《Never Getting Her Back》


 Chapter 1

    "ra, are you really leaving Damon behind and moving abroad?"


    In the quiet caf¨¦, ra Raynerid down her spoon and caught her best friend, Olivia Hyde''s startled look from across the table.


    "I''m already divorced from him," ra said. Her voice was calm and steady.


    "Divorced?" Olivia blurted out. She was clearly caught off guard.


    A beatter, her shock gave way to outrage on ra''s behalf. "And Damon just went along with it? You''ve treated him so well these past three years. Anyone else would''vee around by now. Does he really feel nothing at all?"


    ra smiled, and a flicker of emotion crossed her eyes. The truth was, she had no idea if Damon had actually agreed or not.


    Half a month ago, she''d handed him the divorce agreement. He signed them while he was on the phone-barely listening to a word she said¡ªthen took off. He hadn''t brought them up since.


    Now, with just half a month left, she''d finally get the divorce decree and be free.


    ra was about to say something when a low voice came from behind them. "Are you done talking?"


    Both she and Olivia turned to see Damon Croft approaching. He was dressed in a ck overcoat.


    Olivia was still fired up and was ready to call him out. "Damon, ra just said she''s di-"


    "What brings you here?" ra quickly reached over and gave Olivia''s hand a light pat, signaling her to stop before she could finish.


    "I saw the forecast. It''s supposed to rain soon, so I came to pick you up," Damon said.


    Smiling, ra said goodbye to Olivia. Then, she grabbed her bag and headed out with him.


    Rain tapped against the car windows on the drive home. It filled the silence inside the car.


    As he sat next to the wife he''d practically married by ident years ago, Damon parted his lips a few times like he was about to say something. But each time, he stopped-probably remembering he hadn''t even been home in half a month.


    After a long, uneasy silence, he finally asked, "ra, that document you had me sign half a month ago... what was it?"


    It had been forever, and now he was finally asking her. Then again, he''d been wrapped up with Giselle Sutton this whole time. Why would he bother with something so insignificant?


    ra''s lips curved into a bitter smile. She was about to answer when Damon''s phone rang.


    "Damon, I drank too much. My head hurts. Can youe get me?"


    The sweet, lilting voice on the other end made Damon''s grip tighten around the steering wheel. His knuckles turned white.


    A shadow crossed his face as he said, "Giselle, I''ve told you over and over-I''m married."


    Giselle went quiet for a second before saying, "So what? I was supposed to be the bride that day, anyway."


    Her light, careless tone set Damon off.


    In three years of marriage, ra had only ever seen him calm andposed- never like this. He mmed on the brakes. The tires screeched as they gripped the road.


    "Did youe?" Damon asked.


    Giselle went quiet on the other end of the line.


    A momentter, her voice wavered with unshed tears. "I''m sorry. I won''t bother you again."


    The call ended abruptly, leaving Damon in an even worse mood. He tapped the steering wheel a few times, then let out a resigned sigh and typed a quick reply. "Send me the address."


    When Giselle''s location popped up, he nced at ra with a hint of an apology in his eyes.


    ra already knew what he was about to say and spoke first. "Go ahead if you need to take care of something. I''ll grab a cab."


    She pushed open the door and raised her umbre. Damon felt a flicker of guilt.


    "I''lle right back when I''m done," he said quietly.


    ra nodded. She stood in the rain and watched his car disappear. Her eyes clouded with emotions she couldn''t quite untangle.


    This was her seventh year in love with Damon.


    She could still picture the moment she first saw him and fell for him instantly on the basketball court, dressed in his uniform, sinking shot after shot, and single-handedly carrying his team to victory. He was a force of nature out there.


    The young women erupted around her, some shouting his name, while others excitedly shared that Damon, a star from Aeloria College''s Computer Science Department, was from the Croft family in Jeston.


    But he, the campus heartthrob, had only ever had eyes for one person-his childhood sweetheart, Giselle. They had been together for years.


    He once blew a ton of money renting out an entire amusement park just to surprise her on her birthday.


    He had swallowed his pride and begged Giselle to take him back in front of the whole campus-just because she got jealous and blocked his contact after someone confessed to him.


    He once waited out in the freezing snow until his hands were frostbitten, all because Giselle blew off their date to get her nails done with her roommate. He never said a word about it.


    All through her four years in college, ra heard story after story about their romance. She''d always believed she was just a side character in their happily- ever-after.


    Then, two years ago, Damon rushed


    to marry Giselle right after graduation. ra wasn''t invited, but she showed up anyway as just another ssmate at what everyone called the "wedding of the century".


    But even after the ceremony started, Giselle was nowhere to be found. Panic set


    in as Damon kept calling her, only to get a message saying she wasn''t ready for marriage yet. She had left the country.


    That was the day his patience finally snapped.


    He grabbed the microphone and said, "Today, I, Damon Croft, have decided to


    marry a different bride! Is any single woman here interested?"


    ra, who was usually invisible in a crowd, felt her heart pounding so hard it might burst. She knew plenty of women were in love with him, and the second those words left his mouth, she shot to her feet.


    That day, she put on a wedding dress that didn''t even fit and married a man who barely remembered her name.


    For the next three years, they lived under the same roof as nothing more than


    polite strangers until a little over a month ago, when Giselle came back.


    As she watched Damon push Giselle away one moment and get pulled right back


    in the next, ra knew her dreamlike story was over.


    It was time to let go of the title of Mrs. Croft. That way, he could follow his heart,


    and she could finally set herself free.


