When fate plays its hand

Chapter 0730

Paul had never been the type to deceive himself.

After a brief moment of avoidance, he always chose to confront his feelings head–on. Deep down, a voice was echoing within him, “You like her. You’re captivated by everything about her ”

From initial restraint to eventual acknowledgment and now a quiet acceptance, Paul finally understood something.

Emotions were never governed by reason. The desires and fantasies he had tried to suppress had only grown more fervent, thriving wildly

The recurring dreams that were vivid and unabashed felt like a series of slaps to his rationality

They were embarrassing, yes. But also… Exquisitely beautiful.

In those dreams, she was both ethereal and bewitching effortlessly ensnaring his soul in the palm of her hand He had no defense, no choice but to succumb entirely.

Paul, who prided himself on decisiveness, found himself wavering when it came to confessing his feelings Miranda had just emerged from the shadows of a failed relationship and was fully engrossed in her academic pursuits. She might not even want to consider love again

And what if she didn’t? If he confessed and she declined, how would they continue to interact?

Would they pretend it never happened?

That was clearly unrealistic. The inevitable outcome would be awkwardness and a gradual drifting apart.

This fear had kept Paul from taking that critical step.

But after being interrupted by the neighbor the other night, he found himself reevaluating.

What if she was open to it? What if she even felt a little something for him?

So tonight, he left the lab early, took a shower, and put on clean clothes. He just waited downstairs, hoping to see her. And he did see her–only to also see the bouquet of blue roses from Sam in her arms

By the time Miranda had finished reflecting, they had already climbed all seven flights of stairs and were standing at their respective doors.

Paul finally broke the silence. “I’m sorry. It was presumptuous of me. If you don’t want to answer=”

“It’s not that,” Miranda interjected, meeting his gaze with a soft smile. “It’s just that I haven’t quite figured out how to say it.”

Paul’s expression grew serious. His eyes were attentive as she began to speak.

“There was a time when I thought I’d found true love,” she said slowly “My dad’s always saying that priceless treasures are easier to find than true love. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?.

“My father also said I’m stubborn as a mule, impossible to pull back once I’ve made up my mind. My mother calls it steadfastness. But I know it’s more than that–it’s a kind of faith, a commitment to the choices I make.”

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Before meeting Hansel, her faith had been in knowledge, academics, and research. After meeting him, he became her unwavering choice

No matter how much she resented Hansel now, she couldn’t deny that they had once shared a genuinely happy past. They had been sincere, treating each other as their one and only.

But life was unpredictable, and hearts were fickle. Those six years, which seemed to have drained her youth, had also shaped her resilience. What didn’t kill her had made her stronger.

Miranda continued, “I used to think loving someone meant giving everything selflessly, without expecting anything in return. But later, I realized-”

Her eyes lit up, like sunlight breaking through the clouds, spilling warmth. “You have to love yourself first. If you lose who you are, how can you possibly have the right to love someone else?–

“Love, to me now, isn’t a necessity. After wasting six years and finally picking up my academic path again, I don’t want to disappoint my mentors. And I refuse to let my own hard work go to waste. So, for me, things are good as they are ”

At this point, Miranda was fully aware of Sam’s intentions. She had also begun to sense Paul’s quiet affection, Tovealed in fleeting moments.