Chapter 21 Don''t Touch Me, Stay Away We''re Done Forever
Lucas noticed the wound on her forehead, his gaze filled with concern. "You''re hurt."
Lauren stared coldly at the ground, silent.
"Who did this to you? Tell me, I''ll make them pay." Lucas''s eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint shing in them.
But to Lauren, his concern wasughable,
He was the one who said he''d protect her.
And he was the one who sent her to prison.
Five years ago, she had desperately hoped he would stand in court as her defense attorney.
But when the trial came, he sat across from her-defending Willow. Expressionless, heid out every damning piece of evidence against her, each word like a de slicing into her, pinning her to the pir of shame. Because of him, she lost her freedom, her dignity, her education, her future...
She had trusted him once. And he had stabbed her in the back.
That betrayal had nearly cost her her life. How could she ever trust him again?
If Keh was the person she feared most, then Laicas was the one she despised the most
They had spent more than a decade together, relying on each other. How could he throw all of that away so easily!!
She envied Willow. Willow had also known the Bet family for over a decade, yet they had been willing to sacrifice their own blood-rted daughter for her.
They wouldn''t let Willow suffer even the slightest bit of harm.
Lucas''s face was heavy with guilt as he watched her remain distant and indifferent...
"Lauren, you''re still mad at me, aren''t you?"
"Thad no choice back then. Can''t you forgive me? I swear. I''ll never let you suffer again."
Lauren had no interest in his excuses.
She had already suffered for things that were never hers to bear
No exnation could undo the damage.
Her leg would never heal. Her left car was permanently deaf. The kidney they took from her was nevering back.
These weren''t just scars-they were facts, etched in blood.
How could she ever forgive the one who did this to her?
Lauren tried to pull her hand away, but Lucas held on too tightly.
Finally, she lifted her gaze to him. Her eyes were cold, frozen over with an unshakable haired,
The look in her eyes nearly knocked the air from his lungs, like an invisible hand squeezing his chest. For a moment, he felt like he was drowning in the sheer loathing and detachment in her stare.
"Let go," she said, her voice ice-cold.
Lucas''s grip instinctively tightened, his gaze locked onto her. "Lauren, let me take
you to get your wound treated, okay?"
His voice was soft, almost pleading.
To Lauren, it only made her disgust grow.
"Did you not hear me? I said, let go. There was no warmth in her voice, only raw repulsion.
Chapter 21 Don''t Touch Me. Stay Away We''re Done Forever
It felt like thousands of needles stabbing into Lucas''s heart. His lips trembled, struggling to form words "Lauren.."
Finished
Her name carmed all the regret and desperation he couldn''t put into words. He was begging her, pleading for even a shred of
mercy
But all it did was make her loathing deepen.
Lauren had reached her limit. A flicker of madness shed in her eyes.
Suddenly, she yanked her head back-then mmed it hard against the wall.
The wound on her forehead burst open, blood gushing out streaming down her face in a horrifying red mess.
She turned to Lucas her bloodied face eerty calm, her voice unwavering "Are you letting go or not?"
Lucas stood frozenpletely stunned by her self-destructive act
"No" Lauren lifted her head again and smashed it against the wall. Bang Bang Bang
The sickening sound of her skull himing the wall echoed down the hallway, each impact like a sledgehammer against Lucas''s heart
His face went deathly pale. His legs nearly gave out beneath him.
"You''re insane." he choked out, his voice shaking. You''d rather hurt yourself than stay near me?
Lauren seemed possessed. As long as he didn''t let go, she would keep going
Blood sttered onto the floor pooling at her feet. Her face turned ghostly white from the blood loss
Lucas was in agony, his soul writhing under the sight of her self-intacted tomment
Why do you hate yourself so much? Why would you rather destroy yourself past to push me away His voice was hoarse, trembling
He pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly it was as if he wanted to merge her into himself
Hate herself!
What a joke. If loving her own body had ever done her any good would she be duld she be pled
crippledt
"Either let me go, or I''ll die right in front of you"
She thrashed in his grip, trying to throw herself at the wall again.
Her strength was fading fast, but her determination was unshakable. Every struggle reopened her wounds. Blood streamed down her forehead, dripping onto Lucas''s arm-hot and scalding, like moltenva burning into his skin.
Lucas stared at her in horror. "Lauren stop-fine. I let go. I let go?"
His hands slowly loosened. But the pain of releasing her was unbearable. like his heart was being devoured from the inside.
Lauren swayed without his support.
For a split second, Lucas instinctively reached out-
But before he could touch her, she forced herself to stand, refusing to rely on him.
"Don''t touch me. Stay away from me. We''re done. Forever"
Her voice was firm, final. Each word was a chasm between them one he would never cross again.
Then, without another nce, she turned and limped away
Finished
210 PM M
Chapter 21 Don''t Touch Me, Stay Away We''re Done Forever
Her steps were unsteady, each one like a broken drumbeat pounding against
Lucas''s heart.
He didn''t dare follow, yet he couldn''t bear to leave her alone.
So he kept his distance, trailing behind her in silence.
Lauren didn''t want to go home. If she did, she''d only be met with the Bet
family''s endless scorn.
She found a bench outside the hospital and sat down, staring nkly at the cars passing by
Lucas stood nearby, watching her.
The blood on her forehead was so vivid, it hurt his eyes.
Then, suddenly, he stopped a woman passing by and whispered something to
her.
The woman looked surprised but nodded and quickly walked away.
A few momentster, she returned with a small bag in her hands. She approached
Lauren and said softly, "Miss, you''re bleeding a lot. Let me help you.
Lauren nced at the bag-disinfectant, cotton swabs, bandages.
Something stirred in her heart. She nced over her shoulder.
Lucas quickly ducked out of sight.
Lauren scanned the area but didn''t see him.
Only then did she give the woman a faint smile. Thank you,"
From a hidden spot, Lucas watched as Lauren quietly sat there, letting the stranger tend to her wound.
Relief washed over him-but so did a deeper, more agonizing pain,
Send Gifts
250