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The moment my words fell, Martin’s face broke into a triumphant smile.
Easton and the others, however, turned pale, their eyes fixed on me in disbelief.
Possessive as ever, Martin pulled me firmly behind him again, shielding me completely. He glanced at them with unabashed pride, his lips curling into a mocking smile.
“Debbie has already made herself perfectly clear, hasn’t she? Or do you still plan on shamelessly clinging on?”
His expression sank as his jaw clenched. The gleam in his eyes sharpened like blades as he ocked them on Easton.
‘All the things you did to my fiancée, I’ve remembered every single one. For the sake of a worthless stone, you abandoned a priceless jewel–that was your mistake. But now, I won’t give you the chance to undo it.
And more than that… you’ll pay the price for what you’ve done.”
Easton’s face twisted, venom filling his gaze.
You? What are you but a stray dog we cast out back then? And now you dare speak to me like his?” His voice dripped with contempt.
Don’t delude yourself. The only reason Debbie chose you is to spite us. You, of all people should know very well who she truly loves.”
Mockery laced his tone.
Connor and Kenji exchanged looks, smirks tugging at their lips.
After all, it had been the three of them who drove Martin away from Debbie’s side. Back then, he had been like a pitiful stray, begging just for a glimpse of her. Who would have thought that this very man could claw his way back, standing beside her again as her fiancé?
t was their complacency–their arrogance–that had allowed this. That realization made both heir expressions harden.
But Hayden was different.
From the very beginning, he had seen it more clearly than the others. He knew every word Debbie spoke came from the heart. This wasn’t some childish tantrum to “teach them a lesson.”
The moment he saw her again, unease had surged through him like fire, leaving him restless and afraid.
That fear had only grown, until it whispered relentlessly in his mind: ‘If I don’t act now, Debbie will never come back to me.‘
The mere thought of it made his chest feel as though it was burning to ash, suffocating him. While Martin and Easton clashed, Hayden seized the chance. He hurried to my side, desperation flickering in his eyes.
“Debbie,” he pleaded, almost begging, “I know I neglected you before. But I never loved Charlie- my heart has always been yours. Every moment, every breath, it was always you.”
“I know I was wrong. Please, don’t choose Martin. I don’t care what’s happened between you two
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-as long as you come back to me, nothing else matters.”
“I’ll change, I swear it. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving myself. Debbie, please… forgive me, just this once.”
He stretched out his hand to me, trembling slightly.
I frowned deeply, caught off guard by his sudden outburst.
t was true–Hayden had never been as openly cruel as Easton, Connor, or Kenji. But silence was also a choice.
n my eyes, he had long since taken Charlie’s side. And now he stood here, claiming he had lovec me all along? Did he truly think I would believe such a feeble lie?
Even if he tried to look humble now, I could never erase the memory of how he simply stood by vatching, as the others hurt me.
My voice was icy when I finally spoke.
Hayden, you say you loved me–but not once did you ever try to save me.
If you truly cared, wouldn’t you have been furious when Easton and the others humiliated me? Wouldn’t you have stood up for me, even once?”
But you didn’t. You didn’t even comfort me. And now you come here, pretending repentance? T ne, you’re no different from them–nothing but Charlie’s accomplice.”
let the words sink in, then added coldly, “You want my forgiveness? Fine.”
At that moment, Martin’s grip tightened around my hand, as though fearing what I might say. But my gaze never wavered.
If you die, Hayden, then I’ll forgive you. Because I don’t hold grudges against the dead.”
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Chapter 18