    Standing in the pouring rain, ra pulled out her phone and texted Damon.


    "The document you asked about is in the glovepartment on the passenger side. If you''re curious, just open it up."

 Chapter 2

    ra had been home for a solid half hour before Damon finally texted back. "Don''t worry about it. Since you''re the one who wants me to sign, there''s no way it''ll do me any harm."


    It was just his way of saying he wasn''t going to read it at all.


    Of course, he wasn''t¡ªhe was too busy rushing off to pick up Giselle, who''d had


    too much to drink. How would he have time to go over any documents?


    Even though the papers were sitting right there, well within arm''s reach.


    It had rained all day without letting up. It only eased up by dusk the next evening.


    ra stayed inside the whole time. She quietly deleted every post on every tform where she''d shared details of her married life.


    The moment she finished clearing out her Instagram, she noticed a new post from Giselle. There were shots of her lounging on a yacht, each one perfectly framed, featuring a man''s long, slender hand.


    ra knew that hand belonged to Damon-and she also knew Giselle had posted it on purpose. But none of that mattered to her anymore.


    She turned off her phone, got up, and headed to the kitchen to make herself a sd. Just as she was finishing up, Damon came home.


    When she saw the cake in his hands, she froze for a second. "You don''t even like sweets. What''s with the cake?"


    Damon walked over, nced at her dinner, and frowned. "It''s your birthday. Did you forget? Why are you eating something so in?"


    ra was stunned.


    When she was four or five, her parents split up and left her with her grandmother. By the time she was 15 or 16, her grandmother passed away. After that, no one looked after her, and birthdays stopped being a thing.


    But in the three years she''d been married to Damon, he never forgot. No matter how busy he was, he always made it back to spend her birthday with her.


    If ra wereing back from a trip, he''d worry about her safety and pick her up at the airport. He''d pull her close and hold her if it stormed because he knew she was afraid of thunder.


    ra figured that kind of effortless care had to mean he had feelings for her.


    Everything changed a month ago on their wedding anniversary when Damon used pany matters" as an excuse to cancel the candlelit dinner he''d booked ahead of time.


    Disappointed, ra agreed when Olivia asked her to drop off a jacket at a bar. That was when she unexpectedly ran into Giselle, who waspletely wasted.


    She was hanging all over Damon-who was supposedly workingte-and wouldn''t let go.


    He looked furious as he tried to pull her off. "Giselle! Seriously, knock it off! Let go! What do you think am-something you can throw away and pick back up whenever you feel like it?"


    Giselle wouldn''t listen. Even after Damon pried her hands off, she just grabbed onto his waist again¡ªover and over. She refused to let go.


    In the end, he finally gave in. He stood there with his head lowered and stared at


    her. His eyes were filled with a love he was barely holding back.


    His voice was quiet and resigned. "Giselle, what am I supposed to do with you?"


    At that moment, the bag in ra''s hand slipped and hit the floor with a thud.


    A flood of memories rushed through her mind-those hands sped so tightly as Giselle and Damon wove through a crowded street, that tilted umbre shielding Giselle from the pouring rain, Damon kneeling in a graduation gown, asking for forever...


    Every single one of them proved Damon''s love for Giselle had never wavered. ra had seen it with her own eyes. There was no denying it now.


    Not three years of marriage, not the fact that she was legally his wife, not even the moments of warmth he''d shown her could change that.


    The truth was any affection Damon had ever given her wasn''t really hers-it was just borrowed from Giselle, who happened to be out of the picture back then.


    She had clung to that small taste of sweetness, foolishly believing it was hers to keep. But in reality, she had never truly had him¡ªnot even for a second.


    So when ra looked at the number 24 on the birthday cake, she felt nothing. She simply lowered her head politely and thanked him.


    Damon lit the candles while giving her a soft smile. "ra, we''re married. You don''t have to say ''thank you'' like we''re strangers. Make a wish."


    She nodded. Just as she was about to stand, Damon''s phone rang. She could guess who was calling from the slight hesitation in his eyes. So, she sat back down.


    Sure enough, she was right. A minuteter, he ended the call and walked out.


    ra let out a bitter smile as the sound of his car disappeared into the distance. She hadn''t turned on any lights. The soft flicker of the candles cast her lone shadow against the wall.


    Pressing her palms together, she made a wish for her 24th year. "This year, I''m


    done loving Damon Croft."

 Chapter 3

    Three dayster was the reunion for the Computer Science Department''s ss of 2021.


    ra walked in and immediately spotted Damon. He was right in the middle of a crowd, but the second he saw her, he made his way over and sat down next to her.


    The whole mood in the private room shifted the moment they sat together. Everything was awkward and tense.


    ra knew she was the reason. To her former ssmates, she had only married Damon to climb the socialdder. None of them had ever thought much of her.


    But she didn''t bother correcting their assumptions. She just sat there and stayed quiet and unreadable.


    The ss representative showed upte and walked in carrying a big cardboard box. Addressing everyone, the ss representative said, "I wanted to get everyone together today partly to catch up and partly because it''s finally time to open those ''letters to our future selves in five years'' we wrote. I thought it''d be fun to read them together."


    In an instant, the room buzzed with excitement as everyone crowded around.


    "Let''s make this interesting. Let''s have everyone pick a random letter and read it out loud!"


    "Great idea! I''m going first!" One of the most outgoing guys in the ss elbowed his way into the crowd and grabbed an envelope.


    Egged on by a few curious ssmates who had no idea what he was about to read, he ripped it open, cleared his throat, and began, "ra, how are you five years from now? I''m writing this under the sunlight.


