I could barely suppress the urge to tell the onlookers it was Yvette’s fault because they wouldn’t stop making fun of me. However, it would not do me any good because that would make it seem like an attempt to blame others for my mistakes.
Out of the blue, Nathan yelled, “Hurry up and go get yourself changed! You’re embarrassing me!”
Within a few seconds, everyone turned around when they heard Christopher gasping out loud. I grabbed the opportunity and made my way. When I turned around, I saw Christopher completely drenched in wine, reprimanding the housekeeper.
I knew it was a favor he had done me to get me out of the nasty situation when I caught a glimpse of him winking at me. He was conscious that I was in desperate need of an opportunity to sneak away.
Once I returned to the garden, I took a seat under the tree and removed my pair of heels. I noticed that my ankle was already swollen. Considering the injuries I had sustained over the past few weeks, I thought my life couldn’t get worse than it already was.
Out of nowhere, someone placed his coat over me. It was a familiar sensation, and upon a simple glimpse, I noticed it was Christopher again. He showed up and greeted me with a mischievous smile, “Can you look after yourself and stop getting into more troubles?”
“Well, isn’t this the almighty Mr. Lane? Thank you so much for your advice.” I intended to express my sincere gratitude, but I accidentally blurted it out in a sarcastic manner.
“Mr. Lane?” He repeated the way I addressed him with his brows furrowed. Irked, he asked in return, “Can you stop acting in front of me? It’s getting on my nerves for real.”
I was rendered speechless because he was right – I had always been a coward around others apart from him. Horrified by the thought of falling in love with him, I was determined to stay away from him to avoid all sorts of uncertainties that would be in store for me.
“I’m so sorry!”
“Well, I’ll forgive you for once.” He patted my head fondly and said, “Are you sure you want to stay here when I have just escaped from a bunch of thirsty women?”
I was well aware I wasn’t supposed to take a seat there. After all, others would definitely pick on me for meeting another man behind my husband’s back.
“I don’t want to return to the hall and see any of them.” I looked in the direction of the hall and recalled I would have to make my way past the guests to get myself changed. Unwilling to be humiliated again, I changed my mind and decided to run away from them.
He looked at me and asked, “Hello? Isn’t there some sort of secret tunnel that can lead us to somewhere else?” After he directed his question at me, he tried to massage my swollen feet, but I inched away from him due to the racking sensation I felt. “O-Ouch! Y-Yes!”
“Consider yourself lucky because it’s your leg that’s hurt instead of that non-existing brain of yours.”
When I saw Christopher staring at my sprained ankle with a frown, I felt a sense of relief. He was an observant man that could easily notice things others couldn’t. In fact, he was the first to ever believe in me.
Curious, I asked, “Don’t you think I’m the one at fault for picking on Crystal?”
“Huh? Is that a joke?” He responded with his brows arched in confusion. A few seconds later, he leaned over and lifted me in between his arms, making our way past the woods. I nestled in between his arms and showed him the way to the secret route.
Standing in front of the tunnel that could barely fit an adult, I wondered if he would make his way through with me. The tunnel was made for Crystal’s pet puppy she had years ago. In order to run away from the vicious ones, I had always taken cover in the tunnel when I was young.
