Redmption 237


    Now I was the one feeling a bit confused. “What is it? Have you changed your mind? Or…”


    Before I could finish speaking, his kiss silenced me. It wasn’t a deep kiss, just a gentle press against


    my lips. After a moment, he whispered, “I do.”


    I smiled, my cheeks flushing red.


    Brandon, too…


    Though his tannedplexion made it hard to tell, the tips of his ears were clearly red.


    We stood there without saying another word. It was a bit awkward, but neither of us let go.


    This was the unmistakable tension of budding romance. It was sticky, yet impossible to pull away


    from.


    We both wanted to get closer, but there was a shyness holding us back. I wondered if we were


    really going to stand here and hold each other all night.


    My legs were already stiff, and my back was starting to ache.


    “Uh…”


    “Maybe we should…”


    We both started speaking at the same time, which only made the situation more embarrassing. We


    fell into silence again, each of us trying to find the right words.


    Just then, my phone rang. Brandon released me, and I quickly grabbed my phone. It was Lisa


    calling.


    This woman rarely called me, and now she had chosen the perfect


    moment to do so.


    “I need to take this,” I said, raising a hand to point at my


    2/3


    “Yeah, goodnight,” Brandon said for the second time.


    “Goodnight,” I replied quickly before turning away, sticking out my tongue yfully as I did.


    This wasn’t my first rtionship, but I still felt flustered and my heart was racing. Once inside, I


    leaned against the door and answered Lisa’s call.


    “Why did you take so long to answer? You weren’t up to something naughty, were you?” Lisa always


    had a sharp instinct about me.


    I paused for a few seconds. “I have some good news to share.”


    “Let me guess…” Lisa teased.


    I smiled. Then she said, “Did you finally make it official with Mr. Howell?”


    “Yeah, just now.” My answer left her silent on the other end of the line.


    I frowned. “What’s up? Weren’t you the one always pushing me to be with him? Why so quiet now?”


    “I’m just calcting if my bank ount has enough for your wedding gift, Lisa said. Her words made


    me breathe a sigh of relief andugh.


    “Oh, so you’re nning to give me your entire life savings?” I teased her back.


    “Exactly. And when I get married, you’d better return it double.” Upon hearing her words, I was so


    speechless that I rolled my eyes.


    “You’re such a nner, Dr. Carline.”


    “It’s not just me. That’s how everyone is nowadays. You probably don’t know, but a lot of young


    people aren’t getting married for love anymore. Instead, they’re doing it to recover the cost of the


    wedding.” Lisa’s words were starting to shatter my worldview.


    I snorted in disbelief. “Stop exaggerating. Who does that?”


    “Believe it or not, we had a couple at work who did just that. Last week, they got married, and


    everyone gave wedding gifts. Both families even threw wedding banquets.


    “Then, this week, they got divorced. Turns out, someone recorded their conversation about the


    whole scheme and posted it online,” Lisa


    exined, sounding very convincing.


    I had nothing to say. I stared up at the ceiling as images of the light show Brandon had arranged for


    me shed in my mind.


    “Maybe some people would do that, but Brandon and I wouldn’t.” N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    “I know. You two are head over heels for each other…” Lisa’s sentence was cut short by my phone


    buzzing.


    It was a message from Eden on Instagram. “Hey, are you still up?”


    I frowned as his second message came in right after. “I’ll go to my dad’s ce tomorrow. Want to


    come along?


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