Chapter 18
Maric stared at the two distinen piles before him.
The first contained all the items Stella had sent back–gifs he’d given her over the years. Lonking through them, he barely recognized most. They were things his assistent had purchased on his behalf, generic presents herd never put any thought into
Alaric’s eyes darkened with a rrushing realization
So before leaving, Stella had already decided to return everything, cutting him out of her life completely
s gaze shafted to the second pile.
He recognized these as gifts Stella had given him over the years.
It hit him like a physical blone–Stella had always loved giving him presents
For birthdays, anniversaries, every possible holiday.
He’d found it annoying. Eventually, he’d stopped opening them altogether, tossing them carelessly into the basement storage room.
Now Camilla had unearthed them all.
With trembling hands. Alaric began opening the dust covered packages one by one.
During his college entrance exam year, she had spent days searching Central Park for four leaf clovers, staying til dark day after day. She’d found thirteen of them, pressing them into a handmade charm for his academic success
The scarf she’d knitted for his last birthday–he remembered seeing her practicing for months, her fingers bandaged from countless needle pricks determined to make it perfect despite never having knitted before.
Last month’s gift–stock transfer documents for a gaming company he’d casually mentioned wanting to acquire but couldn’t. She’d somehow negotiated the deal herself, never even mentioning it until it was done.
So many gifts.
Each one filled with thoughtfulness and love.
His chest constricted painfully as he realized Stella could never have imagined he hadn’t even bothered to open them.
What had he done?
Aware of self loathing crashed over him. He’d trampled the genuine love of this remarkable wiman while treasuring a manipulative lar. The weight of his cruelty toward Stella became physically painful, making it hard to breathe.
Gasping, his eyes fell on the final package.
A desperate hope flared within him.
This was what Stella had sent just days ago
If she had truly given up on him long ago, why would she still give him a gift?
Clinging to this last thread of hope like a drowning man, Alaric tore open the package with shaking hands
What he found left him utterly destroyed.
I was the Gilbert family heirloom jade pendant
So what Stella had send wasn’t a gift at all–it was the return of their engagement token.
She truly wanted nothing more to do with him.
The last thread of hope snapped. A strangled sound escaped his throat as the room began to spin. The realization that he had lost her–truly lot
Almost in
Love with You Before That Crowd Summer Took Everything
Chapter 18
her–crushed him completely.
“Alark
His mother’s voice seemed to come f
from miles away as darkness claimed him
Alaric developed a dangerously high fever.
The doctor explained it was likely triggered by
y extreme emotional distreut.
For three days and nights, he remained unconscious, thrashing in his delicium, crying out names in hoarse, broken sodes,
Sometimes Jenna’s. Sometimes Stella’s. Often begging for forgiveness
Steven
and Carilla watched in helpless terror
On the third day. Maric finally awoke.
Camilla rushed to his side.
“Alaric, thank God you’re awake! You’ve been unconscious for three days–I thought I was losing you?”
As she spoke, she suddenly realized something was different about her son
His eyes
held a haunted quality she’d never seen before.
Frightened, her voice trembled.
“Alaric? What is it? Talk to me.”
Alaric focused on her, his expression shifting to one she recognized, but the hollow pain remained in his eyes.
“Mom,” he said, his voice raw from days of unconscious crying, “I had a dream…”
He swallowed hard, tears welling in his eyes.
“In this dream, Stella married me, but I… I destroyed her.”
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
