?Chapter 1137:


    Besides, she had suffered so much because of him. Now, all he wanted was to protect her and make up for lost time.


    But how could he exin that? How could he tell her they had a child together? That Locke existed because of a night that still carried the weight of guilt? How would she react?


    Her vision had only just been restored, and he didn’t want to add to her stress. Also, would she even be able to ept Locke—a child born out of wedlock, a reminder of the root cause of all her suffering during the years? After all, Elissa had abandoned Locke back then.


    He’d hoped to wait until she’d fully recovered before slowly helping her build a bond with Locke. He thought once her maternal instincts kicked in, everything else would fall into ce.


    “Mr. Flynn?” Elissa’s gentle voice pulled him back. She tilted her head, watching him. “Is it that hard to answer?”


    He gave a tight nod. “Yes. It’s…plicated.”


    She looked surprised. “Then let me ask something simpler. Do you like me?”


    His breath caught.


    At thirty-one, no one had ever asked him that so directly.


    When he didn’t respond, Elissa let out a soft sigh. “It’s okay. I’ll answer for you. You don’t.”


    His eyes widened. “Why would you say that?”


    She smiled faintly. “I may have been blind, but I could still feel. I know what it’s like to be loved—and this isn’t it.”


    “But… how? Haven’t I treated you well?”


    “You have. You’ve been nothing but kind and considerate. But there are many ways to care for someone — like a parent, a sibling, a friend. And this, whatever this is between us, is not romantic.”


    Ernest’s brow furrowed. “Then what should I do? How do I prove I like you?”


    She gave a quietugh. “That’s the thing—you don’t prove it. Love is something you feel. Not a task toplete.”


    Ernest’s face darkened. He didn’t get it. Not even a little.


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    “Thank you for taking care of me,” Elissa said gently. “I’m being discharged today. From now on, I’ll look after myself.”


    He stared at her, stunned. Just like that—she was cutting him off.


    The door swung open, and Ernest stepped out, his expression unreadable. Hadley looked up in rm. “Ernest?” Why did he look so upset?


    He gave a tight nod and walked past her in silence, Quentin following close behind.


    What just happened? Hadley wondered, frowning as she stepped into the room.


    “Elissa?” she asked. “Did something happen between you and Ernest? Did you have a fight?”


    “A fight?” Elissa chuckled softly. “Not quite. I just told him he doesn’t love me and thanked him for everything.”


    Hadley blinked. “So you rejected him?”


    “Not exactly,” Elissa corrected. “You can’t reject someone who doesn’t love you.”


    Hadley hesitated. “But…”


    Hadley wasn’t sure if Ernest loved Elissa, but she knew he did care about her.


    “There’s no but,” Elissa said firmly. “My eyes are healed now. Next, I need to finalize the divorce and move on.”


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