Third person's POV
Derek never expected that as soon as Tabitha returned, he would receive a call from Gloria.
On the other end of the line, Gloria's voice came through, "Tabitha wants to see you."
Hearing this, Derek's heart sank, and he sighed, thinking to himself, 'I knew it. I couldn't hide it from her.'
On an evening with snowflakes drifting down, the sky was shrouded in gloom, and the snow fell gently, covering the entire world in a silver-white veil.
Tabitha wrapped her coat tightly and saw Derek again.
Since her staged death, Tabitha had only seen Derek through news reports.
Now, as she approached him, she was surprised to find that he had become much thinner, his figure appearing particularly frail.
Derek was dressed in a black coat, leaning quietly against the car. In just a minute, snowflakes began to fall on his head, accumulating a thin layer of white snow.
Tabitha took a deep breath, calming her emotions, and then walked towards Derek.
Looking at Derek, her eyes carried a hint of doubt and concern, and she asked, "Why aren't you waiting for me in the car?"
Derek's heart was in turmoil, completely unsure.
He had no idea how much Tabitha had figured out.
He observed Tabitha's expression and found that her emotions seemed stable. He felt somewhat relieved.
He licked his dry lips, a look of surprise and delight appearing on his face. He quickly replied, "I just couldn't wait to see you sooner."
In fact, Derek wanted to immediately go over and hold an umbrella for Tabitha, shielding her from the falling snow, but he was afraid that his actions would cause Tabitha's disgust and make their relationship even worse.
This contradictory psychology left him at a loss for a moment, standing there foolishly, his eyes full of entanglement and helplessness.
"Get in the car. We need to talk," Tabitha's voice broke the brief silence.
"Okay," Derek quickly responded, hastily walking around to the passenger side to open the door for Tabitha.
Because he was going to talk to Tabitha today, he had driven himself over, just to have more time to be alone with her.
Derek got in the car, his heart filled with anxiety and unease, completely unsure of Tabitha's next move.
His hand was on the steering wheel, but he didn't start the car.
He hesitated for a moment, breaking the silence, and asked, "Have you eaten?"
"No, I came as soon as I got the call," Tabitha replied.
"I haven't either. Let's go to Manhattan Steakhouse," Tabitha suggested.
"Manhattan Steakhouse" was a steak restaurant that they used to frequent often, holding many of their sweet memories.
Upon hearing this suggestion, Derek quickly took out his phone and made a call to book a table.
After booking the table, Derek held the steering wheel with one hand and slowly turned the car around.
Tabitha sat in the passenger seat, silent, her eyes gazing out the window as if she were thinking.
The cabin was filled with silence, and this quietness made Derek feel awkward and oppressed.
In order to break the suffocating silence, he fumbled with the car stereo and played a song, one that Tabitha used to love the most - "Destiny".
The familiar melody filled the cabin, and the lyrics seemed to be a true portrayal of their current state.
Derek drove very slowly as if wanting to prolong the time spent alone with Tabitha.
Tabitha listened to the song, her thoughts drifting with the melody.
The last line of the lyrics, "Wanting to forget you seems impossible. You're still in my mind today, causing me unbearable pain," was like a sharp knife, piercing straight into her heart, causing ripples in her heart.
"When did you know I was still alive?" Tabitha suddenly turned her head and asked.
Derek answered, "A long time ago. I know you too well. I know you would never choose suicide at that time. Moreover, Orson's reaction at the funeral confirmed this even more."
"And the funeral..." Tabitha pursued. "I did that on purpose. I wanted the mastermind behind the scenes to think you were dead, so they would give up hunting you," Derek explained.
"You always knew my whereabouts?" Tabitha continued to ask.
Derek nodded, a hint of helplessness and guilt in his eyes, and said, "Yes, but I know you hate me, blame me, even fear me, so I dared not get close to you."
"The sudden appearance of the warship at sea was your doing?" Tabitha's eyes were fixed on Derek, not missing any change in his facial expression.
"I had people scout the pirates' movements in advance, so I had the warship follow you from a distance to ensure your safety," Derek confessed.