Mark froze in his tracks. His tongue suddenly went numb. Yet his soaring ego refused to accept that bitter reality. Inside the dark confines of his mind, Mark once again concluded, with shallow delusion, that the woman before him was merely toying with his feelings.
Like most women when they're angry, Celine was surely just playing hard to get. That false belief swirled in his mind—that eventually, Celine would soften too. A short laugh finally escaped Mark's lips.
His excessive self-confidence made Mark reluctant to back down. He locked his gaze on Celine, relying on the remnants of his charm that he hoped would soften her heart once more.
"I know you're still angry, Celine," Mark whispered, trying to soften his voice. "You have every right to punish me for what happened three years ago. But this dinner invitation… isn't it clear proof that you still have room for me? Stop acting like a stranger, Seren. We can start over."
