The more Irvin realized that treating Julianne well hurt me, the more he did it to inflict pain on me. He gradually got used to putting her above me, and that became a habit, which was terrifying.One wrong step led to another.The more he thought about it, the more he felt unworthy of me. He truly deserved everything that had happened up until this point. He had brought it on himself. The best kind of love he could offer me now was to let go completely and allow me to move on into the light while he rotted away in the dark.And the more he thought about that, the more genuine his gaze became. He truly wanted me to go and meet someone new.He wanted me to stop hurting over someone like him and find real happiness.I looked at him, who was apologizing and asking me to move on and find someone else. Though my tears were falling harder than ever, the heartache wasn't as crushing anymore. In fact, it felt like closure.Finally, I didn't have to endure the pain and feel conflicted.
Irvin's heart twisted in pain as he saw my eyes welled up with tears. It hurt so much that he could barely stand. Already unstable, his body swayed even more.He wanted to hug me so badly. But he knew he no longer had the right.And he knew I wouldn't let him.He had never imagined that one day, he would do something so unforgivable that he'd lose even the right to touch me.And knowing this was all his fault for not being careful enough, his eyes reddened with rage and hatred at the Hardwells and at himself.He would destroy the entire Hardwell family, including himself."I'm sorry, Emi," he said. "I have to be responsible for her. Forget about me. After all… you couldn't really forgive me completely, right? Rather than staying with me and suffering from the hurt, why don't you just let go and start a new life?"Irvin had always known how much I loved him. He knew I wouldn't be able to let go, even if I couldn't forgive him. It helped him believe we still had a chance together,
I had no idea what to say to Cordelia. In the end, I could only tell her not to worry about me, that I was fine.After ending the call, I opened the message she had sent me.It was a news article.Irvin was accompanying Grace to her OB-GYN appointment for a prenatal check-up. The article officially announced that Grace was pregnant after spotting them together.In the photos in the article, she was holding onto his arms.He looked as dashing and handsome as ever, and she looked beautiful. They seemed like a perfect couple, glowing with happiness. The comments were filled with envious remarks about their love and their close bond. Everyone was saying they were a match made in heaven, so good looking and perfectly suited for each other.I stared at the HD photos of them. They looked so happy. I was so entranced by it that I didn't even notice when Irvin walked into the room.Not until he spoke. "Emi." His voice was hoarse and worn, and his eyes had lost their spark. Even his
In the past, Irvin would pick up right away whenever I called him. But not this time.He just stared at my call on the screen. His heart felt like it was being ripped apart. It was so painful that he could hardly breathe.He didn't dare to answer, but he wanted to so badly. He knew he no longer had the right, but he still couldn't stop himself from wanting to answer the call. He wanted to hear my voice again. And to see me again.Unaware of his inner conflict, I was about to hang up after the long wait. But then, he picked up."Hello." He had only said that one word, but I could sense that something was off. However, I wasn't in the mood to wonder why at that moment. I only wanted to deal with things directly and free myself from this mess.It would either be a happy or a bad ending for us. I no longer wanted to remain in this pain and confusion."I need to talk to you, face-to-face. Let's meet at the café we used to go to. When are you free?" I asked.Hearing that I wanted
I didn't want to be entangled with Irvin anymore, and having a child would mean we'd be tied together for the rest of our lives.That wasn't what I wanted. I didn't want to spend my whole life struggling and living in pain.Sleeping with Irvin honestly meant nothing to me, especially compared to being assaulted by the criminal organization.But having his child was something else entirely. The more I thought about it, the more overwhelmed and lost I felt. My head throbbed with pain.After tossing and turning for days, I finally decided to abort the child.I truly hated the future that I would have, all the pain and struggle I would suffer. And I didn't want to fall into that toxic love again.I wanted my future to be bright and positive.Afraid that I might change my mind or hesitate again, I disguised myself and went to the hospital as soon as I made the decision.But when I got there and saw the joy on the faces of other pregnant women and how they gently stroked their bell
I found it strange and couldn't help feeling curious about what happened with Irvin. He was an obsessive man. No matter how much I pushed him away, he would never stop coming after me. But suddenly, he went quiet after what happened that night and stopped looking for me.Still, I didn't try to find out why or ask Irvin anything. Whatever his reason was, the fact that he didn't come was exactly what I wanted.Until one day…When I was having a meal, the fishy smell of the food made me so nauseous I had to run to the bathroom to throw up.The housekeeper, who had cooked, immediately put down the plates she was holding and followed me. Seeing me vomit so badly that even bile came out, she became extremely worried."What's going on?" she asked. "I use only the freshest ingredients when I cook."Since she was paid well, she really did use top-quality, organic ingredients. I shouldn't have gotten sick from it.I frowned too. I didn't think it was food poisoning, either. Usually, vom
"Dad, what's going on? Why did you come here with William?" Julianne asked.Even though she hadn't said anything yet, Henry already knew what she was worried about. He sighed and said, "Don't even ask. Just thinking about it leaves a knot in my stomach."Her lips twitched, and she couldn't help but complain, "Dad, are you trying to get me killed?""Don't worry. I'll talk to him. I won't let anything happen to you," he assured her. Regardless of the kind of man he was, he genuinely wanted to protect Julianne. He would always put her safety above everything else.She wanted to tell him that talking to William wouldn't help. He was too unpredictable and temperamental. Even if he promised to let her off the hook, there was no guarantee he wouldn't go back on his words.But then, she thought of a perfect solution. Leaning in close to his ear, she whispered, "Dad, talking to William is pointless. If we want real freedom, the only way is to get rid of him for good. "You have so many co
William was extremely brilliant and as terrifying as a devil, with an extraordinarily sharp instinct. Julianne stood no chance of poisoning him. He could sense her intention the moment the thought even crossed her mind. However, William didn't show it outwardly.He knew Julianne very well. She was afraid of dying and had neither the capability nor the courage to even dare think of harming him. It could only mean someone had approached her and planted the idea in her head.William recalled how Henry had claimed he didn't know how to treat Ava, even though William had threatened him. Yet now, he had suddenly told me he could, but only if I agreed to participate in a research project.As a picture began to form, William started to suspect a shadow organization was behind all of this. So, when I called him again, he shared this theory with me. He also told me to let him know ahead of time once I was able to leave this place.I knew William wanted to snatch up Henry the moment we step
Henry scoffed coldly when he saw me."Do you know why I don't like you and instead like Lianne so much? It's because you're so cold and heartless!" he spat. "William and Noah Ashford have treated you so well. Yet, you can just stand by and watch Ava die."He added, "It's no wonder your mother and I don't even love you. Someone like you deserves to die alone!" His current behavior only made me feel even more certain that I had been giving him too much credit. He probably wasn't the kind of person I had been imagining. But then, I recalled how Julianne had faked her death, and suddenly, I wasn't so sure.Irvin hadn't helped Julianne with it, and she wasn't capable of pulling off something like this on her own. That meant someone must have helped her.If it wasn't Irvin, then my parents were the next most likely people. And if Henry was as he appeared to be now, he definitely didn't have the skills to help Julianne fake her death.Upon meeting my scrutinizing gaze, Henry didn't say