Chapter 26

Confession Beneath the Cold Sky

Emilia’s POV

Centennial Park was quieter than usual.

The cold air lingered heavily, brushing against my skin in soft, biting waves. The trees stood tall and bare, with their branches swaying gently as the wind passed through them. A thin layer of frost clung to the grass, shimmering faintly under the pale afternoon light. It was the kind of weather that should have made anyone uncomfortable, eager to leave and find warmth.

But I stayed.

Seated on the park bench, I folded my arms slightly, with my breath visible in the air as I exhaled. People passed by occasionally, bundled up in thick coats, their footsteps crunching softly against the ground. The world felt distant, and muted.

And yet, my heart felt anything but calm.

The past few days had been… different.

I lowered my gaze, my fingers lightly brushing against the edge of my skirt as my thoughts wandered.

Different… in a way I never expected.

It hadn’t been anything dramatic. No grand gestures. No overwhelming declarations. Just small, quiet moments that somehow meant everything.

The way he would check in on me during work, not as a boss, but as… something more.

The subtle way he made sure I had eaten.

The conversations that stretched longer than necessary, drifting from business into something deeper, and more personal.

I could still remember one particular moment.

“You tend to overwork yourself,” he had said casually, leaning back in his chair while watching me.

“And you don’t?” I had shot back.

He smiled. “Not when there’s someone worth paying attention to.”

I had pretended not to understand what he meant. But I did. I always did.

A small breath escaped my lips as I leaned back slightly against the bench.

Somewhere along the way, I had changed.

From someone confused, hesitant, and unsure of what I was feeling… to someone who understood it clearly.

I closed my eyes briefly. I’m in love with him. The thought no longer scared me. It felt… right.

Opening my eyes again, I glanced down at my outfit. I was still in my office wear—a fitted, knee-length skirt and a patterned shirt. Not exactly ideal for the cold, yet strangely, I didn’t feel it much.

Or maybe I just don’t care.

My mind drifted back to earlier when I had barely left the office when my phone rang.

“Theodore?”

“Are you still around?” his voice came through.

“Yes…”

“Can you meet me at Centennial Park?”

There had been a pause.

“Is everything okay?” I had asked.

“It will be,” he replied.

That was it. No explanation. And yet, here I was. I exhaled slowly, my fingers tightening slightly on my lap.

Why did he call me here?

He hadn’t come to the office today, which was unusual. At first, I had assumed it was work-related. Something important. Something urgent.

But my lips pressed together slightly.

What if it’s not?

My thoughts threatened to spiral, and I quickly shook my head.

Stop it.

I wasn’t about to let my imagination run wild. Still,  a small part of me couldn’t help but wonder. Before I could go any further down that path, the faint sound of footsteps reached my ears.

My heart skipped as I looked up. And there he was walking toward me.

Theodore.

Even in the cold, he looked… effortlessly composed. His dark coat fit him perfectly, his posture relaxed yet confident. His face—calm, refined—held that same quiet charm that always seemed to draw me in.

For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

Why does he always look like that?

I quickly composed myself as he approached, stopping right in front of me.

Without a word, he extended his hand toward me.

A small paper bag.

I blinked, confused, before taking it.

“It’s hot chocolate,” he said. “The weather’s harsh. You shouldn’t catch a cold.”

I rolled my eyes lightly. “I’m not that fragile.”

But as I held the warm cup in my hands, I couldn’t deny the small wave of comfort that spread through me.

He really thought of that.

“Thank you,” I added, quieter this time.

He nodded, then took a seat beside me. And  then silence. I frowned slightly.

That’s it?

He just… sat there.

With no explanation. No immediate reason for calling me out here.

I took a small sip of the drink, stealing a glance at him from the corner of my eye.

He seemed… calm.

Too calm.

Is he going to say something or not?

The silence stretched. And for a moment, I considered nudging him, asking directly why he had called me here.

But just as I was about to speak—

“Do you remember the first time we met?”

I paused and my grip on the cup tightened slightly.

“Yes,” I replied.

How could I forget?

A faint smile touched his lips.

“I do too,” he said.

There was something in his tone that made my heart start to race.

“I think… that was the moment everything changed for me.”

I turned to look at him fully now, my brows knitting slightly.

“What do you mean?”

He exhaled softly, his gaze drifting ahead for a brief second before returning to me.

“You were different,” he said. “From the very beginning.”

My heartbeat quickened.

“There was something about you… your honesty, your boldness. You didn’t try to impress me. You didn’t care who I was.”

I swallowed.

“I’ve met a lot of people,” he continued. “But none of them ever made me feel the way you did in that moment.”

My chest tightened as each word landed deeper than the last.

“I found myself thinking about you,” he admitted. “More than I should have.”

My fingers curled slightly.

Is he…?

“And the more I got to know you…” he added, his voice softer now, “the more certain I became.”

My mind was racing.

Is he going to say it?

I could feel it.

That shift.

That moment.

Everything in me went still, waiting.

My heart pounded loudly against my chest, each beat echoing in my ears.

Then he  turned to me fully.

“Emilia…”

My breath caught.

“I’m in love with you.”

His words echoed in my ears, over and over again.

I’m in love with you.

My mind went blank. Completely blank.

I couldn’t think. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even breathe properly. It felt like time had frozen, like the entire world had paused just to let those words settle deep into my chest.

He… loves me?

My fingers tightened around the cup in my hands, but I barely felt the warmth anymore. Something else had taken over—something unfamiliar, overwhelming.

It felt like I had just stepped into a brand new world.

A brand new emotion.

My lips parted slightly, but no words came out. They refused to form, refused to move, as if my entire body had forgotten how to function.

Say something, but I couldn’t. I just stared at him.

Shocked.

Then suddenly he moved.

Before I could even process what was happening, the distance between us disappeared, and his lips met mine.

My eyes widened instantly, with my entire body going rigid in pure shock.