Finally. After a long wait, the Ontario Supreme Court has responded regarding the pending amendment to the law.
The Court expressed its intention to significantly expand the scope of application of restraining orders. In addition, he demonstrated a strong commitment to preventing the disclosure of victims' personal information and to establishing systems of protection and support.
Of course, behind such an unusually quick consideration of the amendment were bribes that Ilex transferred under the guise of donations.
His cousin Iris seemed to believe in the righteousness of the legal community and their commitment to helping victims. But honestly. The reality was clear - without his bribes, this amendment would never have been approved so quickly.
In her letter, Iris mentioned that even the Ontaroan Royal Family has given its approval and the amendment is expected to be passed by the summer at the latest. She wrote that they had finally succeeded, that their efforts had paid off.
He laughed at his cousin's excessive sentimentality. But, to be honest, when Ilex first received an official document from the Supreme Court, he could not tear himself away from it for a long time.
It was like holding a fragile newborn chick in his hands - he could almost feel the faint warmth emanating from the paper, rising up his arms and settling in his chest, causing his lips to twitch involuntarily.
The document was nothing more than lifeless white paper. Therefore, the warmth he felt must have been nothing more than a by-product of his own imagination.
Now Tilia Ambrose will finally be able to escape from her family. She will make it to Ontario safely and live the life she wants.
Behind the formal, rigidly structured text of the document, the image of Tilia formed in his mind. The black ink on the page seemed to dance in the air, creating her silhouette.
Surrounded by the sweets she loved so much, she leaned back on soft pillows and read a book that was not a textbook.
Basking in the warm rays of the sun, without fear of even the slightest shadow of a thundercloud.
For the first time, the idea of Tilia Ambrose actually finding peace was something he could vividly imagine. And sentimentally, he thought that perhaps this was the most meaningful thing he had ever done in his life.
Laughter involuntarily escaped from his lips, like water from a cracked cup.
From the day he received the document guaranteeing Tilia's freedom, Ilex imagined her life in Ontario every day.
She was always at ease in these visions. She was never particularly expressive, so she didn’t smile often. But at least she no longer wore the face of a wild animal, constantly aware of the predators lying in wait for her.
He imagined a well-groomed, tidy house. A beautiful mansion with a garden blooming with flowers of all colors. Like a distant observer, he imagined her living there, only to suddenly realize.
Even in his fantasies he was not near her. He just watched from afar.
But the thought passed as quickly as the bittersweet aftertaste of her favorite chocolate. It didn't matter. He allowed his imagination to continue uninterrupted.
What mattered was that she was happy. That she didn't cry. Whether he was there or not...
It no longer had any real meaning.
Yes, that was enough.
Lying on a bench in the perlog by the lake, Ilex sighed quietly, thinking about her again.
Looking back, he realized that he had hardly seen the real Tilia this term, so intent was he on ensuring her escape. The most he saw was an expression of disgust whenever she had the misfortune of crossing paths with Gregory Myers.
He didn't hang around the girls' dorm like he used to, and he didn't secretly monitor her daily routine like some hidden observer.
It wasn't that he didn't want to see her. Finally, one day he was so lost in thoughts about Tilia that he grabbed the bathroom door handle too tightly and accidentally broke it.
He was simply too busy dealing with several problems at once. Too busy bribing the right people to have time to follow her around like he used to.
But he didn't regret anything. Because all of those efforts ultimately freed Tilia Ambrose.
Feeling as if he had finally completed his homework for the summer, Ilex closed his eyes and his heart finally calmed down.
For the first time, his grandfather's words that love was the act of letting go of a butterfly made sense.
When this year is over, he will most likely never see Tilia again. But that was also normal.
Because now he had someone he could always pull out from the depths of his heart whenever he wanted. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see the girl with a peaceful smile.
At this thought, a light breeze seemed to flow through his heart.
The world behind his closed eyes was in the midst of a beautiful season, balancing between spring and summer.
White butterflies, their wings catching the shimmering rays of the sun, fluttered over the shore of the lake, and the fresh scent of nature spread through the air like spores.
