The bitterness in my mouth intensified, my mind growing more blank.
I reached for an elegant glass nearby.
"Don't drink."
In my tipsy haze, I belatedly realized the room had eerily quieted down.
I turned, Jaxton's face bursting into view, his beauty undiminished despite the overlapping images.
He took my glass from me, the hand that held the rose.
I stared at my empty palm, dumbfounded.
"Taylor, move aside, blocking the way!"
It dawned on me that Louisa was right beside me.
I quickly got up to give Jaxton space.
But his large hand pressed on my shoulder. I gazed blankly as Jaxton crouched down to meet my eyes.
"Taylor, be my girlfriend, date me, hmm?"
His magnetic voice surprised me as I lifted my gaze.
His lips touched my forehead, cool and soft.
It felt like my mind exploded into a blank slate.
The ringing of my phone snapped me back to reality.
The ride-hailing driver was waiting downstairs.
I hurriedly packed my bags, carefully placing the dried rose in the suitcase.
It was 9 p.m. when I reached the airport.
With an hour left before boarding, I found a dessert shop and ordered a cup of hot milk.
The warm sensation eased my stomach a bit.
As I left the dessert shop, the boarding gate was within reach.
I hurried forward but bumped into someone.
When I looked up, my throat tightened, the apologies stuck in my throat.
I took a few steps back almost involuntarily.
Jaxton was dressed in a white shirt and black pants, his gaze fixed on my face.
It was a look demanding an explanation.
My slow reaction brought back the fact that we were divorced, and I had already resigned.
So, straightening my back, I said, "Excuse me, Mr. Munoz, I am boarding now."
But before I could move, Jaxton stopped me.
"Where to?" He advanced towards the corner, his towering figure casting a powerful presence.
"Jaxton." I took a deep breath, meeting his gaze with a deliberate calmness. "Privately, we are divorced; publicly, I have resigned. So, I don't need to report my whereabouts to you."
"Oh?" He lowered his head further, his scent enveloping me. "Even as your ex-husband, I have the right to know why you keep disappearing without a word."
I was speechless.
He softly nibbled on my ear, whispering, "Taylor, selling the apartment overnight, resigning, and buying a flight ticket. What are you fleeing from?"