    "Though I have no clue where you''ll be or how you''ll feel when you finally read this, I want to share what''s on my mind right now.""


    The room went quiet the moment they heard the first line. Every eye shifted to ra. Even Damon, who had been focused on his phone, looked at her in surprise.


    ra, who was usually calm and collected, felt her stomach drop. She knew exactly what she had written in that letter.


    The guy reading it shot her a mischievous grin before continuing, ""This year, you''re 19, a sophomore, and you''ve fallen for Damon Croft-even though he has no clue. And even if he did, it wouldn''t make a difference, because he likes someone else.


    "Your feelings were never going to lead anywhere. You might wonder why not move on if it was hopeless. Well, here''s why.


    "I love him for that fire in his eyes when the crowd cheers him on, for the small but unthinking kindness he showed me one night when he shielded me from a stray basketball, and for the way he''s always unfailingly polite, even when turning someone down.


    "I was the one craning my neck every week at the morning assembly just to sneak


    a nce at him. I was the one who heard he got hurt ying basketball and,


    despite the storm, slipped medicine into his desk. I was the one who filled an entire page in my diary with his name.


    "He might never remember me for the rest of his life, but that''s fine. A crush is chaos, but only in one person''s head.""


    When the letter ended, the room waspletely silent.


    Damon froze, Out of nowhere,


    memories of that wedding-the one he''d rather forget-came rushing back. He remembered how ra had stood there, facing all the skeptical stares as she walked straight to his side without h¨¦sitation.


    And just like that, it all clicked. She hadn''t married him for money or status, like everyone thought. She had loved him for years.


    Damon''s chest tightened. The walls he''d kept up for so long suddenly felt like they were cracking. His heartbeat was unsteady for reasons he couldn''t exin.


    On a whim, he had the urge to ask her everything-the things he''d kept buried for so long. But before he had the chance, Giselle''s call came through.


    "Damon, I''m stuck outside the club! Some thugs cornered me-"


    She didn''t even get to finish before Damon''s expression darkened. He took off and sprinted downstairs. The second he spotted the group of bleach-haired punks, his fists flew.


    Fueled by rage, he didn''t hold back. His punchesnded hard and fast, leaving them coughing up blood within seconds.


    A crowd quickly formed. Some people rushed in to protect Giselle. She was in tears, saying one of the tattooed guys had grabbed her hand.


    Hearing that, Damon seized an iron rod and swung it down onto the guy''s hand. Then, a scream of excruciating pain cut through the night.


    ra hurried downstairs just in time


    to see it happen. She stopped dead racks. Her eyes were locked


    in her


    on


    at hand. Blood was spilling out


    of it, and it was barely held together.


    On instinct, she looked up at Damon-only to see his back as he led Giselle away


    while shielding her.


    The same Damon who had been


    brutal just moments ago now wore a gentle expression. His voice was soft as heforted Giselle. It was a kind of tenderness ra had never known from him.


    She dropped her gaze, masking the emotions in her eyes, and let out a quiet, self- mockingugh. Then, without a word, she turned and headed home alone.


    Damon didn''te back until after midnight. Seeing ra sitting quietly on the couch, he remembered he owed her an exnation.


    "ra, about tonight... we''re all ssmates. I couldn''t just ignore what happened to Giselle," he said.


    ra couldn''t be bothered to call him out. She let out a quiet hum, grabbed her pajamas, and headed into the bathroom.


    Half an hourter, she walked out with her hair still damp. Damon was holding her phone. His expression was slightly puzzled.


    "ra, why did you buy a ne ticket?" he asked.

 Chapter 4

    ra froze for a second before quickly catching on and grabbing the phone from him. "I didn''t buy anything. That''s probably just a message about discounted airline tickets."


    Damon was about to dig into it but held off when he saw she wasn''t up for the conversation. ra had never lied to him before, had she?


    He set his phone down, gave a small nod, and was about to wash up when ra stopped him and pulled a first-aid kit from the cab.


    "A ss shard scratched your back. Let me help with that," she said.


    Damon hesitated, then sat on the couch and shrugged off his jacket. A small cut came into view. It wasn''t deep. No one had noticed since it was on his back, except ra.


    He observed her as she carefully cleaned the wound with a cotton swab, his mind slipping back to that letter. "ra, about the letter today¡ª"


    She cut him off before he could finish. "Keep the wound dry when you showerter, or it might get infected. And be more careful next time you get in a fight. No one''s going to be around to patch you up after this."


    Damon missed herst words because his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.


    He looked up. "What did you say?"


    ra shook her head, tied off the gauze, and headed to the bedroom.


    By the time she finished blow-drying her hair, Damon had already showered ande out. He slipped his arms around her waist and leaned in for a kiss, but she turned her head, dodging the warmth of his lips.


    Her tone was light. "I''m on my period. I want to get some rest."


    Damon didn''t push it. He tucked the nket around her and switched off the light.


    ...


    The next morning was bright and clear.


    ra was in the bathroom when she heard amotion downstairs. After freshening up, she stepped out to find Giselle arriving with a group.


    Damon leaned against the doorway, frowning. His tone held its usual impatience. "What are you doing here?"


    Before Giselle could answer, a few of his friends jumped in with teasing grins. "Gigi said she just had to thank you in person for saving her yesterday!"


    Right on cue, Giselle pulled out a huge bouquet and a neatly wrapped gift as if pulling off a magic trick "Damon, I really appreciate what you did for me yesterday. I got you these as a little thank-you!"


