Chapter 21
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“Did you have something you wanted to tell me?” Celia asked, working hard to suppress the strange fluttering in her chest. She kept her tone as neutral as possible, but her eyes betrayed a hint of curiosity.
Lucas, his face still flushed, grew even redder at her question. He fumbled for a moment before pulling out a small bag and handing it to her.
“This is for you,” he said, his voice noticeably softer.
Seeing the gesture, Celia instinctively pushed the bag back toward him, shaking her head. “Oh, no, I can’t accept this.”
But Lucas, as if anticipating her reaction, quickly pulled the item out of the bag.
It was a white knitted scarf. The uneven stitches hinted that it was handmade, something Celia immediately picked up on.
“I don’t have much money right now,” Lucas admitted, holding the scarf out to her. “I can’t give you anything expensive, but I
made this myself. It’s my first attempt, so it’s not perfect, but I hope you won’t mind.”
His words, coupled with his blushing face and earnest expression, made it almost impossible to turn him down.
Celia stared at the scarf in stunned silence, her mind racing. She hadn’t expected this, not from him, not now. After a long pause,
she finally found her voice.
“I’m sorry,” she stammered, her cheeks heating up. “I can’t accept it.”
She gestured at the scarf as she continued, her tone careful but firm. “Given that you personally made this… I’m finding it too
intimate to accept as a simple thank–you gift.”
Her reasoning should have been a polite refusal, but it only gave Lucas the opportunity he’d been waiting for.
Seizing the moment, he took a deep breath and stepped closer, his gaze steady and unwavering.
