Chapter 101: White Knight in shining armour.
The young man was dressed in crisp white trousers, a matching long-sleeved shirt, and a white hat perched atop his neatly styled brown crew-cut hair.
His hazel eyes shimmered with an enchanting mix of colors, each shade blending seamlessly into the next, drawing Charles in like a whirlpool he couldn’t escape from.
For a moment, Charles forgot how to breathe.
There was something undeniably captivating about the stranger—an effortless charm that made the world blur at the edges.
The young stranger stood at an impressive 6’2", with broad shoulders that added to his commanding presence.
His smile was breathtaking, his perfectly aligned white teeth glistening under the glow of the overhead lights.
He looked almost unreal, as if he had stepped out of a world crafted by imagination—too flawless, too mesmerizing to belong to reality.
When he slowly ran his tongue over his pink lips, moistening them ever so slightly, Charles felt his breath hitch.
His eyes widened, unable to tear away from the sheer, astonishing beauty standing before him.
Time itself felt suspended as an angelic hymn echoed in Charles mind, painting the moment with an almost divine glow.
In Charles vivid imagination, a soft white ray of light beamed down from above, illuminating the young man like a celestial being descending from the heavens.
’How can a man be this beautiful?’ Charles wondered, his heart pounding in his chest.
The stranger before Charles wasn’t just handsome—he was otherworldly, a vision of perfection wrapped in elegance, like a knight in gleaming white armor stepping straight out of a dream.
"Hello?" the young man purred, waving a hand in front of Charles’s face.
His voice was deep—smooth like velvet yet laced with a hypnotic charm that sent a shiver down Charles’s spine.
It was the kind of voice that could command a room without effort, the kind that lingered in the air like a seductive whisper.
Charles opened his mouth to speak up but no words formed out of his mouth.
Charles was completely in awe.
"Are you alright?" He questioned because Charles was unresponsive.
Once more, Charles finds it hard to speak up, which prompts the young man to snap his finger in front of Charles’s face. "Hey," the young man called out, snapping his finger more loudly.
’Gasp!’
Charles fluttered his eyelashes as he shook his head sideways while snapping back to reality.
Charles swallowed hard and bit his lower lip as his brows arched instinctively, silently questioning the stranger’s presence.
"Are you alright?" the young man asked, his voice rich and smooth, laced with an unreadable curiosity.
"I... I am... I am fine," Charles mumbled, his words barely above a whisper, betraying the rapid thudding of his heart.
The young man chuckled, the sound deep and velvety. "I’m glad you’re fine," he said, his lips curling into a teasing smile as he glanced over his shoulder to ensure Anna and her boyfriend were truly gone.
Satisfied, he turned back to Charles, his hazel eyes gleaming with an unreadable emotion.
With a smooth motion, he extended his hand for a handshake, his fingers long and elegant. "I believe introductions are in order."
As their hands met, a sudden jolt of electricity surged through Charles’s body, sending an unexplainable warmth up his spine.
His heartbeat quickened, pounding so loudly in his chest that he wondered if the young man could hear it too.
"By the way, I’m Reuben Joachim," the young man introduced himself smoothly, his voice still carrying that hypnotic allure.
Then, with a polite yet fleeting smile, he gently withdrew his hand from Charles’s grasp. "And if you don’t mind, I’d love to be on my way."
"Wait!" Charles quickly called out before the young man could turn around. "Umm... well, thanks a lot for saving me earlier," he mumbled, his voice low but still audible enough for Reuben to hear. "I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t shown up, so... I’m grateful for that, Reuben," Charles added, his gaze briefly dropping to the floor before flickering back up to meet Reuben’s.
He smirk. "If I hadn’t shown up, it was obvious that you were ready to start a fight with her." He stated with a playful voice as a teasing smile curved at the corner of his lips.
His smile instantly made Charles feel weak in his legs as butterflies threatened to pop out of his stomach.
"I... I... I won’t have a choice to start a fight." Charles purred as he winged his legs while nervously playing with his fingers. "She’s my ex and we didn’t end up on good terms," Charles added, which was even though he wasn’t questioned to give any information.
Reuben nod. "Ohh! Then it’s a good thing I showed up." He stated, winking at Charles before turning around to walk away.
Charles remained rooted in place, his gaze fixed on Reuben’s broad shoulders.
Reuben had only taken a few steps away when, suddenly, he halted.
In one swift motion, he turned back around and strode toward Charles with purpose.
"I didn’t get to know your name," Reuben murmured, his voice smooth as he closed the distance between them.
Charles felt his heart skip a beat, warmth creeping up his neck as he met Reuben’s gaze.
A soft smile curled his lips. "My name is Charles Donald," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper as he fluttered his lashes, feeling suddenly lightheaded under Reuben’s intense stare.
"Charles. That’s such a lovely name," Reuben whispered, his voice dripping with something almost intoxicating.
He rolled his tongue inside his mouth, his hazel eyes locked onto Charles with an unreadable intensity.
"Would it be alright if I got your number?" he asked smoothly. "I’m new to town, and I’d love to have a friend."
Charles nodded without hesitation as Reuben slipped his hand into his pocket, retrieving his phone.
Holding it out, he prompted Charles to enter his number, their fingers briefly brushing against each other.
Reuben took the phone back, his fingers grazing Charles’s ever so slightly, sending a spark up his arm.
He saved the number with a satisfied smile before turning the screen toward Charles. "I have saved your number," he murmured, tilting the screen toward Charles.
Charles’s eyes widened when he noticed three heart emojis beside his name.
Heat rushed to his cheeks, blooming a deep shade of red.
Reuben smirked at the reaction, leaning in slightly. "It was nice meeting you, handsome," he purred before turning on his heels and walking away, leaving Charles standing there, heart pounding.