Chapter 58
Her head dipped in a sudden bout of shyness. I leaned in, whispering into her ear. She recoiled, shaking her head fervently, "No, don't, I... I'm not ready."
Her vehement reaction was a clear indication; a kiss was the boundary we could not cross.
This was expected, considering it was our first date.
"I'm only teasing you," I assured her, "Even if you had agreed, I wouldn't have crossed that line."
A chuckle escaped my lips as I gestured towards the ceiling, "There are cameras here. The folks in the control room have a clear view of everything. I don't fancy a live broadcast."
"Ah, haven't we already been seen by others?" Her voice wavered with a hint of panic.
I pulled her into my arms, gently running my fingers through her hair, "It's alright, they don't know us, and we haven't done anything inappropriate. If you feel uncomfortable, we can opt for a private cinema next time, okay?"
Her head bobbed in agreement before shaking in denial, "You're such a tease, I won't go to a private cinema with you."
"Alright, then I'll invite someone else next time."
"Ah, you dare, watch out, I bite. And I bite hard."
"Don't worry, I'll only go with you."
After a playful banter, we decided to leave the cinema before the movie concluded.
Emerging into the late afternoon, I dialed Lily to clock out remotely, then steered the car back to Walker Company.
During the drive, I broached the subject of keeping our relationship under wraps for the time being.
Mary seemed puzzled, and I explained, "Consider this, if you tell your brother now that we're dating, what would he think of me? Would he assume I have ulterior motives?"
"He wouldn't think that way, I was the one who initiated this, it has nothing to do with you!" Mary declared, patting her chest, "Don't worry, I..."
"Hey, why are you oversimplifying things?" I sighed, "An elder brother is akin to a father, and you hold a special place in your brother's heart. Besides, we've known each other for less than a week and have already progressed this far, which is quite fast for most people. If your family were ordinary, it wouldn't matter, as there would be nothing to gain. But the issue is, I'm a poor boy dating you, and in the eyes of others, I'm punching above my weight, harboring ulterior motives. Do you understand?"
"What's the problem with that? I have friends who got married in the afternoon after a morning blind date. We are slow in comparison!"
I was at a loss for words. Were all modern women this open-minded?
"And, I've said it before, whether I'm worthy or not, it's not for others to decide, it's up to me!"
Her stubbornness was proving to be a challenge. I paused, gathering my thoughts before saying, "Mary, as a man, I can ignore everything, but I have to care about my self-esteem, right? At the moment, I'm a nobody, and being favored by you feels like I've used up all the good luck in my life. But I don't want to be labeled a loser, do you understand?"
"You're not a loser, you're a hero in my heart!"
"Yes, in your heart, but what about in the eyes of others?"
My voice deepened, my gaze distant, yet intensely focused on her, "Give me some time, let me become stronger, not to match your brother, but at least to have enough confidence to stand before him."
"At that time, I will tell him myself, I want to be his brother-in-law! If he doesn't agree, I'll just whisk you away."
Perhaps moved by my earnestness, she looked at me with a touched expression, "Okay, I'll listen to you."
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