The Wrong Woman

Mila sighed. "It's probably best to move on sooner if Candice doesn't have feelings for you. But you shouldn't settle for manying someone you don't love. Josie isn't the right match for you."

"Her aunt is shady," Elio responded with a relaxed drawl.

Surprised, Mila asked, "You knew about that?"

Elio hummed in acknowledgment.

Mila got to her feet and said, "Alright, I should head back. You should get some sleep. Meet me at Sudvilla at noon tomorrow."ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Sudvilla, a villa granted to Nathan by the govemment, was located directly opposite Hudson Manor, where Josie lived.

"Why should I go there?" Elio looked at her, puzzled.

With a gentle smile, Mila said, "Come early and lend me a hand."

Then, she left Elio's room, quietly closing the door behind her. Elio's gaze lingered on the door, looking desolate.

At noon the following day, Candice arrived in a floral dress complemented by a lace-trimmed sun hat. She carried a wicker basket full of plant seedlings.

She stepped out of her car and walked toward the garden with buoyant, graceful steps reminiscent of a butterfly.

From afar, she noticed someone crouched over the soil in the middle of the garden, dressed in a white shirt. "Aunt Chubs, Aunt Chubs, Aunt Chubs," she called out.

As Candice drew closer, she stopped abruptly. Her words caught in her throat, and her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the man before her.

Elio stood when he heard the voice, questioning if he had misheard. As he turned and saw Candice rushing toward him, he was rooted to the spot in shock. Their eyes locked, and a palpable tension hung between them, leaving them momentarily stunned. Feeling the weight of Elio's stare, Candice looked away hastily, her eyes darting in panic.

"I thought you were Aunt Chubs. I-I came to deliver some seedlings to her. I-"

'She's gone to fetch some water," said Elio.

Initially, he couldn't fathom why Mila had insisted he come help in the garden instead of using their usual gardeners. Now, it clicked.

He set aside his small hoe and removed his glove. After taking a few steps toward Candice, he extended his hand. "Let me help you with that."

Candice passed him the basket and edged closer, carefully pointing out the different seedlings. 'These are magnolia seedlings. These are peony seedlings, and these are rose seedlings."

As she finished, she looked up and caught Elio staring at her rather than the seedlings in the basket. Their eyes met, and he quickly diverted his gaze to the basket, feeling flustered. He couldn't differentiate the seedlings at all.

Candice felt a sudden tightness in her chest, her breathing becoming unsteady. Uncertain of her next move, she took a cautious step back.

The air turned slightly awkward. In a soft voice, Elio asked, "Which flowers do you prefer?"

With a warm smile, Candice answered sweetly, "I love all kinds of flowers. I adore them if they're beautiful."

"Candice, you're here!" Mila called out, approaching them with several bottles of mineral water.

Turning around, Candice waved at Mila with a bright smile. "Aunt Chubs, I've brought some seedlings for you."

"You look lovely today," Mila praised.

Blushing, Candice glanced down at her dress, feeling delighted.

Mila noticed Elio's lingering gaze on Candice. She passed a bottle of water to Candice before approaching Elio and handed him one. Leaning in, she whispered, "Ease up on the staring. You might scare her."

Elio set the basket aside and glanced down. Then, he unscrewed the bottle cap and drank a large gulp of water.