Chapter 75 – Buried in Snow and Tears

“Thank goodness the cake is still here,” Jeslyn murmured, clutching the cardboard box filled with her groceries and her favorite steamed cake tightly against her chest. Her breath came out in faint clouds as she pushed through the heavy snowfall, her thick coat failing to fully shield her from the bone-chilling cold.

Her steps came to a halt in front of a pale-painted old villa, almost swallowed by layers of snow.

A man stood in front of the house, his tall frame draped in a long black coat. His head was slightly bowed, casting shadows across his face beneath the glow of the porch light. Despite the snow falling harder and harder, he remained motionless, as if he had been waiting for someone.

Jeslyn’s heart pounded faster the moment she recognized his face. Her fingers clenched around the cardboard box so tightly that the paper nearly tore. Her breath quickened, emotions surging—longing, anger, resentment, and the desperate attempt to hate him, though it was impossible.

The man slowly lifted his head. His eyes locked onto hers—deep, sharp, yet carrying something unexplainable. For a brief moment, the world seemed to stop. The snowfall, the cold air, even the shivers in their bodies disappeared, replaced only by one overwhelming sensation: pain that clouded every thought.

Jeslyn froze outside the gate, unable to step forward. Meanwhile, the man, after staring at her for a few seconds, began to walk toward her. The crunch of snow beneath his boots echoed sharply in the silence.

“Jeslyn,” his deep voice finally broke the distance between them.

The box in Jeslyn’s arms nearly slipped. “Why are you here, Leonel?” Her voice trembled, almost inaudible behind her hurried breaths.

“I came to find you,” Leonel said softly, his once piercing gaze now replaced with a warmth that unsettled Jeslyn’s heart.

Jeslyn shook her head quickly, trying to shake off the strange tremor spreading through her chest. “You… you shouldn’t be here,” she whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady.

Leonel stopped just a few steps away from her. Snow clung to the shoulders of his coat, ignored completely. “How could I not come, when the one I’m searching for is you?” His voice was low, filled with determination.

Jeslyn lowered her gaze, her eyes glistening as she fought the storm of emotions within. The box in her arms was the only thing keeping her from collapsing right in front of him. “I have nothing to do with you anymore, Leonel,” her voice cracked—meant to sound firm, but fragile all the same.

Leonel’s eyes deepened, as though piercing through the wall Jeslyn had struggled so hard to build. He took one more step closer, closing the distance until only inches remained between them.

“Oh, I forgot. From the start, there was never anything between us,” Jeslyn said, staring straight into his eyes.

“What do you mean? We are more than that,” Leonel replied firmly.

“I remember the offer you made to me back then. Now, I’ll give you my answer.” Jeslyn’s teary gaze locked onto his. “I’ve decided—I will not accept it, Leonel.”

Thud.

Leonel’s body stiffened, his eyes widening at her words. “Why?”

Jeslyn exhaled shakily. “From the very beginning, it was Jefran I loved, not you. No matter how he treats me, even if he betrays me, I don’t care. I still want to be with him, because I love him, Leonel.”

Once again, Leonel’s heart felt as though it was stabbed a thousand times.

“You’re lying,” he whispered in disbelief.

Jeslyn smiled faintly, bitterly. “Unfortunately, that’s the truth. The reason I came here was to avoid you and to finally tell you everything. Leonel, stop interfering with my life. The one I love is Jefran, not you.”

Leonel stood frozen, his eyes reddening as he fought back both tears and rage. Silence fell thickly between them, broken only by the whisper of the wind and the soft fall of snow.

His fists clenched so hard that his knuckles turned white. His red-rimmed eyes stared at her in disbelief. “So, everything I did for you… meant nothing?” His voice cracked, hoarse with pain.

Jeslyn bit her lip, tears threatening to spill again. She knew her words were knives, but they had to be said. “You’ve known the answer for a long time, Leonel. Don’t make it harder for yourself.”

Leonel stepped closer, forcing Jeslyn to retreat until her back pressed against the frozen gate. His gaze was sharp, filled with both wounds and despair. “No. I won’t accept that answer, Jeslyn. You know this isn’t the first time you’ve rejected me or ignored me. You’ve pushed me away countless times, and I never cared. I don’t care about any of it. You are mine, Jeslyn!” His whisper was sharp, filled with desperation.

Jeslyn shut her eyes, tears spilling freely. “Why are you so stubborn? Why can’t you let me go?”

Leonel leaned in until his face hovered just inches from hers, his breath warm against the freezing air. “Because you’re the only reason I’m still standing today.”

Jeslyn’s chest tightened painfully. The box in her arms shifted, nearly falling, but she tightened her hold as she shook her head, sobbing. “I—I can’t, Leonel. Please don’t make this harder. Don’t force me. I just want to be happy. I want to live with the man I love,” her voice broke into tears.

Leonel froze, unable to contain the storm inside. His heart shattered, but he couldn’t crush her any longer.

For a long moment, he stood still, his body rigid, as though all his remaining strength had drained away with her words. His eyes stared blankly at her, but beneath them brewed a storm of anguish.

A heavy breath escaped his lips, forming a faint mist in the icy air. “Happiness, huh?” His voice was low, bitter. “If your happiness isn’t with me… then I’ll have to carry this ruin alone, won’t I?”

Jeslyn bowed her head, her tears streaming endlessly. “I’m sorry, Leonel.”

For the first time, her apology sounded fragile in his ears, cutting deeper than the rejection itself. He closed his eyes briefly, then slowly stepped back, the snow crunching softly under his boots.

His gaze returned to Jeslyn, his eyes still red but calmer now, as though resigned. “I’ll leave now. But never think I’ll stop loving you, Jeslyn. You’ll always remain in my heart, even if you reject me a thousand times.”

Jeslyn’s breath hitched, her tears falling harder. She wanted to say something, but her voice caught in her throat.

Leonel turned, his heavy steps dragging away into the snowstorm. With each step, it felt as though fragments of his soul were shattering.

He climbed into the black SUV parked nearby.

Jeslyn remained frozen at the villa’s gate, her eyes locked on the unmoving car. Unable to bear it any longer, she rushed inside and locked the door tight, fearing he might force his way in.

Her sobs broke uncontrollably. She leaned against the door, her chest aching as she fought to stifle her cries.

“I have to bury this feeling deep inside me. I can never be with the man who killed my own brother,” Jeslyn wept silently.

***