    Damon didn''t reach for them, though his expression looked much better.


    Seeing that, Giselle ced the flowers straight into ra''s hands. Her tone was anything but polite. "These are Damon''s favorite Blue Moon roses. Mind putting them in a vase?"


    Damon''s brow furrowed at that. His voice turned cold. "Don''t im it''s my favorite when it''s really yours. And just so we''re clear, ra is my wife, not the housekeeper."


    The room fell silent at his words, but ra''s face remained unreadable. She nced down at the bouquet in her hands, realizing for the first time what they were.


    Blue Moon roses? So these were the flowers Giselle was obsessed with. No wonder Damon had spent a fortune growing them in his greenhouse. But ra didn''tment.


    She handed the bouquet to the housekeeper and said, "Please bring down a few vases from the disy cab on the second floor."


    Giselle''s gaze sharpened, but ra ignored it and took her breakfast to the balcony. Only a window separated her from the living room, so she could hear their conversation loud and clear.


    "Damon, aren''t these the paper


    bunnies used to fold back in middle


    school? You''ve kept them in a


    crystal box all this time? I could make you some more tomorrow if


    you like them that much.


    "And what''s this fashion doll set doing here? I remember tossing it in the trash. Did you actually dig it back out?


    "Wait, are these the maple leaves we collected at Scented Hills? You really turned them into bookmarks and kept them all these years?"


    As Giselle went on like she was uncovering hidden treasures, ra thought back


    to the first time she hade to this vi. She had asked Damon about these things once.


    "Oh, just some little gifts from my cousin in kindergarten. I figured I''d keep them," he''d exined.


    Back then, she''d believed him


    without a second thought. She had<ppletely missed how his eyes flickered with something far moreplicated. His eyes, filled with love and hate, longing and frustration, clearly spoke of a love affair.

 Chapter 5

    After making noise all morning, Giselle offered to treat everyone to a meal.


    Damon shot her down in an instant. "No, it''s fine. You''ve caused enough trouble. Time to go."


    Giselle acted like she didn''t hear him and grabbed his hand, dragging him straight out the door. A few of his friends, who were worried he wouldn''te along, pulled ra with them.


    They all piled into cars and headed to a hot spring resort.


    ra didn''t usually hang out with this group and had no interest in trying to fit in. Sitting off to the side, she watched them toast and lose themselves in the lively atmosphere.


    Damon saw her sitting by herself, so he walked over, ready to hand her a ss of juice. But just as she reached for it, he suddenly got up and disappeared back into the crowd.


    Giselle was about to take a sip of whiskey when Damon snatched it right out of her hand.


    His sharp reprimand cut through the noise. "You''re allergic to alcohol, and you''re still drinking? What? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"


    Giselle blinked and put on an innocent act. "I thought it was juice. I must''ve grabbed the wrong ss. Why are you so worked up?"


    Then, without a care, she plucked the juice from Damon''s right hand and shed him a sweet smile. "Thanks."


    His grip tightened for a split second, but he didn''t say anything and went back to his seat while absentmindedly holding out the ss to ra.


    Noticing the amber liquid and the distracted look on his face, ra didn''t take it.


    Instead, she got up, grabbed her bag, and said softly, "I don''t drink. I''m going to the hot springs."


    That was when it hit Damon. He''d handed her the wrong ss. Still caught up in his thoughts about Giselle, he hadn''t realized he''d mixed up the liquor and the juice.


    He wanted to exin, but ra was already gone before he could get a word out.


    Sinking into the warm, soothing water, ra felt her exhaustion melt away. Leaning back against the wall, she watched the steam swirl and rise, and before she knew it, sleep crept up on her.


    The knocking at the door went unnoticed, probably because she''d gotten so used to the noise outside. Damon called her name a few times, but she didn''t respond.


    His chest tightened, and without thinking, he shoved the door open. The sight of her dozing off in the hot spring made his heart skip a beat. Without hesitation, he jumped in and pulled her into his arms.


    ra''s eyes fluttered open. She was still dazed. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his shoulders as he lifted her. Between the rising steam and the warmth of their bodies pressed together, the air between them shifted.


    Damon found himself leaning in. Their breaths had barely mingled when footsteps suddenly echoed through the space.


    A secondter, Giselle stepped in. The moment she saw them, her smile froze. She bit her lip hard. Shock and disappointment showed on her face. Then, without a word, she turned and bolted.


    Damon stood frozen for a moment. His first instinct was to set ra down and go after Giselle.


    Before he left, he muttered, "She''s got it wrong. I''ll exin it to her."


    Got it wrong? They were legally married. Even if they were caught kissing, what was there to exin?


    But Damon was still stuck in the past. He was always slipping back into the role of Giselle''s boyfriend, which was why he feltpelled to exin himself all the time.


    He was the kind of guy who had once given everything for love. It was hard for him to shake the habit of always needing to justify himself.


    Watching him rush off, ra chuckled, but tears welled up soon after. She wrapped a towel around herself and cracked open the window for some air.


    Just then, she spotted Giselle storming outside. Giselle yanked the car door open, but Damon grabbed her hand before she could get in.


    Their tense argument echoed loud and clear.


    "ra was asleep. I just didn''t want her to catch a cold. Do you really have to blow this out of proportion?"


    "Oh, absolutely. She''s your wife, and I have no right to be upset! Why don''t you go back to her and stop exining everything to your ex?"


    "Giselle, do you really have to put it that way?"


    "What? I''m just stating facts!"


