ra went quiet, feeling overwhelmed by how busy she''d beentely. She thought about ending things with him again, but the memory of him standing on that cliff edge held her back. She just couldn''t bring herself to hurt him like that. Plus, she had so much else on her te, and dealing with his emotions felt impossible right now.


    Every time he got upset, it was a whole ordeal that stretched into the next day, leaving her worn out. Her fingers hovered over her phone, hesitating to type that breakup message. Just then, another text from him came through.


    "I can''t live without you. I know you always think about leaving, but I can''t let go. I miss you so much. Every day, I just want to see you. You don''t know how much it hurts."


    ra''s heart clenched with guilt. He knew exactly how to hit her soft spot, and each word tugged at her conscience. Maybe it''s just a woman''s instinct to feelpassion when someone shows vulnerability. And really, he hadn''t done anything wrong.


    She bit her lip and replied, "I miss you too, but I''ve been swamped. Once things settle down, we can spend all the time you want together, okay?"


    Surprisingly, he took it well this time, texting back, "Okay, I believe you."


    ra felt her heart melt a little. She was always more moved by kindness than by anything else, and she even managed a small smile, sending him a heart emoji.


    With her phone set aside, her mind drifted back to thend deal. Should she really go to Jackson for help? The thought of his cold stare made her shiver. Dn seemed like a safer bet—at least she''de back in one piece.


    She drove to Palm Bay and waited until midnight for Dn''s car to appear. As soon as she saw it, she stepped in front to stop him and went to the window.


    "Mr. Dn."


    The window rolled down slowly, showing his serious profile. His eyes stayed on the documents in hisp, his voice cool. "ra, do you think I won''t get mad?"


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she opened her mouth to speak, but he turned to look at her. His gaze was as icy as ever, freezing her in ce. She realized then that her decision to find someone else had really upset the usually calm Dn.


    Watching him drive through the iron gates, regret washed over her. Dn''s first love had been gone for years, yet he''d never moved on, even visiting her grave. His devotion was beyond anything ordinary, and her attempt to rece that was an insult.


    Why had she ever thought it was a good idea?


    Desperate, she grabbed her phone and called him. But he didn''t pick up, letting it ring out on the table. Determined to show she was truly sorry, ra decided to stay outside Palm Bay until Dn was ready to forgive her.


    By three in the morning, Dn checked with the guards and found out she was still there, standing tall like a g in the night. He lowered his eyes, but his expression gave nothing away.