After leaving the seaside, Evelyn's steps seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, and every step she took was extremely difficult. The sea breeze was still howling behind her, as if urging her on or trying to hold her back. But at this moment, her mind was filled with the painful and lonely expression on Lucas's face when he told his life story, as well as that bloody and sorrowful past.
She walked slowly along the seaside path. The afterglow of the setting sun stretched her shadow long, and that shadow somehow also looked lonely and confused. The people around were either laughing and playing on the beach or taking a leisurely stroll while enjoying the seascape. However, all these lively scenes seemed like pictures from another world to Evelyn and had nothing to do with her.
When she got home, Evelyn walked straight into her own room and closed the door, shutting out the outside world. She leaned weakly against the door, and tears once again flowed out of her eyes uncontrollably, sliding down her cheeks and wetting her clothes. She felt as if her heart was being tightly grasped by an invisible big hand, so painful that she couldn't breathe.
She had never expected that such a heavy and terrifying secret was hidden behind Lucas. The man who had once appeared like a hero in her eyes, discussing art with her in the gallery and pouring out their hearts to each other in the moonlit garden, was actually a vampire, a creature that should only exist in legends and nightmares.
Evelyn slowly walked to the bedside and sat down, hugging her knees and burying her head in her arms. Her body trembled slightly. Memories of every moment spent with Lucas kept flashing through her mind. Those beautiful memories now seemed like thorny brambles, stabbing her heart every time she recalled them. She thought of Lucas's gentle smile, affectionate gaze, and the protection that always came in time when she needed it. Was all of this going to be negated because of this cruel truth?
Night gradually enveloped the whole city, and the room became dim. Evelyn had no intention of getting up to turn on the light. She just sat quietly in the dark, as if only in this way could her chaotic thoughts calm down a little. She began to think about her feelings for Lucas. It was a kind of heartfelt and pure love. From the initial heart-fluttering when they first met to the deepening of their relationship during the later interactions, this feeling had already taken root deep in her heart unconsciously and couldn't be easily uprooted.
However, accepting Lucas meant facing countless unknown risks and worldly prejudices. She didn't know if she had enough courage to bear all of this. She was afraid of the strange looks from others, the misunderstanding of her family and friends, and even more afraid that in the days to come, she would get into endless troubles because of Lucas's special identity.
Nevertheless, whenever she thought of Lucas's lonely and expectant eyes, and remembered how he had endured hundreds of years of pain and loneliness in this world alone, Evelyn's heart softened. She knew very well how much Lucas longed for love and acceptance, and her appearance might be the only light in his long, dark years.
Evelyn raised her head and wiped the tears on her face randomly with her hand. Her eyes gradually became firm. She told herself that love was originally a risky adventure full of uncertainties. Since she loved Lucas deeply, how could she give up easily just because of his unchangeable identity? Those difficulties and prejudices were indeed terrifying, but compared with losing Lucas, they seemed bearable.
After making this decision, Evelyn took a deep breath, stood up, and walked to the window. She opened the window. The night breeze blew in, carrying the unique coolness of the night, blowing on her face with the still wet tears, making her sober up a lot. She looked at the brightly lit city outside the window, silently chanting Lucas's name in her heart. She knew that she had already made her choice. No matter how difficult the road ahead was, she would walk it with Lucas.
The next morning, the sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains and spilled into the room. Evelyn got up early. Looking at her somewhat haggard yet determined face in the mirror, she carefully tidied her hair and chose to put on a white dress. This dress symbolized the purity and firmness of her feelings for this relationship. She hoped that Lucas could see her determination.
After going out, Evelyn walked straight towards a place where Lucas often went. It was an abandoned old castle on the edge of the city. Lucas had once mentioned it to her casually, saying that he could feel a different kind of tranquility there and would go there and stay for a while whenever he was in a bad mood. Evelyn walked quickly all the way. Her heart beat faster as she got closer and closer to the castle. There was both the nervousness of seeing Lucas soon and the eagerness to tell him her decision immediately.
When the outline of the castle appeared in front of Evelyn, it looked a bit gloomy. The mottled walls were covered with vines, and the pointed spires still exuded a mysterious air even in the sunlight. Without any hesitation, Evelyn pushed open the heavy door and walked in. The inside of the castle was dimly lit, and there was a stale smell in the air. Dust was dancing in the light that seeped through the cracks. But Evelyn didn't care about these. She shouted Lucas's name loudly, and her voice echoed in the empty castle, carrying her full expectation and deep affection.