Lying with his hands behind his head, Ilex dozed off in this sweet time.
And during this light slumber he had a very funny dream.
It was a dream completely opposite to what he had done before falling asleep - a completely absurd dream.
In the dream, it was not he who suffered from the fever of unrequited love, but Tilia Ambrose. The girl who always wore a cold, indifferent expression now looked at him with longing.
Just like him.
Yes. The same way he looked at her.
-...Ilex.
The dream was an inverted world, a mirror image. In this world, he was the one Tilia yearned for, but at the same time, he played a cruel role by despising her.
Hearing her anxiously call his name, Ilex caught himself thinking that he was overcome by melancholy.
So this is the power of the beloved. And this is the pathetic look of someone who longs to be loved.
So that's why Tilia... even when I looked at her like that, she still despised me.
- Ilex Davenport.
As he mechanically repeated the words that Tilia had once thrown at him, believing that her contempt must be as deep as before, a strange realization dawned on him.
Why did she seem so alive and real, standing against the light?
The moment this thought crossed his mind, worry grabbed him like a noose.
It wasn't just her appearance that seemed alarmingly real. The aroma of blooming flowers emanating from her, as if someone ran past, was amazingly noticeable.
The folds in her gray skirt, uncharacteristically dirty for her, the lost, wandering beauty of her green eyes - all this was frighteningly real.
The moment he felt something was wrong and sat down...
- Do you... want to sleep with me?
Tilia's whisper sounded in his ears like a lightning strike.
It felt like he had been plunged into ice water. Or, perhaps, as if scalded with boiling water.
Whatever it was, one thing was certain - he was completely unable to comprehend it.
From the moment he realized that Tilia Ambrose in front of him was real, his mind went blank. He couldn't understand what expression he was making or what words were coming out of his mouth.
Only one thing was clear - she was out of her mind. Her words and actions were so uncharacteristic of her that they were etched into his memory like a brand.
It was only then that the meaning of her words finally dawned on him.
She asked if he would sleep with her.
The moment understanding dawned, his dazed thoughts came to life. In an instant, he understood the reason for Tilia Ambrose's unusual behavior.
Her flaming cheeks. Her bloodshot, restless eyes. The uneven, intermittent breathing of the girl in front of him.
There was only one reason for all this.
That damned aphrodisiac that the scum of high society so often gossiped about.
Someone gave it to her. Some bastard dared to drug his Tilia.
Just as a flash of blind rage threatened to consume him, her trembling voice broke through again.
- Answer me. Will you do it or not?
Tilia, trembling like a puppy wet in the rain, said something completely humiliating.
Ilex felt his entire being collapse in an instant. It was as if he had been pushed off a cliff and plunged into a bottomless abyss.
Just as he easily identified the reason for her strange behavior, he also quickly understood the reason why she was looking for him in such a state.
She came looking for a man who wouldn't cause her any trouble later.
A man whose company in bed will mean absolutely nothing.
Suddenly a thought arose: this is unfair.
I haven't even confessed yet. Knowing that my heart would be thrown away like trash, I didn't dare say a word.
So how can even those feelings that I buried be thrown down the drain like garbage?
- Tell me quickly. I need to make a decision.
But Tilia, not paying attention to his confusion, only continued to press on him.
Solution. This word snapped him out of his mounting grief and humiliation.
Solution - if that's what she means...
His aimless, stormy gaze of blue-gray eyes settled on her tightly clenched fists.
His gaze followed the sweat running down her pale hands.
- If I don't sleep with you...
While he was pondering the meaning of her words, his lips moved on their own.
-...are you going to sleep with someone else?
- What?
- If I don't do this, are you going to tumble around with another bastard?
Even without looking in the mirror, he knew.
Right now, his expression must be pitifully transparent. He begged. I begged her not to do this. Don't reach out to someone else the moment they say no.
- Yes.
But Tilia mercilessly trampled his desperate plea.
- I'll contact another guy.