Reflections of the choices

Chapter eleven. Part 2

"She looked at me

Then I sold my soul

She's the devil

She's the devil in a dress"

"Devil in a Dress" by Teddy Swim

The masquerade ball had been the most significant event not only of the season but perhaps of Benedict Bridgerton's entire life. He couldn't stop thinking about the mysterious woman he had met that night. She was enigmatic, graceful, and there was something special in her eyes that captivated him instantly. Yet the stranger had not revealed her name, and, like a fairy tale, had disappeared at midnight, leaving him with only a single glove.

Since then, Benedict couldn't think of anything else. Every minute he wasn't asleep, he devoted to searching for this woman. Her image had become an obsession. Every night he dreamed of their meeting, and he desperately tried to recreate every detail of their brief but memorable dialogue, hoping that in her words, there was some clue to her identity.

Even now, as he sat in the study with his brothers discussing Colin's unexpected engagement, his thoughts were far away.

"Tell us!" Anthony's voice brought Benedict back to reality. He was looking at Colin, who was just pouring the whiskey.

Colin smiled and began:

"I'm not sure what you want to hear, brother. I've never been happier."

"It shows," Anthony grinned. "You're glowing. But I'm curious how it happened?"

"He's interested in whether you've compromised Penelope," Benedict interrupted, teasing his brother slightly. "And I'd think about your answer, because Anthony might challenge you to a duel for her honor."

"So, what do you say?" Anthony asked, frowning slightly.

Colin carefully chose his words, trying to explain his feelings:

"It doesn't matter how it happened," Colin began, his voice a little quieter, almost thoughtful. "What matters is that my feelings for Penelope didn't change suddenly but gradually. We were friends for most of our lives, and I always valued her as a true friend, but over time, I began to notice small things that I had previously missed."

Colin smiled, remembering. "When she wasn't around, the days seemed longer, and I began counting the minutes until our next meeting. I found myself longing to see her face, hear her laugh. Every time she said goodbye, an emptiness appeared in my soul that wouldn't go away until I saw her again."

He paused, looking at Anthony and Benedict as if checking whether they understood him. "When I looked out the window and didn't see her house, my heart ached with longing. I missed being able to wait for the moment the door would open and she would appear. And when I saw her playing with the twins, I realized I wanted to see her as the mother of my children. I wanted her gentle hands and kind eyes to care for them as she cares for me."

Colin lowered his gaze, as if confessing his deepest feelings. "And finally, one morning, I woke up and realized that I wanted to see her every morning by my side. To see her smile, her eyes shine, to share every new day with her. I realized that it was her hands that should touch me, it was her voice I wanted to hear first and last, it was her love that I could no longer live without."

He lifted his head, his eyes full of tenderness. "I realized that Penelope is not just my friend, not just a girl I've known since childhood. She is the one I've always been waiting for, even if I didn't realize it. She is my love, my light, my soul. And I have never been so sure of anything in my life as I am about wanting to spend it with her."