Chapter 13 - Dead Eyes (2/2)

”You have lovely eyes. I bet you would look more beautiful if you try to smile,” Xander asserted.

She looked back at Xander, still with her soulless eyes. She countered, ”I'm not into flowery words, Mr. Yang. I believe you already know that.”

She was feeling uncomfortable. She often heard about Xander Yang's silver tongue, and how good he was at sweet-talking people. He was the total opposite of her.

Xander chuckled. Of course, he knew. He knew everything about Yera Han…

He shrugged as he smiled at her. It was a genuine smile because that was just how Xander was; a warm, friendly, and outgoing person. He then implored, ”Please call me Xander. And please get used to my way of talking, because that's just how I am. Everything I say, whether you perceive it as flowery or not, always comes from the heart. This is how I really am…”

He added, ”I really like your eyes. I find them beautiful, and I hope to see them twinkle and lively someday. Life is tough. I know, because Bernard and I were really close too. And I don't think Bernard would be happy to see you being lonely like this. You have to stay strong and move on. And let me be the one to help you with that. You can treat me as a friend for now… I will not force you into anything that is against your will. But I hope you would consider me as your fortress from this day onwards.”

”Your stronghold in any situation,” Xander said with an assuring smile.

Yera would kill him out of frustration if he did not stop smiling like that.

She let out a long sigh with a defeated look and called for the waiter.

”Excuse me, could you please give him another cup of coffee? Make sure to make it really strong, thanks,” Yera queried, to which Xander's forehead furrowed.

”Another coffee for me?” Xander asked, confused.

Yera nodded and dead-panned, ”You will need a strong one to wake up. Because I believe you are still in a dazed state from a lack of sleep or something. Spurting nonsense, smiling a lot, winking... You are talking to a block of ice, but it seems that it still hasn't dawned on you. So, let the coffee help wake you up.”

Xander burst out laughing as he replied, ”Oh, you're not only cute, but you're funny too! I never thought your humor could be this good. Well, you should know that a block of ice won't scare me. Because I can always thaw it with my warmth…”

Then he finished off with a wink, while Yera stared at him with her mouth slightly agape in disbelief…