Chapter 265: The End Of The World Is Not an Excuse To Not Fall in Love

April frowned, her eyes searching his face. "So... it isn’t an abnormality?"

"It is the most human reaction possible," Samuel replied gently. "When I was with Mei... even simple gestures like holding her hand would make my heart race for hours afterward. The adrenaline you are feeling isn’t a threat, Miss April. It is simply your body’s realization that it enjoys being desired."

He paused, his eyes observing her flustered state with quiet understanding. "Furthermore, your reaction must be because you feel something for them as well."

April’s eyes widened slightly, her head snapping up. "How is that possible?"

"It quite is," Samuel said, stepping forward slightly. "Just think. If one of the people you did readings for back at the black market were to try and kiss you... how would you react?"

A dangerous, icy glint flickered in her eyes. "Do they want to die?"

"Exactly," Samuel nodded, a faint smile touching his lips. "That is the natural reaction you have to unwanted contact. But with Mr. Reed and Mr. Collins, you stayed still. Your heart raced, and your face flushed. Long-term exposure to their feelings and genuine affection is melting your walls, Miss April."

He smiled softly, stepping up to the counter and gently reaching across to take her hand. "It is not necessarily a bad thing, since it means the trauma that kept you from looking at those around you has begun to heal."

With utter reverence and grace, Samuel raised her hand slightly and pressed a warm, respectful kiss to the back of her knuckles. "Miss April... you are allowed to love and be loved. You are allowed to be adored and worshipped."

April swallowed hard, her chest tightening as a wave of sudden vulnerability crashed over her defenses. "But... it’s the end of the world..."

Samuel let out a soft, melodic laugh, letting go of her hand and leaning back. "That is not an excuse. They will survive, won’t they? You have given them more than enough information and they have the resources to live through the end of the world. And despite how you plan to stay in your own isolation, I doubt you would stop them from visiting you if they asked."

April went silent.

She stood frozen behind the marble counter, the quiet hum of the kitchen ventilation filling the space between them.

For the first time, her sharp, calculating mind had no immediate rebuttal, no strategic counter-argument, and no logical wall to pull up. Inside her chest, something fundamental had undeniably shifted, and thus came the bitter realization.

"Samuel..." she whispered, her voice dropping into a soft, fragile tone that held no trace of her usual iron-clad authority. "I’m not sure I know how to love."

The sudden vulnerability in her confession stunned him for a second. In all the time he had served her, through negotiations and chaotic crises, he had never heard her sound so uncertain.

A small, quiet smile touched Samuel’s lips, his dark eyes softening with deep, genuine warmth.

"I don’t think there’s anything special required from you, Miss April," he said gently, his voice smooth and steadying. "Just be as you are."

April looked down at the marble counter, letting his words anchor the lingering turmoil in her chest. For someone who had calculated every step of her survival, the simplicity of his answer felt almost alien.

Yet, the heavy weight that had been pressing against her ribs since she left the venue finally began to lift.

"Just be as I am..." she repeated under her breath, a faint, wry curve touching her lips as she looked back up at him. "That sounds like a terrible strategy, Samuel."

"On the contrary, Miss April," Samuel replied, stepping back and straightening his cuffs with his usual flawless composure. "It is the only strategy that has brought the most powerful men in the country to their knees."

April let out a quiet, genuine laugh, shaking her head as the last remnants of her flustered state dissolved into the quiet night.

"Get some rest, Samuel," she said, her tone returning to its familiar, relaxed rhythm. "Tomorrow is Day Two. We have a mountain of deep-sea delicacies to harvest, and I don’t intend to let a single master dish slip through our fingers."

"Understood, Miss April," Samuel bowed deeply, a glint of professional pride returning to his eyes.

However, before he could fully turn to leave, another lingering question rose behind his dark eyes. He paused, looking back at her with a quiet, thoughtful expression.

"Miss April... what would you do if Alexander Greels kissed you as well?"

The question instantly dragged April’s mind back to that quiet evening—the sudden, brazen touch of his lips against her forehead, the way her heart had skipped a beat in her chest, leaving her momentarily paralyzed.

"Nothing," she spoke softly.

He was just like the other two. He was head over heels for her, and his unyielding, protective affection had probably long since reached her heart. She closed her eyes for a brief second, imagining the scenario.

If Alexander were to draw her close and kiss her lips, she knew she wouldn’t lose her temper. She wouldn’t freeze in cold anger, nor would she push him away in disgust.

If anything, she would flush in utter embarrassment and frantically try to navigate out of whatever delightfully awkward situation her devoted knight would inevitably create. She even recalled the moment in the car before Nat interrupted, when their foreheads met, his gaze had lingered so heavily on her lips that the air had grown thick—and not once during any of those moments had she ever felt herself getting mad.

"Absolutely nothing," April repeated, her voice firm, though a faint, telltale pink dusted her cheeks.

Samuel nodded quietly, a look of complete understanding settling over his features. "I see. Goodnight, Miss April."

With a final, respectful bow, he turned and stepped out of the kitchen, leaving April alone under the soft glow of the lights.

She took a slow, deep breath, feeling the last traces of her internal panic fade into the quiet night. The emotional walls she had built over two lifetimes of survival were cracking, but as she looked out into the darkness, she realized she no longer minded the breeze getting in.