“Amélie Gagnier.”
He called Amélie’s name softly. His face, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, shimmered as if with a halo.
“We still have something we haven’t talked about, don’t we?”
Closing the distance, he advanced closer, grinning mischievously like a wicked boy, freezing her in place. Amélie found herself holding her breath without realizing it.
“Because of you, things have become quite complicated for me.”
His sparkling blond hair swayed gently in the breeze, and his deep green eyes fixed affectionately on her without escape.
She felt like she was standing on a tightrope.
If she didn’t pull herself together, she might just tumble helplessly into the arms of that deceivingly tender viscount.
The sound of waves crashing below the cliff, the distant cries of seagulls—nothing else was heard. The surroundings were silent as if only they existed in this world.
“Why did you do that earlier? I’m really curious.”
His soothing voice tickled her ears. She lowered her head in confusion, barely concealing her startled expression, though the pounding of her throat and ears betrayed her.
“Was it really meaningless?”
Olivier smiled slyly, tilting his head toward her. Amélie remained silent, her lips tightly sealed.
“Come on, Amélie, tell me.”
Another step closer. He closed the gap again. Despite his apparently affectionate smile, her breath caught in her throat like a noose tightening.
“I…”
Everything was happening too fast. Rushing emotions felt overwhelming and frightening. Like a lifelong game of playing with fire, ready to be snuffed out at any moment.
Just like Amélie herself.
“I’m really curious. Why did the proud Amélie Gagnier lose her composure and touch me like that?”
With his hands in his pockets, he leaned in, whispering lowly.
“…?”
A subtle current seemed to surge at his fingertips. If they just lifted their heads, their faces would be mere inches apart. The sound of breathing, the gaze, the slightest movements—everything felt like a nerve-wracking tension.
Amidst the pitch-black edge of the cliff, Amélie barely held onto her composure. She spoke firmly to prevent any misunderstanding.
“It was nothing. I don’t know what got into me.”
Leaving behind a stiff response, Amélie quickly stepped back. She believed her impulse didn’t carry the same weight as his.
To Amélie, Olivier seemed quite adept, and his casual attitude evoked a sense of rejection. She couldn’t afford to be a foolish moth fluttering toward a faint light.
There must be no more mistakes. Absolutely not. Never again.
“I thought you felt the same way.”
He whispered enticingly, urging her to reach out a little more, to grasp his sleeve with his carefree demeanor. Pretend not to notice, close your eyes innocently. Shall we dance in this sweet hell together?
“No, it’s nothing.”
As if waking from a trance, Amélie vigorously shook her head.
“These past few days of being together, I made a mistake without realizing it. Please don’t mind any serious emotions.”
With resolve in her tone, she withdrew again, and a light chuckle echoed in response.
“Is that so?”
A concise reply came back, smoothly accepting the situation.
Amélie turned her gaze as far away as possible from him to avoid eye contact. Finally feeling relieved after making her intentions clear, she loosened the tension that had gripped her throughout. Her hand, which had been tightly clutching her hat the whole time, felt tingling sensations.
This should be enough.
They stood on the right side of the cliff, where the setting sun was casting its last brilliant light over the horizon. The breathtaking scenery painted by the golden twilight over the sea was sorrowfully beautiful.
Beautiful moments are fleeting. Since meeting him, Amélie once again recalled the adages of her life that she had repeated dozens, if not hundreds, of times.
“But…”
Until Olivier spoke again…
“Without any meaning or emotion whatsoever, you wanted to touch me, right?”
Amélie turned her slightly flustered face towards him. In that brief moment, the sun had completely set, leaving no trace of its presence.
“This will only cause more trouble, you know?”
A languid chuckle dispersed.
“Now I’ll probably fail all my exams this summer, Amélie. Because of you.”
The deep blue dusk of the evening swiftly dominated the world. It was now Olivier d’Anjou’s time.
The seductive evening was just beginning.