    With that, their argument hit a dead end. Eyes red from tears, Giselle yanked her arm free, jumped into her car, and sped off. Damon hesitated for seconds before getting into his car and taking off after her


    Once the dust settled and the road went quiet again, ra turned and headed to


    the changing room.


    When she was done getting dressed


    and stepped out, Damon''s friends pulled her aside. They looked panicked and desperate. "ra, something bad happened! Damon and Giselle were in a car ident!"

 Chapter 6

    The group rushed to the hospital and found Damon waiting outside the operating room. He was covered in blood. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his eyes filled with panic and helplessness.


    It was the first time ra had ever seen him look this shaken. His close friends crowded around him, pressing him for what had happened.


    Damon yanked at his hair. His voice was heavy with regret and pain. "It''s my fault. I never should''ve said those things and made Gigi mad. I shouldn''t have let her leave by herself. She was speeding just to get back at me. That''s why she crashed..."


    Hearing him take all the me, ra''sshes fluttered.


    If he''d said those words just to get under her skin, then what was the real story? Had he really been waiting for her to return, hoping they could patch things up? Maybe, ra thought. And with that, she decided not to think about it anymore.


    Just then, a nurse walked out, looking especially serious. "The patient is losing a lot of blood, but the blood bank is running low. Is anyone here type O? We need an urgent donation."


    Damon''s friends exchanged looks. They were all type AB, so none of them spoke up.


    Damon was the only one with type O. Without a second thought, he shrugged off his jacket, changed into sterile scrubs, and followed the nurse into the operating


    room.


    Time dragged on, minute by minute. Half an hourter, the nurse returned while helping Damon, who looked ghostly pale. Who knew how much blood he had given?


    He was barely staying on his feet. Dizzy and weak, he copsed straight into ra''s arms.


    Instead of leaving, the nurse said, "The patient''s condition is slowly improving, but we still need another 400 ml of O-type blood. Do any of you have other friends with type O you can call?"


    They had already reached out to everyone they could think of but still hadn''t found anyone with O-type blood. Everyone went silent.


    Restless and on edge, Damon forced himself to stand. "Only 400 ml more? I''ll do it."


    The nurse stared at him in shock. "You''ve already given 600 ml. Are you seriously going to continue donating?"


    His friends'' expressions shifted, and they rushed to stop him.


    "Damon, don''t. I''ll have my assistant check at the office. There''s got to be someone who can help."


    But Damon shook his head. His voice was firm. "Gigi doesn''t have time to wait."


    With that, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing the fresh bruise where the needle had been.


    Seeing him push himself this hard, ra couldn''t stay quiet any longer. "The doctors are doing everything they can. We can request blood from other hospitals. You don''t have to do this."


    Damon paused for a second but didn''t say anything. He turned and walked back into the operating room. Everyone watched him go. His steps were firm. No one said a word.


    His friends let out a heavy sigh, caught between frustration and helplessness.


    "Anything involving Giselle makes Damon lose his mind! Remember when he got into that fight over her messed up his leg, and ended up in the hospital for three months? The second he got out, he went straight after the guy who started it!


    "Exactly. Back in high school, he even made a bet and went skydiving from 16,000 feet just to win her that ne she liked. Midway down his equipment failed and he nearly died. And now, he is putting his life on the line for her again.


    "I used to think he still had feelings for Gigi, so I tried to help them work things out. But this... this is just a disaster!"


    They were so caught up in their conversation that they forgot ra was standing there.


    Hearing those stories for the first time, something finally clicked for her. Only now did she realize how foolish she''d been that day when she shot to her feet during the wedding.


    ra had always believed that even if she came into Damon''s lifete, she could still catch up and win his heart. But that was nothing more than wishful thinking.


    If Damon had never loved her to begin with, he wasn''t going to start now. She''d bet on the wrong person from the start. And now, standing in the ruins of it all, she had no choice but to ept it.


    No one knew how much time had passed before the red light of the operating room finally shut off. The doctor came out, pushing two stretchers. Everyone tensed and rushed forward.


    Wiping sweat from his brow, the doctor nced at Damon, who was still unconscious, and sighed. "So, they''re a couple, huh? You don''t see many guys this devoted anymore."


    ra hung back in the crowd while staring at the ring lights overhead. A helplessugh escaped her.

 Chapter 7

    Damon didn''te to until noon the next day.


    He was still groggy, but the first thing out of his mouth was about Giselle. "How''d her surgery go? Is she okay? Has she woken up?"


    Seeing how anxious he was, ra-who''d been up all night-gave a tired nod and rasped, "The doctor said she''ll be fine. She just needs a few months to recover."


    Relief washed over Damon, but he was still on edge. He shoved off his nket and got out of bed. He was determined to see Giselle for himself.


    No matter how much ra tried to talk him down, he wouldn''t listen-until a nurse came in to hook him up to an IV and physically stopped him.


    He stared at therge bag of fluids as frustration flickered in his eyes. His mind was still on Giselle. After a moment, he spotted the fruit basket on the table andtched onto an excuse.


    "ra, I called Giselle''s parents yesterday. They flew back overnight and should be at the hospital now. Can you take that fruit basket to them, say hi, and check on her for me?"


    ra looked at him for a long moment before finally humming in response. She picked up the basket and walked out of the ward. Giselle was on the floor above.


    Just as ra was about to knock, she noticed the door was slightly open. Through the narrow gap, she spotted Giselle nestled against a man she didn''t recognize.


    "Elias," Giselle said, her voice warm with affection. "Weren''t you going to introduce me to your parents? Why''d youe alone?"


