Sierra took a sip of her coffee. Her mind was still a muddled mess.


    Samuel had mentioned their time overseas, instantly pulling her back into memories of their time together. They were simply sweet, beautiful times. He had


    hit a soft spot.


    After all those years with him, and having only briefly spent time with Sophia since returning, her heart had somehow started to lean toward Sophia''s side.


    Sophia was indeed pitiful. But were the things she did really without fault?


    She clearly had better options that could have prevented many of the things that happened, but she didn''t choose them. If she had deceived Marcus, and he was now protecting her, why didn''t she simply tell him Gabriel had bullied her?


    So many things in lifee down to choices. Different choices led to different oues.


    William and Charlotte weren''t unreasonable or overly indulgent parents. They wouldn''t have stood by and watched if Sophia had reached out to them.


    "Let''s not argue over who was right or wrong about the past." Sierra held her coffee and took a few more sips. "I need to think about our future seriously. Samuel, I can tell you this for sure I still love you.


    "I''ll think about what you said, but please give me a little time, okay?"


    "Okay." Samuel agreed immediately. "Sierra, I won''t pressure you. Just take your time and give me an answer when you''re ready. You already know where I stand. I won''t get a divorce, not even if I die.


    "As for Sophia, even though I''m her biological brother, I don''t feel sorry for her. When ites to her, our positions are simply different. But having different standpoints doesn''t mean I''m wrong.


    "You and Natalie sympathize with Sophia. That''s your choice, and not mine.


    "Of course, I''m not saying she''s the one in the wrong. The ones who hurt her are still the ones at fault. But to say that Sophia ispletely innocent? I don''t believe that, not even as her brother.


    "Sierra, you are you. Don''t everpare yourself to Sophia. In my heart, you''re the one who matters most.


    "Sophia is my biological sister, but we didn''t grow up together. Samantha is my birth mother, but she didn''t raise me. Neither you nor I have ever experienced parental love while growing up.


    "If my mom had been stronger, more courageous, insisted on divorcing Ivan, and given up the Sinir family''s wealth and status, I believe we could''ve toughed it out together. We might have struggled, but we would have survived as a family.


    "But she didn''t. She wronged her children, wronged herself, and thought she was noble for it. She believed her sacrifice secured a better future for us. But did she really seed? Did she get what she wanted?


    "No, things never happened as she wished."


    "Samuel, stop." Sierra cut him off. Some things shouldn''t be thought through too deeply. Once you did, even the firmest beliefs could start to crack with doubt.


    "Just let me think about it. Please?"


    "Okay, take your time." Samuel said nothing more. He took a quiet sip of his coffee.


    Neither of them spoke again until their drinks were finished. Then Sierra let out a breath and said, "I''ll take you back."


    "Back where?"


    "Causeway Bay."


    "Can I not go back?" Samuel looked at her with pleading eyes. "I want to stay with you."


    "I won''t let Tom and Evan or Maggie torture you anymore." Sierra''s voice softened. "My parents and Samantha are all very worried about our rtionship right now.


    "When I left, my dad wanted toe with me. I need to go back and exin the situation to them. And between us, I need time to think it through.


    "I admit that I still love you. The reason I feel afraid and anxious is precisely because I love you. I don''t want the person I love to use my pain as a weapon to hurt me.


    "Like you said words may be unintentionally spoken, but the listener takes them to heart. Maybe you didn''t mean what you said, but t heard it and can stop myself from overthinking it. That''s not my fault. It''s just that we see things differently, and we''re on different sides.  s


    "Samuel, give me some time."


    ????


    "Sierra, tell me how long you need. Give me a specific time frame so I can wait. Otherwise, I''ll just be nervous and uneasy every day, stuck in my own thoughts. I''m suffering too."


    Samuel held her hand tightly. "It''s been so long since we''ve slept together.


    "Without you by my side, I can''t


    sleep at night. And when I finally do, I just have nightmare after


    nightmare. In those dreams, you''re and I''m trying


    in save


    you,


    in dange but there''s always a wall of knives


    and fire between us. I get through one, only to be stopped by another.  s


    "Sierra,e to Causeway Bay with me. If your parents are worried, have theme too. I''ve got a broken leg. Besides, after all these years together, have I ever raised a hand against you?"


    Sierra shook her head. "No."


    Samuel nodded. "Back then, when we argued, it was always you hitting me. No matter how much of a jerk I was, I neverid hands on my wife."


    Sierra remembered those fights when they were overseas. When their arguments got heated, she would hit Samuel, and he would just cover his head and tell her not to hit his face because he still hado meetings to attend Other than that: he had let her hit him however she wanted.  s


    That memory made herugh. "Fine. I''ll go back and talk to my parents, then have them move to Causeway Bay too. Honestly, staying in Sophia and Samantha''s house this whole time hasn''t felt right."


    "Yeah, exactly." Samuel smiled, clearly relieved. "Sierra, I''ll keep my mouth in check this time. If I say something that hurts you again, you can p me. Knock my teeth out if you want, and I won''tin."


    "Alright. I''ll remember that." Sierra nodded and pushed him out of the café.


    "I''ll get you a ride, so head back first. After I''ve spoken to my parents, we''ll go to Causeway Bay together."


    "Sierra-"


    "Stop right there." Sierra cut him off. "This is the biggestpromise I can make.


    If you can''t ept it, then we really need to consider getting a divorce."


    The words Samuel was about to say were stuck in his throat. "Okay. I''ll do whatever you say."


    "Good. Now, let''s go."


    Sierra pushed him to the curb and gged a cab. She helped Samuel into the car and folded his wheelchair before waving goodbye.


    "Go back and behave. I''ll talk to Maggie, then dismiss Tom and Evan. I won''t let Maggie mistreat you anymore. Be patient. Once I''ve spoken to my parents, I''lle to you."<fnef78> Get full chapters from f?ndnovel</fnef78>


    She spoke to him like she was coaxing a child. Samuel just nodded as he


    listened.