Chapter 120: I’ll make you fall in love with me.
A heavy silence settled over the room, thick and suffocating.
Augustine bit his lower lip, his chest tightening as realization dawned upon him.
Now, he understood. He finally saw where Charles’s pain was rooted.
’Who hurt him this badly?’ Augustine wondered, his heart aching at the thought. ’Who left Charles so terrified of love... so convinced that it would only end in heartbreak?’
Augustine swallowed hard, forcing down the lump in his throat before drawing in a slow, measured breath.
"Do... do you want a cold bottle of water?" he asked, his voice softer now, careful.
He knew pushing Charles any further would only make him retreat.
Besides, Augustine had noticed it—the way Charles’s voice wavered, the raw pain hidden beneath his anger.
It wasn’t just words. It was experience. A wound still fresh, still bleeding.
Charles scoffed at Augustine’s question. "I don’t need you to get me a bottle of water. I can get it myself," he sneered, exhaling sharply before striding over to the refrigerator.
He yanked the door open, grabbed a cold bottle, and twisted off the cap.
Without hesitation, he tilted his head back and downed the entire contents.
Augustine watched in silence as Charles downed the entire bottle in one go, his Adam’s apple bobbing with each gulp.
Charles wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before slamming the empty bottle onto the counter. "See? I don’t need you for anything," he muttered, his voice laced with defiance, though the slight tremble in his fingers betrayed him.
Augustine exhaled, his gaze never leaving Charles. "I never said you needed me," he murmured. "But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop wanting to be here for you."
Charles scoffed once more. "Now that you know why I don’t want to fall in love with you... why I don’t want you to love me... I hope you never confess your feelings to me again," he spat, his voice laced with finality.
With that, he tossed the empty water bottle into the trash can, his gaze cold and unyielding.
Augustine gulped hard. "I... I’ll... I’ll..."
He wanted to reassure Charles that he wouldn’t bring up any love topic again and that he wouldn’t trouble Charles with confessions that only seemed to push him further away.
But deep down, Augustine knew that would be a lie—a lie he wasn’t ready to tell himself.
Exhaling sharply, he ran a hand over his forehead, his fingers brushing against the three deep lines of frustration etched there.
Second later, Augustine forced a smile to his lips. "It’s not easy for me to prove my love for you overnight," Augustine stated, his voice unwavering. "But instead... I can promise you this—I will make you fall in love with me."
Augustine’s words dripped with confidence, leaving no room for doubt.
Charles let out a sharp scoff, arms crossing over his chest. "Do you always have to be this delusional? That will never happen, Augustine. So don’t waste your time—or mine."
Hearing Charles’s defensive words, Augustine made his way to the kitchen, leaning against the island table with his elbow propped up, his fingers tapping lightly against the surface as he studied Charles in silence.
He rested his right hand against his chin, a smirk playing on his lips. "You don’t have to worry about me wasting my time," he purred, his gaze slowly trailing over Charles’s body.
The smile on his lips widened as he leaned in slightly. "I’d rather spend my days trying to change your heart than sit back and do nothing."
Augustine voice dropped to a low, seductive whisper, and with a playful wink, he added, "That sounds like a challenge I’d enjoy."
Charles clenched his fists, his jaw tightening, but instead of saying a word, he swallowed hard and turned on his heels, heading straight for the bedroom.
This time, Augustine followed.
His gaze lingered on Charles as he slipped under the covers, pulling the blanket up to his chest as if it could shield him from everything—Augustine included.
Charles lay on his side, slipping off his medicated glasses and setting them on the bedside table with a soft clink before shutting his eyes.
"Are you going to sleep already?" Augustine asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
Charles’s eyes snapped open, sharp and unyielding as they locked onto Augustine. "Why do you care?" he hissed through clenched teeth, irritation rolling off him in waves.
Without waiting for a reply, Charles once more shut his eyes, forcing himself to drift into the call of nature.
Meanwhile, Augustine’s lips curled into a seductive smirk as he shook his head in amusement before strolling toward the bathroom.
With ease, he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water cascade over his skin.
After finishing his bath, he wrapped a white towel securely around his waist, then grabbed another towel, running it through his damp hair as droplets trickled down his shoulders.
With that, he stepped out of the bathroom as he continued to wipe his damp hair while his gaze was intensely focused on Charles.
’He’s asleep.’ Augustine thought.
Augustine walked over to his wardrobe, grabbed a pair of comfortable clothes, and slipped them on before making his way to the empty side of the bed.
As he lay down, his head sinking into the plush pillow, his thoughts drifted back to Charles.
’Why is Charles so afraid of getting hurt by me?’
The question lingered in Augustine’s mind, gnawing at him as he stared up at the ceiling.
He vividly remembered the day Charles had broken up with his girlfriend.
That night, Charles had stumbled into a gay club, his eyes red with suppressed emotions.
Vulnerable and lost, he had nearly fallen victim to a drunk man who tried to take advantage of him.
Sigh!
Augustine exhaled deeply, shifting his gaze to Charles, whose back was turned toward him.
His eyes lingered, tracing the subtle rise and fall of Charles’s breathing, a silent reminder of the walls he had built around himself.
"What can I possibly do to make you fall in love with me, Charles? How can I win your heart?" Augustine questioned aloud.
Charles, still fully aware of his surroundings despite his closed eyes, inwardly scoffed at the thought.
He rolled his eyes in annoyance.
’You can try all you want, Augustine, but I’ll make sure I never fall for you,’ he mused silently, his resolve hardening.