    "I wanted to, but you''re still recovering. It''s not the best time. Once you''re discharged, I''ll take you home to meet them, okay?"


    ra''s fists tightened at those words. Giselle was seeing someone else and was already talking about meeting his family.


    Just then, the doctor making rounds pushed the door open, startling Giselle and Elias Anderson. She looked up and saw ra. Her expression darkened instantly.


    "What are you doing here?" she questioned.


    ra didn''t say a word. She set the fruit basket on the floor and turned to head downstairs. Despite her injuries, Giselle hurried after her. She caught up to her at the stairwell.


    She grabbed ra''s arm and demanded, "You''re not going to run off and snitch to Damon, are you?"


    ra turned, catching a flicker of panic in Giselle''s face.


    "Why are you still hanging onto Damon if you already have a boyfriend?" she asked coldly.


    Giselle arched an eyebrow and gathered herself right away. "Because I like keeping two men on the hook. I love having them wrapped around my finger, spoiling me in every way. Isn''t it obvious?"


    "Do you really have to stomp all over his feelings like that?" ra asked.


    Noticing the anger in ra''s eyes, Giselle let out a sarcasticugh. Her voice was oozing with pride. "I''ve got the power to make them both fall for me-even a guy like Damon, who''s got everything. Are you jealous, ra? Maybe if you admit it, I''ll be kind enough to show you how it''s done someday."


    ra was at a loss for words. She was stunned by Giselle''s arrogant, self- satisfied attitude.


    But her silence only seemed to feed Giselle''s smugness. She looked ra over, and finally, her gaze settled on the wedding ring on ra''s finger.


    "You were just the backup n,


    ra. What makes you think you have any right to call me out? Let me clue you in-I never actually left the country back then. I was just hungover after partying all night with two seniors. You never would''ve be Mrs. Croft if Damon hadn''t been mad at me!"


    All the anger ra had been holding in finally boiled over. She pped Giselle across the face.


    ra hadn''t even hit her that hard, but Giselle made a show of it. She tumbled down the stairs like she''d been struck with full force.


    Before ra could process what had just happened, the elevator doors slid open, and Damon stepped out. He rushed over, shoving ra aside before she could react.


    Then, he bolted down the stairs and scooped Giselle into his arms. His face was stricken as he took in her bruised and battered state.


    He shot ra a furious re while barely holding back his anger. "She never did anything to you. Why did you have to hurt her like this?"


    Giselle made a show of the red mark on her cheek. Her tears streamed as she leaned pitifully against Damon. "Forget it, Damon. ra''s probably still holding a grudge because I used to be your ex. I can''t me her. Let''s go."  s?novel


    ra couldn''t get a word out after what she said. The way Damon''s expression darkened told her there was no point in trying to exin. Nothing she said would make a difference.


    Her silence, to him, was as good as an admission of guilt. Without another word, he looked away with disappointment etched across his face.


    Then, he carried Giselle off and never looked back.

 Chapter 8

    After leaving the hospital, ra got a call from the staff letting her know her visa had been approved. She gathered all her documents and started packing.


    Each day, she tore a page off her desk calendar, watching as the stack shrank to just a few sheets. The year was almost over. And soon, she''d be leaving the city she had called home for over 20 years.


    For that entire week, Damon never came home once. Instead, Giselle flooded ra''s phone with one taunting message after another.


    Seven days before ra''s departure, Giselle sent a video. In it, Damon was down on one knee. He was gently massaging her calf with painstaking care.


    As ra watched, she tossed every gift she had ever bought for him straight into the trash.


    Five days before she left, Giselle sent photos of Damon handing her a box of jewelry and slipping a ring onto her finger himself.


    Without a second thought, ra smashed their wedding photo into pieces and threw it straight into the fire.


    Three days before she left, she received an audio recording where Damon was murmuring Giselle''s name in his sleep. His voice was full of longing.


    ra gathered every gift he had ever given her during their marriage and donated them. The vi she had once called home was slowly being emptied. Her small luggage was nearly packed and ready to go.


    Noticing how thoroughly she was clearing out the house, the housekeeper grew concerned and asked her more than once what was going on.


    ra smiled, her tone light. "I''m just getting a divorce."


    "Mr. Croft agreed to it?"


    Agreed? ra wasn''t sure. But she figured Damon would probably be thrilled if he saw the divorce agreement. After all, Giselle upied his every thought and had all his attention.


    The day before she left, Giselle messaged ra again. This time, it wasn''t a photo of Damon. It was his parents. They stood around Giselle''s hospital bed, all smiles, chatting like family.


    ra felt nothing. She still didn''t reply. Instead, she opened her contacts and deleted Giselle, Damon, and everyone connected to them.


    The day ra left, the first snow of the season arrived. She carried the diaries and unsent love letters she had sorted through the night before into the garden.


    The orange glow of the mes flickered across her face as those tender teenage memories turned to ash. She tipped her head back and watched the flurries swirl and drift down.


    She wondered how much snow it would take to nket the ashes. She was lost in her thoughts when, out of nowhere, the heavy front gates creaked open.


    Damon, who hadn''t shown up in


    what


    He slike forever, finally returned.


    He strode inside. He nced at


    ra, crouching on the ground, then headed straight into the living room.


    When he came back out, he stopped beside her. His eyes fell on the stack of pale pink envelopes, and for the first time in days, the anger he''d been holding onto started to fade. It reminded him of that letter from the reunion.


