Second Time Around, I Won’t Marry the Don Chapter 09

Second Time Around, I Won’t Marry the Don Chapter 09

After Luna came of age, the Vitale family arranged marriage candidates for her.

In my previous life, Nathan had rejected every single one on my behalf.

He always said I was still too young.

There was no rush.

Instead, he took me traveling around the world.

I never even met a single potential match.

This time…

Maybe because he’d lived through it all once before, Nathan wasn’t as impulsive.

He personally vetted every candidate before letting Luna meet them.

She chose from the ones he’d approved.

Every time she went on one of those dinner dates…

She insisted on bringing me along.

The young men all came from families that matched the Vitales’ status.

Most of them were handsome too.

But Luna rejected every single one.

She made excuses: “Brother is older than me, so he should get married first.”

Mr. and Mrs. Vitale also arranged introductions for Nathan.

Just like in my previous life…

He turned them all down.

Every last one.

Thinking back over both lifetimes combined…

Nathan had never had a steady girlfriend.

Luna leaned over one day, eager to gossip.

“Eva, do you know who Brother likes?”

I didn’t.

And I wasn’t interested.

Whoever it was…

It wasn’t me.

I answered casually,

“Maybe he doesn’t like anyone.”

Luna immediately shook her head.

“No way.”

“My brother isn’t made of stone.”

“After all these years, there’s got to be someone.”

“Mom asked him too, and he still said no.”

“I don’t believe him.”

Even Mr. and Mrs. Vitale had no idea what to do with him.

None of it had anything to do with me.

I hadn’t seen Nathan in a long time either.

Ever since that Christmas…

He’d practically been living on campus.

He rarely came home.

Until one day, after another one of Luna’s blind dates…

The family’s luxury car came to pick us up.

I opened the rear door.

Nathan was inside with his eyes closed, resting.

Luna climbed in first.

“Brother!”

Her voice overflowed with affection.

Nathan opened his eyes.

He smiled gently and nodded.

The scene looked almost identical to my previous life.

The only difference…

Was the person calling him Brother.

I started to close the rear door and head for the front passenger seat.

Luna stopped me.

“Eva, where are you going?”

Nathan looked up.

His voice was impossible to read.

“Leaving without making a sound — where are your manners?”

I had no idea where his irritation came from.

Luna certainly wasn’t about to indulge it.

“Brother, I dragged Eva here.”

“She can sit wherever she wants.”

I climbed into the spacious rear cabin.

The car had two rows of rear seats.

Might as well enjoy them.

Suddenly…

The driver slammed on the brakes.

I was thrown forward.

My head was about to smash into the corner of the center console.

A pair of large hands reached out and steadily supported me.

Luna asked anxiously,

“Evelyn, are you okay?”

The warmth around my waist vanished instantly.

Nathan had already leaned back into his seat.

As though he’d never touched me at all.

When we arrived at the Vitale estate…

Luna jumped out first.

Only Nathan and I remained inside the car.

He spoke unexpectedly.

“I was wrong just now. I’ve encountered some issues at the company recently… Anyway, it was my fault.”

There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

I nodded politely.

“It’s alright.”

Nathan looked at me for a long time.

His eyes grew darker.

He got out second.

I should’ve been the last one to leave.

But for some reason…

He moved unusually slowly.

He lingered by the open door without getting out.

Just as I was wondering why, he spoke softly.

“I’m used to you walking in front of me.”

For one fleeting moment…

I felt like I’d returned to my previous life.

Whenever I got nervous and was afraid of crowded public places…

Nathan would always walk behind me.

Patient.

Gentle.

“Evelyn, don’t be scared.”

“I’m right behind you.”

But that life was over.

I shook the useless memories away.

“Young Master is joking. Please go first.”

The inside of the car was dim.

Only a thin ray of sunlight fell across Nathan’s face.

For just a second…

It looked as though a bitter smile touched his lips.