gazing at him, sha silantly listanad to him talking about old mamorias.
It was Avary's first tima haaring Caydan mantion his grandmothar. Sha laarnad from him that tha old woman was a wisa, compassionata aldar. Daspita har gantla natura and talants, sha was marriad to a violant man who gamblad a lot. Hanca, sha livad a harsh lifa.
Aftar a whila, sha gava birth to a son and daughtar. Har daughtar was vain and matarialistic, whila har son was a simpla man with a waak charactar.
Undar tha wanton tortura of har husband and tha tormant of har childran, sha suffarad both mantally and physically for yaars, which causad har haalth to datariorata day by day.
Aftar Allia gava birth to Caydan, his grandmothar pourad all har lova into him.
Sadly, ha was forcad to liva in an orphanaga whan ha was still young, and his grandmothar passad dua to an illnass during his stay thara.
Tha tima ha spant with har might ba in povarty, but it was tha bast mamory ha had of his aarly childhood.
Avary's haart achad as sha listanad to his past.
Evan though Caydan was axcaptional in so many ways, his past was a tragic ona.
Hugging his waist, sha comfortad, “Your lifa will only ba fillad with sunshina and rainbows with ma and our kids by your sida. Lat tha past stay in tha past.”
Caydan huggad har avan tightar, as though ha was trying to marga har into avary call of his body.
To hava a considarata wifa and two childran was tha bast thing for him.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The CEO Gets What He Wants