جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 160

"And why not?!" I snapped. "Your family is arrogant—just like you!""Arrogant?!" he shot back, his voice rising. "So that’s what you call a family who accepted you when you had nothing? No name, no status, no image—and most of all, no family! They welcomed you, even though you were just an ordinary woman with nothing to offer!"His words hit me like a slap. I froze, momentarily stunned, as each one cut deep, settling in my chest like shards of glass."D-Don’t tell me... you really have no idea how they treated me?" I whispered.I stared at him, searching for even a flicker of doubt in his eyes—but his glare only hardened. Cold. Unyielding.I wanted to scream at him—to tell him that his family was one of the reasons I left. That their silent scorn, their backhanded comments, and their judgmental stares had worn me down, day after day.But I could see it now... even if I said it, he would never believe me. He’d defend them.He’d rather insult me than hear a single word against the peopl

"No need, A-Alex. It’s really okay..." I said, avoiding his gaze out of embarrassment."My house is just a short walk from here, and even though our neighborhood looks like this, it’s actually pretty safe. So there’s no need for you to walk me all the way to my doorstep.""No, I insist," he said firmly. "I’ve made it my responsibility to see you home safely—all the way to your door."He was clearly determined, so I didn’t argue any further. I simply turned and started walking, feeling a little awkward as I glanced over my shoulder to silently signal him to follow."Uhm... just a heads-up," I added hesitantly as we entered the narrow alleyways. "It’s a bit messy around here, and the path has a lot of twists and turns... I hope you’ll remember how to get back.""Don’t worry," he said with a light chuckle. "I’m not picky. And besides, I have a pretty good sense of direction."With that, we continued walking quietly side by side. It didn’t take long—just about three minutes—before we reac

"She’s Christyyy! And she’s my twin sister!" Victoria chimed in brightly, jumping into the conversation without missing a beat."She’s older than me by thirty minutes, so she’s my big sister! Hehe."I couldn’t help but wince at how eagerly Victoria was behaving. This child was being far too friendly—and far too talkative—for my comfort right now.I noticed Alex drift into thought for a moment, his gaze growing distant. Then, just a few seconds later, his expression lit up, as if something had suddenly clicked."Haha, I see... Christy and Victoria..." he said with a small smile, shooting me a knowing look."Ahm... you know, your names are really unique—and beautiful," he added, still smiling. "I’m guessing your mommy has a thing for naming her daughters after places? I actually have a friend who’s named after a country too."Though he addressed the girls, his eyes remained fixed on me, like he was trying to get a reaction."Reallyyy? What’s your friend’s name?" Victoria asked eagerly,

I glanced over at the two kids, now fast asleep on the sofa. They hadn’t even made it to their beds—probably too tired from all the excitement earlier.Then my eyes shifted to Alex, who was awkwardly trying to fit himself onto the small couch.He looked ridiculous—but somehow endearing—squeezed into that tiny space, holding a cute little cup of coffee that Victoria had proudly prepared for him earlier.I couldn’t help but grimace when I saw him actually take a sip from it. That coffee had gone cold a long time ago."It’s cold, isn’t it?" I said, my face contorting."If you really want coffee before you leave, I can make you a fresh one. You don’t have to force yourself to drink that.""N-no, it’s fine," he said quickly, shaking his head. "Victoria made this for me... so I’ll finish it. It’d be a waste otherwise."He took another gulp without hesitation."Wow. You’re really worried about wasting coffee, huh?" I said with a touch of sarcasm, raising an eyebrow.He looked at me with a sm

Third POV Davison couldn’t stop the anger from bubbling up inside him as he drove home, his hands tightening around the steering wheel. His thoughts were chaotic, refusing to settle after everything that had happened today. After all these years of searching, of wondering, of holding onto faint hope... he had finally found her. The woman he had once loved with everything he had. The woman who had disappeared without a word. And she’d been hiding this whole time—so close. Just within reach. For so long, he had believed she had run far away—probably with another man. That belief had built up so much resentment and bitterness in him over the years. He had painted her in his mind as a heartless woman—someone cruel enough to turn her back on him without looking back. But reality... was more complicated than that. And so was he. He knew—though he hated to admit it—that he was also at fault for what had happened between them. But pride had always kept him from facing that truth. St