Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 367

Chapter 367: Never meant to hurt you
“You’re more confident than I expected,” Ivy remarked, folding her arms as she looked at him. “Tell me the price of the ticket. I’ll pay you back,” she added, determined.

Roderick shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. “Hey, that’s not how it works. I’m the one who wanted to take you there, so consider it a gift, a gesture for considering dating me,” he said, emphasizing the last part with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Ivy raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t your gift a little too expensive?” she challenged. “At least let me cover half the cost.”

“Nope,” Roderick refused easily. “But if you really want to do something, just treat me to some meals while we’re there. That would make me happy,” he suggested.

Ivy let out a small chuckle, shaking her head at his stubbornness. “Fine,” she agreed. “I think I should go down then.”

“Sure. Your parents must be waiting for you,” Roderick said.

“Hmm.” Ivy nodded and turned on her heels, walking toward the door at a leisurely pace. However, just before stepping out, she hesitated and glanced back at him.

Without a word, she closed the distance between them, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss on his lips, surprising him. “Goodnight, Roderick. The dinner was truly wonderful. I think, for the first time, we actually enjoyed each other’s company at a family gathering,” she said, her lips curving into a small smile.

Roderick blinked, momentarily stunned. “Yeah,” he managed to say, though his ears had turned noticeably red. Ivy smirked at the sight but said nothing as she stepped back and gracefully walked ahead of him.

Snapping out of his daze, Roderick quickly followed her downstairs, where his mother and grandfather were already waiting. Together, they bid farewell to Ivy’s family.

“Goodnight, Mom, Grandpa. I’ll sleep early since I have an early morning flight,” Roderick said, stifling a yawn.

“Sure. Sleep well, Rick,” Alekis responded, patting his grandson’s back.

As Roderick disappeared upstairs, Alekis and Fiona slowly made their way inside the house. The night was calm, and the warmth of the family gathering still lingered in the air.

“Roderick is trying to improve,” Alekis remarked, his voice thoughtful. “I hope everything goes well between him and Ivy.”

Fiona nodded as she guided him to his room, handing him his medicine along with a glass of water. “I hope for the best for those two as well,” she said with a soft, hopeful smile.

~~~~~

Nora smiled politely as she stepped out of the restaurant with Brian. “Thanks for dinner,” she said, appreciating his generosity.

Brian returned her smile. “It’s nothing. Let me drop you home.”

She quickly shook her head. “No, it’s fine. My house isn’t far.” That was a lie. In reality, it would take her nearly an hour to get home, but she didn’t want to trouble her senior with the long commute.

Brian studied her for a moment but didn’t press the issue. Instead, he nodded. “Alright. See you tomorrow. Send me a message when you get home.”

“I will,” she assured him, watching as he walked away before she turned toward the metro station.

The station was packed, the rush-hour crowd making it difficult to move. She squeezed into a train and spent the journey standing, holding onto the overhead rail for support. By the time she reached her neighborhood, exhaustion weighed heavily on her, but she still felt relieved to be home.

However, what she didn’t expect was to see Demitri waiting for her near her building.

He held up a jute bag. “Grandma sent some food for you,” he said, his tone neutral. “I told her you didn’t want her to keep bothering you, but she said she was doing it out of kindness.” He extended the bag toward her.

Nora’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. She lowered her gaze, guilt pressing against her chest.

“I’m sorry, Demitri. I never meant to hurt you or your grandmother. You shouldn’t have—”

Before Nora could finish, Demitri cut her off. His voice was calm, but there was a sharp edge to it.

“Well, my grandmother was pestering you. Blame her old age or whatever, but that’s just how she is,” he said while shrugging his shoulders. Then, his gaze darkened slightly. “Besides, what you said when you were drunk wasn’t a lie. You were speaking from your heart.”

Nora felt her stomach twist. The memory of that night rushed back—her frustration, the words she had carelessly thrown out, words she wished she could take back.

“I was frustrated, Demitri,” she admitted. “The moment I woke up, I knew I had said something wrong. Please… don’t think of me as a bad person.”

Demitri exhaled. “I don’t think of you as anything.” His words were blunt, devoid of any warmth. “Everyone has their own problems to deal with.”

For some reason, his response unsettled her more than if he had been angry. The distance in his tone, the way he spoke as if she was just another stranger in his life—it made her feel even worse. Guilt weighed heavier on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

She lowered her eyes, gripping the handles of the jute bag tightly. “Still… I—”

Demitri took a step back before she could say more. “You don’t have to explain,” he said simply. “Good night, Nora.”

And just like that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, feeling more alone than she had in a long time.

Nora tightened her grip on the jute bag, her fingers trembling slightly. A bitter chuckle escaped her lips as she whispered to herself, ‘Why am I like this?’

She blinked rapidly, but it was useless. Tears had already welled up in her eyes. A painful lump formed in her throat, making it hard to breathe. ‘They wanted to get close to me, but I pushed them away… just like always.’

She sucked in a shaky breath, forcing herself to swallow the guilt that threatened to consume her. Then, without another glance at the empty street where Demitri had just stood, she turned and made her way inside.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she placed the jute bag on the counter and leaned against it, reflecting on her mistake.