Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
She then sighed and added,
“Please come with me, Isabel. I’d like to have a word with you.”
Nonetheless, Isabel couldn’t free herself at all due to Gilbert’s tightly wrapped arms around her. At the same time, she gazed at Elspeth with a confused look and said,
“Elsie, I-“
“Relax, Gilbert. I just want to have a word with her in private.”
Elspeth then seized Isabel’s hand and took her to a corner.
“Do you know why I want you to stay with me, Isabel?”
Isabel nodded before shaking her head hesitantly.
“You should know what Gilbert is up to, right?”
Elspeth’s words instantly made Isabel’s face blush.
“Don’t get your hopes up too high. I doubt what I’m referring to is the same as what you’re thinking.”
She gazed at Isabel, scratching her head while trying to make the young maiden understand her complicated issue.
“Your mother entrusted me with you, so of course, I’m not going to stand by and watch a man take advantage of you even though Gilbert is my best friend. Listen to me, okay? He is not a good guy, and you definitely deserve better.”
Elspeth furrowed her eyebrows, wondering if her explanation was comprehensive enough for Isabel due to her inexperience and young age.
“I-I know. I know Gil is in love with you…”
Isabel stuttered, her eyes filled with disappointment.
“Well, you’re aware of that, so that’s all the more reason for you to stop him from using you.”
Elspeth patted Isabel’s cheek and added,
“I promise I’ll find an outstanding and successful man for you. Just don’t settle down with some Tom, Dick, and Harry.”
“I know you’re doing this for my own good, Elsie.”
But love is blind, and I can’t help it. Isabel lost control of herself at the mere thought of the mint fragrance that was wafting toward her earlier.
“But you can’t help it because you’re in love with him, right?”
Elspeth could tell what Isabel was thinking with just a look into her eyes. While Isabel kept her head down in silence, Elspeth questioned and challenged her.
“Is this how you’re trying to piss me off? By letting him use you? Seriously, are you happy about all this?”
Elspeth tried to talk some sense into Isabel’s head by putting her words more harshly.
“I don’t want to be used by him like that, of course. I’m not happy, but…”
But… I’m actually happy, I guess. Deep down, Isabel was content enough to be the lady in Gilbert’s arms when he caressed her hair and hugged her tightly.
“But that doesn’t mean you should let the rush of excitement blind you.”
Elspeth’s eyes were filled with mixed emotions.
“Do you know what this will lead to in the end?”
“Yes, I do.”
Isabel was aware of the consequences that might follow if she didn’t stop herself from falling for Gilbert deeper and deeper. In fact, she had already foreseen that outcome, but in spite of that, she still chose to stay by Gilbert’s side even if it would cost her dearly in the end.
“Fine, I guess I shouldn’t press on anymore since you have made up your mind. All I can do now is to do what’s best for you.”
“What do you mean?”
Isabel was puzzled.
Elspeth sniggered and said,
“I mean, I’m going to keep my distance from him, of course. As soon as I can make him forget about me, there will be an empty place in his heart for someone else to enter. By then, that’ll be your best chance to enter his world.”
Elspeth’s words made Isabel feel a lump in her throat as the tears swam in her eyes.
“Thank you, Elsie. Thanks for everything you’ve done for me. I will never forget that.”
Elspeth wrapped her arms around Isabel and patted her back.
“Alright, alright, don’t mention it. You’ve always been like a sister to me, so of course, I want what’s best for you.”
As soon as the two finished their conversation, Elspeth took Isabel back to Gilbert.
“Take good care of her, or you’re going to get it from me.”
“Of course, she is also like a sister to me.”
Gilbert raised his eyebrows, but when Isabel heard what he called her, she somehow felt disappointed on the inside.
“Go home now. You’ve drunk enough here. Also, don’t ever tell Isabel to get you whenever you’re drunk. The bar is no place for a young lady like her.”
Elspeth reminded Gilbert, as she didn’t want to let Isabel’s mother down.
Nevertheless, Gilbert grew tired of Elspeth’s nagging and walked away with Isabel after responding with a perfunctory grunt. As soon as they stepped out of the bar, Gilbert’s face darkened, but Isabel was observant enough to notice the change in the man’s facial expression.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look so upset?”
“What do you think about me, Isabel?”
Gilbert stopped in his tracks and leaned on his car, reaching for a cigarette in his pocket while smoking like a charming character in the movie.
Due to her strong dislike for the smell of cigarettes, Isabel almost suffocated from the smoky atmosphere that filled the air in the bar earlier, but for some reason, she didn’t seem to find it disgusting at all when she saw Gilbert smoking. Even so, she didn’t answer Gilbert’s question directly because she was fully aware of the damage that smoking could do to a person’s health.
“You should stop smoking. It’s bad for your health.”
While Gilbert would have usually just stubbed the cigarette straight away, he didn’t do that but instead leaned even closer to Elspeth and puffed a smoke ring at her.
“You seem to care about me.”
“Um…”
“Just answer me. What do you think of me?”
“I think you’re a nice person. In my eyes, you’re just like the stars in the sky.”
You’re always so gentle and tender, yet cold and indifferent, just like the stars that I can never reach in the sky.
“Am I seriously that good to you? Because I don’t think I’m as good as you think I am. On the other hand, I even wanted to do something… bad to you,”
Gilbert replied while approaching Isabel, intimidating her with his oppressive aura that made her feel like running away.
“I trust you won’t do me any harm.”
“Why not? I never said I was a good person.”
Gilbert finished smoking his cigarette and threw it into the trash can.
“Alright, alright, I’m done scaring you. You’re really timid, aren’t you?”
The man was unamused at the sight of Isabel’s frightened look, but since she was like a sister to him, he gently pulled her shirt hem and added,
