Chapter 98: Two Choices (5)
More importantly, the police hadn\'t visited him at all at that time, and he could just check things when he got back to his house. Until now, with his lack of interest he hadn\'t seen how the police had handled Clayton, the math teacher\'s, case after all.
So, ruling out those possibilities, could it be something about her own circumstances, something she couldn\'t talk about?
With a contemplative gaze, he looked toward Eva again, who seemed to have been waiting for him to fully process everything she\'d said, and finally spoke once more.
"You\'re even free to pretend you\'re looking for information about me when you\'re not, and then make every possible move on me."
"Even if I knew, I wouldn\'t stop you."
Reminded of this, Christian felt like she was actually tempting him now. But as this was such a big step, and he\'d thought his relationship with Eva would still need a lot of time to reach that stage, it all felt somewhat unreal to him.
In the end, he also remembered there was a second option, so he asked.
"Alright then, what about the second option?"
Eva, feigning dramatic disappointment so obviously that even Christian could easily tell, waited for a moment. But seeing he was still silent, watching her, she finally spoke.
"Hmm, so the first choice wasn\'t good enough for you? Well, then maybe the second one will help a little."
Christian had an inquisitive look in his eyes as he listened to her statement, but before he could ponder it, Eva continued without giving him time to think about what she would say next.
"The second option would be that I would answer every question you have."
"And when I say everything, I mean it literally. No matter what it is, big or small. I will answer everything."
"Of course, you\'re free to believe what I\'ve said, or not, and to doubt it, but I will be truthful nonetheless."
Seeing the brightness in Christian\'s eyes, Eva delivered the hard blow, "the consequence of this choice," letting him down and extinguishing his hopes.
"But in exchange, everything between us would end."
\'If you can\'t even get this information about me, then even if we don\'t break up immediately, it would still be meaningless, because we\'d end up breaking up eventually anyway, with even more serious consequences.\'
\'If it\'s not already serious enough, of course.\'
\'Wait! With that kind of consequence, would a breakup even be necessary in the first place?\'
\'Actually, no. But there\'s no need to think about all these hypotheses, as I don\'t plan on letting you go anyway.\'
Christian, feeling even more frustrated than before by the disappointment of having the answer just within reach but unable to grasp it, couldn\'t help but ask with a single word, pouring all his emotion into it.
"Why?"
Eva, asked this time, had her smile falter slightly as a brief expression of hate, which Christian didn\'t catch, appeared on her face.
But in the end, she quickly concealed it and replied in a monotone voice.
"Christian, just as you have your thoughts and circumstances, I have mine as well."
"And if I need to tell you about them, then this relationship wouldn\'t continue anyway."
\'Oh, here I actually don\'t mean from my side, but from the people around me. But you can interpret this sentence however you like.\'
While Eva had an indescribable gleam in her eyes, holding her last thought, Christian was also deep in his own thoughts.
\'What does that mean? Why is she giving me crumbs of information then?\'
\'Is it the same temptation attempt as before?\'
\'Sorry, but the difference in temptation is so enormous that there\'s no comparison.\'
As he continued to ponder, he tried to sort things out in his head. One thing was clear: nothing had changed. It had simply become clear that the development of their relationship was in his hands, and he was free to advance whenever he wanted, no matter the extent. He doubted this a little, though. Even with everything happening between them, and with her body this close to his, Christian knew from their previous conversations and meetings that she had some kind of obsession with her body. Whether she was aware of it, he wasn\'t sure.
The first choice where nothing seems to change, and the second choice, where she would answer every doubt he had, then goodbye.
Was there even a need to think?
Christian knew himself well and understood that the answer had already been decided.
If he were someone to back down, he would have done so already, when he discovered that she was the mother of a schoolmate and could possibly be married.
"So, what will you choose?"
\'With your arrogant character, you\'d clearly choose the first option, but I should still ask, right?\'
Eva\'s question pulled him out of his thoughts as he realized he had unconsciously leaned slightly forward, his gaze drawn to her neckline and collarbone. Her breasts, larger than his sister\'s, were just below his line of sight.
Feeling embarrassed by his position, he quickly raised his head, only to meet Eva\'s striking blue eyes.
With amusement in her gaze, and having his attention once again, she continued.
"As always, the decision is yours. I prefer it when you take the initiative anyway."
"And I\'m ready to go with whatever choice you make."
"If you need some time, I\'m also okay with waiting."
"I just hope it won\'t take too long."
This time, as Eva spoke, there was no smile adorning her face, and her expression was a little mysterious to him.
Even though Christian had already made up his mind, being asked about his choice now still made him feel troubled. Her marital status was something he had long wanted to hear from her lips, even now, when, knowing that as soon as he returns to his house he could just easily hack and search the government records under her name to find out.
While he could get the answer that simply, for him, the meaning was different.
Eva, seeing Christian torn between something, and his hard expression, finally had her smile return as she said.
"Don\'t make that face, Christian."
"It\'s not like I\'m trying to trouble you."
\'I\'m really not!\'
"So, think of this as a sort of challenge or trial for our happy future, if that\'s what you want, of course."
In the end, Eva, seemingly going against her initial decision, finally expressed herself in a different way.
She expressed it through action, and while Christian\'s eyes widened at the sudden move, she continued, brushing their noses before her lips pressed against his.
She kissed him on her own.
Having his first kiss in the cinema, after hearing so many absurd things and being told he had to choose between two options.
Now, even having his first kiss stolen while locking eyes with the other person.
If he said he hadn\'t imagined it in another place, in a more romantic setting, he would be lying.
But looking into her light blue eyes, shimmering and gazing back at him, he eventually kissed her back, feeling no regret.
Changes can\'t keep up with plans, after all, right?
He wrapped his arms around her back, hugging her tightly. As he saw her close her eyes, he also did the same, and continued the kiss.
He poured his passion into the kiss, his frustration and helplessness at the choices he was being forced to make, also flowing into it. His feelings were not left out either.
Christian thought of devouring her lips, that seduced him.
But, as it was his first time, it ended up being a clumsy kiss, no more than the pressing of their lips.
Still shaken from the moment, after they separated, he breathed heavily, realizing he had actually forgotten to breathe.
Then, seeing Eva\'s face flushed and her breathing just as heavy, he was at least relieved that he wasn\'t the only one in this state.
Now back in silence, Christian opened his mouth first and uttered.
"But I still haven\'t made a decision. Is it okay to kiss?"
The question was his attempt to tease back, while also being genuinely curious.
As he kept his eyes on Eva, the person in question just chuckled and said,
"Hmm, maybe you\'re misunderstanding something because of what I said."
"But do you think my heart is made of stone?"
\'If asked if I like or dislike you, I\'d rather say I like you, after all.\'
\'If that\'s love, I don\'t know though.\'
\'But I know that I\'m starting to fall for you more and more, but there\'s no need to clearly express it, right?\'
Thinking this to herself, Eva\'s smile became even more seductive. While Christian, hearing her, realized that after everything that had happened, he should at least say something to lighten the mood even further, and so he said.