Slowly, Chloe loosened her grip on Eric’s hand. Her voice came out hoarse, trembling with disbelief.“Didn’t you say before that it was all just pretend? So what is this now, Eric? Another act? Just to stop me from getting close to you again?”Eric exhaled sharply. “It was pretend before, yes. But now… we’re together because we actually love each other. That’s it. That’s the only reason we need.”It felt as if Chloe’s throat was being crushed by the weight of those words. Her heart shattered the moment she heard the one truth she never wanted to hear from him. It was too sudden, too suffocating. Her body trembled—she didn’t even know how she was still standing. Her knees felt like they were made of air.“Listen,” Eric continued coolly, “what we have is just friendship. And a real friend knows how to respect another’s privacy. Enjoy your golf game.”He smirked, the corner of his lips tilting in quiet dominance, then grabbed Violet’s hand and walked away—leaving Chloe frozen on the gree

Violet’s face tensed up. She knew Eric was supposed to finish a full five-kilometer run. But honestly, her heart ached watching him push through even just two. She could still hear his uneven breathing.“Are you sure about this?” Violet asked softly.Eric tried to smile, not wanting her to worry. “I’m fine,” he murmured. “Just… running out of gas a little.”“A little? You almost collapsed just now!” Violet sighed deeply, her eyes lingering on his sweat-soaked face. She reached into the pocket of her riding vest, pulled out a small handkerchief, and gently wiped the sweat from his temple.“Why do you always push yourself like this?” she whispered. “You don’t have to be strong all the time in front of me.”Eric froze for a moment. He looked at her, eyes soft yet awkward. Inside his chest, embarrassment, affection, and the weight of his hidden mission collided.“Listen,” Violet continued, “even without doing all this, you’re already the strongest man in my eyes. You’re strong enough to h

Violet swallowed hard, unable to hide the smile spreading across her face. She nodded softly. “Alright. But make sure I don’t bump into anything, okay?”Eric chuckled, squeezing her hand tightly. “Relax. I won’t let you get hurt—not even a scratch.”They began walking slowly, leaving the open field behind. Eric kept glancing at her with a quiet, satisfied grin, while the late afternoon sun cast long golden streaks over the grass.During the drive back home, Violet tried her best to pry information out of Eric about the “surprise” he had prepared for her. But Eric, calm as ever, handled every one of her questions with infuriating ease—never giving away even the smallest clue.Again and again, he only said, “You’ll find out soon enough.”Before long, the car rolled to a stop in front of Eric’s luxurious mansion.“Can I take it off now?” Violet asked the second Eric helped her out of the car. Her voice was full of impatience and curiosity, almost trembling with excitement.“Not yet,” Eri

Eric held back a grin as he watched Violet’s adorable, anxious expression. Then, keeping his face serious, he continued speaking in a calm, steady tone.“I want to ask Violet to be my wife.”Violet’s eyes went wide again. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth, and her heart pounded so hard it felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. She bit her lip, wondering if she had misheard.But that doubt vanished the next second when she heard Eric continue speaking to David Jung.“Yes, I’m completely serious. Tomorrow, I’ll come to your house to make a formal proposal. But for now, I want to ask for your and Dr. Marry’s blessing.”Then Eric tapped the speaker button on his phone.From the other end, David Jung could be heard shouting for his wife. His excited, trembling voice narrated Eric’s intention to propose to their daughter. Moments later, Dr. Marry’s joyful shriek filled the room, followed by her enthusiastic words, granting permission without a trace of hesitation—without even as

Violet’s eyes lit up the moment she read the words glowing on Eric’s phone screen. Her lips curved into a bright, uncontrollable smile. A delighted scream escaped her, followed by cheerful clapping as she celebrated her boyfriend’s success.“Wait—does this mean you’ve been accepted as a new member of the University of Grand Houston Rowing Club?” Violet asked eagerly, her voice bubbling with excitement.Eric calmly sliced a piece of steak and lifted it toward her. She accepted it with that soft, loving smile of hers before taking a bite.He replied, “Not necessarily. There are several selection stages. After the administration phase, there’s the physical test—scheduled for Monday afternoon after classes. If I pass that, there’ll still be more to go.”“Oh my God! That means you won’t have much time to rest, Eric.” Violet frowned in concern. “Let’s finish dinner quickly so you can get some rest early.”Eric chuckled lightly and offered her another bite. “Rest might recharge my body,” he