Neera's face instantly turned red at his words, and she quickly denied, "Stop making things up. Can't you refrain from speaking nonsense!"
Cayden was still somewhat skeptical. "So, what is this?"
Neera suppressed her urge to hit someone, patiently explaining to him, "Last night, Darcel was just keeping watch here. That's all!"
Cayden drew out a long "Oh," his tone singsong. "So, that's how it is."
Then, he muttered under his breath, "That puts me at ease. Thank goodness."
Neera found him somewhat dimwitted. "What are you so assured about? Can you stop saying such bizarre things and act normal for once?"
Cayden ruffled his messy hair, chuckled, and said, "All right, all right. I'll behave a bit more."
Neera was rendered speechless. Why is this person so strange!
As a result, something even more astonishing happened.
Once everything was packed up, they continued their journey up the mountain. Somehow, Cayden had picked a handful of small white flowers and presented them to her with a playful dash. "Ms. Neera, the options here are limited, but these flowers are quite pretty. Consider them a small token of my affection. Here. They're for you. I hope you'll like them. If not, once we descend the mountain, I'll buy you some more."
Neera was confused, glancing at the flowers, then back at him. Hesitantly, she accepted them. "Thank you for your kindness, but there's no need to buy any."
Unexpectedly, Cayden waved his hand dismissively. "That won't do. These little white flowers can't possibly represent my feelings. They're just a temporary substitute. I must express my love for you with nine hundred and ninety-nine roses!"
Darcel was rendered speechless.
Neera was similarly stumped.
That statement was so full of issues that she didn't know where to begin. Nine hundred and ninety-nine roses? Isn't that a bit too cliché? And love? What the hell is that?
"Mr. Massey, I think there might be some misunderstanding," she gently reminded him. "We've only known each other for less than two days."
With an air of naturalness, Cayden solemnly expressed his intentions, "Ms. Neera, I am very clear about my feelings and am absolutely certain. Even though we've only known each other for two days, I've already fallen for you. This feeling is unprecedented for me, so I want to pursue you formally. I hope you can give me a chance. I promise I won't let you down!"
At first, Neera was utterly exasperated, but his antics left him somewhat nonplussed. What on earth is all this mess? Is he really not here to make a joke?
Looking at the flower in her hand, she gathered her thoughts, contemplating how to turn him down gently.
But before she could say anything, Darcel suddenly took the flower from her hand and threw it away right in front of Cayden.
Cayden was taken aback, then quickly became upset. "What are you doing? This is what I gave to Ms. Neera! What gives you the right to throw it away?"
Darcel had a sour expression. He said coldly, "She wouldn't want it, so there's no need to keep it."
Cayden disagreed, "How do you know Ms. Neera doesn't want it?"
With a solemn look in his eyes, Darcel uttered frankly, "That's because she has a fiancé, so she won't like you, won't accept your flowers, and certainly won't accept your feelings. You might as well save the effort."
Cayden immediately retorted, "What fiancé? Ms. Neera herself has said that she and Avery are not engaged, and there will be no marriage alliance!"
Darcel didn't give him the slightest chance. "Avery is not her fiancé. Her fiancé is someone else."
"Someone else?" Cayden seemed as if he had heard some unbelievable tale, his face filled with astonishment, yet he refused to believe it. "How is that possible? Don't spout nonsense! What do you know?"
Darcel laughed coldly. "I just know."
Cayden's eyes widened in disbelief. He simply turned his head and asked Neera, "Ms. Neera, is what he said true? Do you really have a fiancé?"
Neera never expected such an outrageous twist of events, but she had to admit, "Yes, I do have a fiancé. We've been engaged for quite some time now."
As she spoke, she took out the necklace that had been resting against her chest from inside her collar. "This is my engagement ring. It's a gift from my fiancé."
That necklace, in reality, was just a chain from which hung her most cherished engagement diamond ring.
Because she cherished it so much, she wore it close to her body, carefully protecting it. She was worried that she might accidentally knock it or lose it while climbing the mountain.
Upon seeing that diamond ring, Darcel's eyes gleamed. Threads of joy and tenderness danced in his gaze, instantly sweeping away his previous gloom.
Cayden was devastated. The moment he saw that ring, he was dumbstruck and stunned for quite a while.
"H-How can this be? Do I really stand no chance at all?" he asked Neera, his voice filled with a pitiful refusal to accept the truth.
Neera smiled and responded firmly, "No. I am wholeheartedly devoted to my fiancé. It's absolutely impossible for me to have a change of heart."
Upon hearing these words, Cayden felt his heart turn cold.
He stared at Neera with deep resentment in his eyes for a long while. Seeing her completely unmoved, he looked like a wounded fawn, drooping his head and sulking at one side in depression.
Darcel's mood visibly improved.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean)
What kind of stupid confusion is this, how come she didn't know that the my bourvart they are talking about is Jean?...
Author uses too many words to describe useless things and then don't clarify others, who is this aunts friend. Neere went to play golf with who?...
Why is she keeping so many secrets from Jean?...
is it too much to ask, when are they going to know that Jean is the father of her triplets???? the man that night 6yrs ago is Jean???!!!!!!...
Chapter 328, did Alfonso not meet Jeann before, how does he not recognise him huh...
I'm a bit confused, does Roxanna not know that her sister is married..this chapter makes it look like she doesn't know but they already went to Jean for money huh...
Too many words to explain somethings, it's a waste.......
Good Day Dear Author! i just want to ask, why it cant read in normal format? the sentences for every chapter is cut, almost half of the sentence is cut thats why cant read it as whole. Thankyou....