The Painter's Amour

His Gentle Embrace

Chapter 26: His Gentle Embrace

“True love is not all of the beautiful words you say but all of the ways you find to show it.” – Anonymous

Julian Hartwell

The large entrance door of a noble mansion hailed my presence as I stood still in front of it with my heart beating relentlessly at its grace, I was nervous. The uncertainty in my face was clearly reflected on the glossy surface of the gold door handle and it was causing me to hesitate.

But I must do this because it won’t feel right if I don’t.

Inhaling a deep breath, I proceeded to knock on the wooden door and a maid answered it not too long. “Welcome, Sir Julian.” Emily greeted me and I nodded in return.

“I’m here to see Sir and Madam,” I stated the reason for my visit while searching around the room in hope that Dante was not here since I didn’t have a reason to see him.

“They are in the guest room.” she replied, and then she gestured me to come with her hence I abode.

The interior of this manor was completely adorned in aristocracy from the ceiling, wall textures and down to the refined furniture and decorations in which it only shows the huge difference of their wealthy lifestyle from a commoner like me and of course, it hit the reality right at my face.

The reality of him being born an elite and I was not.

Even though I was not bothered by important things like status and such before, however everything changed and those high standards of his were what caused me to lose my confidence and self-esteem as an individual – thus I was no longer an optimistic person like how I used to be.

After all there was no way a famous rich man will fall in love with an ordinary poor man.

This was not a fairy tale where dreams do come true and I just have to believe in it. No it was not like that.

I love you, Julian. I really do.

Lies. I want to believe them as his lies because it will only hurt me again if I don’t. I want to believe that he was only saying that because of his remorse and conscience. I simply want to believe it as his mistake because I was already tired of this painful unrequited love – I was tired of loving him.

The sound of people talking drifted me from my trance and here I was faced again in front of another door.

Emily soon knocked and opened it. “Please excuse us. Sir Julian is here to see you.” she bowed her head in respect.

Upon entering the guest room; I was stunned to see Sir Arthur with his wife Madam Helena and their son Dante, much to my dismay, and also Sir Marcus who was sitting decently on a couch across them because nonetheless I was not ready to face the father of the woman whom I deceived by having an affair with her man.

Dante lit up a smile after seeing me.

“Oh... I am glad that you can join us, young man, we were just talking about you.” the dirty blonde man stared at me for a second before calling to my attention with a deep but potent voice and it intensified the shame I bear within me.

I gulped, “I am here to apologize...” before I could finish my sentence, Sir Marcus interrupted me with a hand.

“It is impolite to talk from a distance, please know some manners so sit.” he explained in disdain as he pointed on the seat next to him – he made me feel insecure.

Nevertheless I nodded in mute response before taking the empty seat beside him, my body becoming rigid and my posture tensing.

“Please don’t be harsh on him, Marcus, because he is not at fault, my son is.” I heard Madam Helena sighed and I was unable to picture her expression since I couldn’t even lift my head up because of the pressure I can feel from the pair of sharp eyes directed straight at my side.