    "I''ve been busytely," he said. "Let''s sit down and talk once I get everything sorted out."


    ra wondered what he was going to talk about. The divorce? She gave a faint smile and looked up at him.


    "There''s nothing left to talk about. I already gave you the thing you wanted most a month ago," she said tly.


    Damon was confused about what she meant. He thought about asking, but his phone buzzed. He checked the messages, and his eyes crinkled as he smiled.


    ra saw the look on his face, tossed thest of the love letters into the fire, and got up. Her skirt swirled around her, hiding the mes.


    By the time Damon finished replying to his messages, the letters had already burned to ash, and whatever he''d meant to ask was long forgotten.


    ra walked him to his car and even opened the door for him.


    A sharp gust of wind blew past. Worried she wasn''t dressed warmly enough, Damon urged her to go back inside before she froze. But ra insisted on seeing him off at the gate.


    Through the window, he saw her raise a hand in a slight wave. Her lips were moving, but he couldn''t quite catch the words.


    He figured it was just another gentle reminder probably "Drive safe" or something along those lines. She''d said it so many times over the past three years that he barely gave it a second thought.


    Damon''s car rumbled to life and disappeared from ra''s sight in no time.


    She stood in the snow for a long while before finally heading back to her room. She slipped on a coat and dragged her suitcase downstairs.


    The snowfall was getting heavier, kesnding in her hair until, from a distance,


    it looked almost white-like an old woman''s.


    A cab pulled up outside the vi. Before getting in, she took onest look back


    and quietly repeated those barely audible words.


    "Never again, Jeston. Never again, Damon Croft."

 Chapter 9

    Damon headed straight to the hospital.


    Giselle was getting discharged that day. Last night, she wouldn''t stop bugging him about wanting to see his childhood photos, so he''d gone home just to grab them for her.


    As he made his way to the elevator, carrying a heavy bag, he brushed past a stranger. A faint trace of perfume clung to the man. It was Giselle''s favorite


    scent


    Had he juste from her ward? Was he a friend of hers?


    Doubt flickered through Damon''s mind, but the elevator doors slid open before he could dwell on it. He let it go and pressed the button for the seventh §±§â§à§ã


    The moment Giselle saw him, her face lit up with a bright smile.


    They flipped through the photo album together whileughing and reminiscing. Talking about old


    memories pushed everything else from Damon''s mind. Around noon, the Suttons showed up to take Giselle home. As soon as they saw Damon, they started thanking him.


    He waved it off right away. His tone waspletely humble. "Gigi''s injury is partly my fault. Taking care of her is the least I can do."


    Hearing that, Giselle gave his hand a light pat. "I keep telling you-


    it''s not your fault. Damon, I had your parentse by yesterday to clear everything up, so please stop ming yourself, okay?"


    Her father, Walter Sutton, nodded in agreement. "Bernice and I have been caught up with work all these years. weren''t looking after her. We''re the ones who should be thanking you."


    Gigi would''ve gone off the rails if you


    Giselle approached Damon and leaned on him yfully, but her mother, Bernice Hill, stepped in and pulled her aside. "You''re both


    adults now, Damon, you''re married, but Gigi keeps hanging on to you. Don''t take it the wrong way. She''s just being immature. We''ll make sure she pulls herself together so she''s not a hassle for you anymore."


    The room tensed at Bernice''s words.


    Damon picked up on the underlying message right away. His breath hitched for just a second before steadying again. The smile he''d been wearing faded. It was reced by something more distant and reserved.


    Giselle''s face shifted too, but she yed it off like she didn''t get what Bernice was implying.


    She shed a grin at Damon and steered the conversation elsewhere. "Olcay, that''s enough. Damon and I go way back. You can''t call me ''a hassle'' to him. Besides, he said he''d drive me home, right?"


    Damon looked up and was about to say yes, but the intense stares from Walter and Bernice stopped him. The words caught in his throat and came out all wrong.


    "I did say that, but my assistant just called. Something urgent came up at the office. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton, since you''re already here, I''ll let you take over from here." With that, he walked out without another word.


    He hadn''t gotten far when Bernice


    called after him and handed him the photo album. "Gigi didn''t treat you r didn''t understand how rare genuine feelings are. I just hope you Won''t hold it against her." ''


    right in the past, Damon. She was young and


    watched Damon grow up, and now there was deep regret in her eyes.


    Bernice had


    Damon gave a small shake of his head. "I''ve already let the past go, Mrs. Sutton. I don''t hold anything against Gigi. You don''t have to worry."


    Bernice let out a sigh. Her gaze was


    filled with remorse. "It''s Gigi''s loss. Fate just didn''t have the two of you meant to be. Your mom t you married is a good daughter-inw and you two seem to get along well.


    "Treasure her. She''s the one truly worth your devotion- the one you should grow old with.


    told me the woman

 Chapter 10

    Dummen knew Bernice meant well. He also understood that his love story with Giselle had ended long ago-


    ever since he''d impulsively married ra on their wedding day in a burst


    of anger,


    For the past three years, he''d tried to move on and build a life with ra, but after loving Giselle for 18 years, she wasn''t someone he could just push out of his heart overnight


    He gave in when she returned to the country and wouldn''t let go of him. They might never be lovers again, but the friendship was still there.


    Damon held onto that thought and kept going back to her. The truth was, every time she broke down crying and swore she still loved him, it got to him. But in the end, those feelings neversted. They were like


    But after hearing Bernice''s words, it was like a light bulb went off. He started to make sense of things, little by little.


