Nicholas was so gentle with Serena.
So why was he so cold to her, as if she were a complete stranger?
Was he that protective of Serena?
Was his gentleness reserved only for Serena?
The more Isabella thought about it, the more her heart ached, as if it were being squeezed and torn to shreds.
The pain was unbearable.
However, the man was oblivious to her heartbreak and suffering. His cold eyes showed no flicker of emotion.
But now, his gaze fell on Isabella. "And one more thing, Miss Lancaster. Let me reiterate, we are not close! Please don't let me hear you address me like that again. It makes me very uncomfortable."
Because he was in front of the Lancaster parents, Nicholas was already being quite restrained.
But his indifference and bluntness were still so ruthless that her face flushed crimson.
The humiliation was overwhelming!
Tears streamed down her face. Her tearful, wounded eyes shot Nicholas an accusing look.
Then she covered her face and ran upstairs, sobbing.
As she ran, she let out the choked sobs she had been suppressing for so long.
"Isabella..."
Catherine called out anxiously as she watched Isabella run up the stairs.
Seeing that Isabella paid her no mind and slammed her bedroom door shut with a bang, she sighed.
She looked at Nicholas with a hint of apology. "Nicholas, Isabella... she's just too deeply in love with you. She lost her composure for a moment. Please don't take it to heart."
"You're too kind, Mrs. Lancaster." Nicholas's dark eyes were sincere and open. "I should be the one apologizing. My words to Miss Lancaster just now were perhaps a bit harsh."
"I hope you can understand. My
heart already belongs to someone, and the only person I want to pursue is Serena. Therefore, I will consciously and actively maintain a proper distance from all other women to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings of trouble. This is my respect for Serena and my responsibility to this relationship."
This speech made the Lancaster parents nod repeatedly in approval.
They exchanged a look, and their eyes were filled with admiration.
The more they looked at this young man, the more satisfied they were!
Even though they knew he had designs on their precious daughter, they couldn't deny... this young man was truly outstanding.
A man with a conscious sense of boundaries who deliberately kept his distance from other women was a rare find.
"We understand, of course we understand!" Edward nodded with a smile. "This is how young people should be-open, honest, and responsible. Why would we mind?"
While things were harmonious downstairs.
Upstairs, Isabella, who had run back to her room in tears, was trembling with rage.
After slamming the bedroom door, she threw all the pillows from her bed onto the floor, her sobs heart-wrenching.
Agnes, who had followed her in, was heartbroken. She sat on the edge of the bed, patting Isabella's back soothingly. "Oh, Miss Isabella please don't Cry. Your father and mother only have eyes for their biological daughter now. They dote on her and don't care about your feelings at all. You have to rely on yourself."
These words only added fuel to the fire.
Isabella grew even angrier, her tear-streaked face snapping up. "Rely on myself? How am I supposed to do that?"
Agnes wiped her tears with a tissue.
"If you lose your composure now, you'll fall right into that country bumpkin's trap, won't you? Mr. Blackwood is your only way out! You have to hold on to Mr. Blackwood
tightly and marry into the Blackwood family!"
"I want to! But... but he won't even look at me!" At the mention of Nicholas, Isabella
cried even more sadly and aggrievedly. "His eyes... they only see that country bumpkin!"