All Chapters of The Man from the Highland: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

My mind was a complete mess. All I could do was let Silas take the microphone from me.In a calm voice, he announced, "She wasn't the one who set fire to the church."The reporters immediately erupted into an uproar."Who are you, sir? Do you have any proof?"Silas said nothing more. He set down the microphone and gently brought his palms together in a single clap. The large screen behind him suddenly lit up.It was security footage.No one had expected Silas to produce footage from another camera angle after the church's own security system had been destroyed in the fire. The video began playing automatically.Everyone in the audience watched with full attention. The room fell completely silent.Perhaps to protect my privacy, the footage began at the exact moment I left the church. It clearly showed that everything was perfectly normal inside. There was no sign of a fire starting.Then a woman appeared at the bottom of the steps. She hurried toward the church and went inside. Soon aft

I didn't dare look at Silas's expression. Instead, I said awkwardly, "Charlie, this has nothing to do with him. Please, just stop coming after me."My words seemed to strike Charlie like a death sentence. His face quickly fell, and disappointment filled his eyes.He stared at me in a daze. "So all those years together mean nothing to you now?"I answered directly, "Let's just wipe the slate clean."Perhaps my trip to Everpeak had been my parents' final chance to help me choose the right man. In the end, they'd succeeded in showing me Charlie's true colors.Charlie frowned. "What if I promise never to contact Alya again? Would you still refuse to give me another chance?"I felt a little disappointed by his question and softly replied, "Yes."Charlie still didn't understand. Alya wasn't the reason our relationship had fallen apart. His greatest mistake was repeatedly abandoning me throughout our trip just to choose someone else.Even if Alya had never appeared, someone else would eventua

Silas seemed relieved once he had secured the books. After he put them away, I urged him to take a hot shower. A little over ten minutes later, he came out wearing comfortable lounge clothes.It was the first time I'd seen Silas like this. In his traditional highland robes, he always seemed mysterious. In a suit, he had a handsome, composed air that was entirely his own.Now, he looked far less cold and intimidating than usual. Relaxed by the hot water, with damp bangs falling over his eyes, he seemed unexpectedly gentle.For some reason, my cheeks turned red. "Go dry your hair before you catch a cold."Silas shook his head, seemingly brushing off my advice. He went straight to the couch and sat down, lowering his head to look at his phone. He was probably letting someone know that he'd retrieved the books.The atmosphere was relaxed, and before I knew it, I found myself staring at his side profile. "Why are you so quiet?"Silas turned to look at me. When I saw the confusion in his eye

By the time the Fentons' car pulled up outside the mansion, I had changed into fresh clothes and was sitting on the couch. Charlie had sobered up, too. He stood off to the side with his head lowered in silence.Ever since we were kids, he had used this trick to get me to forgive him. When he lowered his eyes and let his face fall, he looked like a puppy that had been scolded. But as Charlie grew older, his pride got in the way. He no longer wanted to give in to me so easily like he had when we were children. Sometimes, when we fought, I was the one who had to make the first move to patch things up.So, he had changed long before I realized it.The glass doors leading to the balcony lay shattered across the floor. Cold wind and snow kept blowing into the room. I glanced at the mess, then lowered my head and continued treating Silas's injured hand."Please don't act so recklessly next time," I said softly. "It's too dangerous."When Silas heard the strange noises coming from my room, he

When I went upstairs, I discovered that Silas had been waiting for me in my bedroom the whole time.I was at a loss for words. "It's so cold here. Why didn't you go back to your own room? Why did you wait for me here instead?"He was silent for a moment before answering, "You told me to rest here."I had, in fact, said that.But I hadn't expected Silas to take my words so literally.I was both annoyed and amused, so I asked the housekeeper to bring him some cold medicine. After taking it, he frowned at me.I asked, "Is the medicine too bitter?"Silas replied, "It smells terrible."I thought he was complaining about the medicine. But when he stood up, he rubbed his fingertips hard against my lips, making them sting a little.His fingertips were cold, yet my face grew hot with embarrassment. After pulling his hand away, Silas said calmly, "You smell like alcohol."Even my ears turned red. I started babbling without thinking. "It's all Charlie's fault... I'm going to wash up."Silas simpl