Klein couldn't help but chuckle in satisfaction as Evangeline stumbled over her words, her attempts to cover herself and shield her eyes from the unexpected sight of him standing there shirtless.
"Klein!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she hastily averted her gaze.
With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Klein couldn't resist teasing her further. "Like what you see?" he quipped, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched her reaction.
Evangeline's face turned an even deeper shade of red as she stammered out a response, her attempts at forming coherent words failing miserably in the face of Klein's playful demeanor.
"What are you even doing here?!" Evangeline exclaimed, her voice tinged with surprise and frustration as she abruptly stood up, reaching for the towel hanging on the wall rack.
"I'm just trying to enjoy a bath," Klein explained with a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes as he watched Evangeline's frantic attempts to escape.
But Klein had something else in mind.
He followed Evangeline into her bedroom, his gaze lingering on her as she fumbled to find her robe. But before she could grasp it, Klein had already taken hold of it.
"Looking for this?" he asked, his voice teasing as he dangled the robe in front of her.
Evangeline turned to face him, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she realized the intimate nature of their interaction. She quickly averted her gaze, unable to meet Klein's eyes.
"Please don't treat me like this, Evangeline," Klein implored, his tone softer now as he closed the distance between them. "Do you hate me so much that you can't even look me in the eyes?"
Evangeline's heart clenched at his words, a pang of guilt washing over her.
How could he accuse her of hatred when all she felt was a longing that she knew would never be fulfilled?
Evangeline's guilt weighed heavily on her as she attempted to find the right words to explain herself. But before she could speak, Klein took her by the nape and pulled her close, his lips crashing down on hers in a passionate kiss.
Evangeline's heart raced as Klein's lips met hers in a passionate kiss. But as much as she craved his affection, a wave of guilt washed over her. How could she allow herself to indulge in such luxury when she felt so undeserving of it after everything she had been through?
With a heavy heart, Evangeline gently pushed Klein away, her eyes filled with pain. "I can't," she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.
Klein's expression shifted from one of desire to one of confusion and hurt. "What do you mean you can't?" he questioned, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Do you... do you really love me?"
Evangeline's heart clenched at the pain in his eyes, and although she knew she couldn't lie to him, she managed to choke out, "I... I don't."
Her answer shocked Klein, and he could feel a pang of hurt he hadn't experienced in a long time.
"What do you mean you don't?" He stuttered out of nowhere and grabbed Evangeline's shoulders.
"You can't be serious now that we have three children? Come on, Evangeline... Don't joke like that," he chuckled nervously, holding onto her as if pleading for her to confirm it was all just a joke.
But Evangeline looked away, trying not to tear up.
"Haha! You're not doing this to me, Evangeline... You've told me you love me plenty of times. Every day, every hour, you never missed. And now all of a sudden?" He asked, his heart breaking with each word.
She slowly looked at him and took Klein's hand that was on her shoulder.
"What about you? Do you love me? Even if we don't have kids? Even if I had nothing to offer? Did you love me?" She asked, her voice trembling. "Do you love me?" She clarified, waiting for his response.
But Klein seemed caught off guard by her questions.
And so Evangeline forced a smile, not waiting for his response.
"I see... I—"
"I love you!" He suddenly blurted out, shocking Evangeline.
Although she was surprised, she maintained her composure and hummed as she let go of Klein's hand. For a moment, Klein felt a chill after losing her touch.
"You do?" She chuckled softly. "Thank you," Evangeline let out a sigh, catching Klein off guard.
'Why does she seem uninterested in my confession?' He wondered as he looked into her eyes.
"But..." She continued, adding, "...why do you love me?" She asked.
Klein felt confused by her question. "Is there a need for a reason when it comes to love?" He asked.
Evangeline laughed softly at his reaction.
"You can love what you cannot see, but you can't love what you don't know and you can't love what you don't understand," Evangeline explained.
As Evangeline saw how he struggled to grasp her words, it felt to her like a hopeless case. For a man like Klein, who only settled for one-night stands and never serious relationships, understanding what love is was a little difficult.
And so Evangeline could only smile and head out of her room and into Klein's.
She gathered the triplets, gently placing Maxine and Kael in their strollers, and cradled Xander in her arms as she carried them to her room.
Klein observed silently as Evangeline tended to the babies, changing their diapers and ensuring they were comfortable in their strollers.
Evangeline took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she forced a smile. "They're asleep now. Don't worry, we won't disturb you," she assured him, guiding him out of her room with gentle gestures.
But as if he was in a trance, Klein suddenly spoke out of nowhere.
"Marry me, Evangeline Sinlair. Please marry me."
"Good night, Mr. Klein," she cut him off bidding him farewell, her voice carrying a hint of exhaustion as she showed him a weary smile.
Before Klein could respond, Evangeline swiftly closed the door shut, leaving him standing outside her room in silence.
"Evangeline... Please... Think about it... For the sake of the kids, yeah?" Klein insisted, his voice muffled behind the closed door.
Evangeline forced her eyes closed and pressed her forehead against the door.
"For the kids..." She chuckled softly as tears started falling from her eyes.
"Yeah... Okay... I'll think about it. I'll... think about it."
ESTÁ A LER
𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝟏: 𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫 ✔
Romance"I'm a man and I want a child. If you can't give me that, then shut your mouth and just let me be." -Zachary Salazar "I need an heir, so if you're carrying my child, of course I'll take responsibility. But only if..." - Maximilian Klein ~ Evangeline...