    Thinking back at how ra had watched him leave that morning in the snow, he felt a warmth spread through his chest.


    He nodded to Bernice. His voice was steady and sincere. "Thank you for telling me all this. I get it now."


    After leaving the hospital, Damon headed to Croft Manor.


    His mother, Helena Perkins, called him into the study. Her tone was unusually serious. "When you first got married, I didn''t think ra''s family background was good enough for you, so I had doubts about her.


    But over these past three


    years, seeing how much she cares about you, how well she runs the household, and how thoughtful she is toward us, I''ve slowly let go of those reservations.


    "You''re not that young anymore. I don''t want to keep repeating myself-


    what''s in the past should stay in the past. You made a good choice picking such a great wife. It''s time to settle down and live the right way.


    "Marriage isn''t like falling in love. It''s about patience and taking care of each other. You and ra didn''t


    know each other well before the


    marriage, and you were both:


    young. You''ve got to talk things out before small issues snowball into something bigger. Got it?"


    Damon hadn''t expected Helena-


    who was usually so reserved to open up and give him marriage advice. But he knew she was right.


    Lowering his head respectfully, he said, "You''re right. I know what I need to do."


    Helena nodded, looking relieved,


    then took out a box and slid it across the table. "These are the


    bracelets your grandma gave m


    when@got married. Give them fo ra. The day after tomorrow is your dad''s birthday. Make sure you bring her home so we can all have dinner together."


    Damon opened the box. Inside was a pair of emerald bracelets, and for a moment, he drifted into thought. Suddenly, he was back at that wedding three. years ago the one that had turned into a spectacle. After Giselle announced over the phone that the ceremony was off, the rtives and friends of the Croft and Sutton families turned cold and left without a word


    Damon had stood alone in the center of the


    stage,pletely hollowed out. He had been gripping the microphone as he let out everything he''d been bottling up. To this day, he had no idea what he even said.


    It wasn''t until ra stepped


    forward-after a few of his friends


    had ushered her backstage and


    brought her back out-that he snapped out of it. The Wedding March began to y. She had changed into a slightly oversized wedding dress and walked toward him, one steady step at a time. Together, ra and Damon stood under


    or the scrutiny of a thousand watch Maybe it was her unwavering resolve that got


    to him, but at that moment, the heart he thought had gone numb began to stir again. It was filled with a reckless kind of courage.


    eyes, without a hint of hesitation or fear


    Damon still didn''t even know the bride''s name, but he had already made up his mind-


    for the rest of his life.


    He wouldn''t let down the one who had reached for him in the darkest hour of his life.


    -no matter what, he''d treasure the woman now wearing his ring

 Chapter 11

    Damon put the box with the bracelets in the glovepartment on the passenger side.


    Just as he was about to close it, he spotted some documents inside and frowned. He tried to remember when he had put them there. No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn''t recall. He was about to pull them out for a look when his phone rang, It was Giselle calling.


    "My parents just left, Damon. A few friends found out I was out of the hospital and wanted to throw me a little get-


    together. Are you done yet? Want toe?" she asked.


    This time, Damon didn''t even think twice. He turned her down right away.


    Giselle''s tone immediately grew somber. Just as she was about to try sweet-


    talking him, he cut in, saying he had a meeting to get to, then hung up. After that, he shut the glovepartment and headed home.


    The vi, which was usually full of life, was eerily quiet today. Damon looked around and noticed a lot of things missing from the living room-


    like the tie he''d left on the coffee table months ago, the mug on the dining table, and the throw pillows on the couch.


    They were all little things ra had brought home, things he normally wouldn''t have paid much attention to. But for some reason, he could tell right away that something was off


    Calling for the elderly butler, Dous Oakes, he asked, "Why are so many things missing from the house?"


    "Mrs. Croft throw them all out," Dous answered respectfully, then nced at Darnon. He hesitated for a moment before adding, "Mr. Croft, are you really going to div


    "Duron! I knew you''d be home on a snowy day like this!" A group of his friends barged in with their arms slung around each other. "How long has it been since we hung out? Come on, let''s go grab a drink!"


    Dous didn''t even get the chance to finish saying "divorce before their chatter drowned out his voice.


    Even though they were out for drinks, Damon''s friends were mindful of his health and handed him only in water.


    Damon watched them y games,


    took a few sips, and pulled out his phone to text ra. "Did you go out today? Where to? When are youing back? Send me the address. I''lle pick you up. The roads are slick from the snow, so watch your step."


    Before he could hit send, his friend Fabian ne grabbed his arm.


    Fabian''s expression changed the second he ended a phone call. His voice was urgent as he called out to the group at the table, "Let''s go! We''re heading somewhere else. Something big just came up!"

 Chapter 12

    Fabian''s words left everyone baffled. But the moment they heard something big was going on, they snapped to attention and piled into the car.


    They spent the whole drive grilling Fabian about where they were going, but he didn''t say a word. The only thing he did was sneak nces at Damon every now and then


    Their destination turned out to be a bar none of them had ever set foot in.


    Just before they got out, Fabian shoved Damon to the front and said something odd. "Damon, I''ve been


    hearing things for a while now. I tried to shake it off, but I just couldn''t anymore. I had to let you know, Whatever you see in there, don''t put it on me. I''m doing this for your own good."


    Damon and his friends had been tight since they were kids, so hearing Fabian sound so serious made his smile slowly fade.


    Standing right before the doors, Damon hesitated for a second before pushing them open. The bar''s interior spread out before them


    Under the shing lights and pounding DJ


    music, the whole ce pulsed with energy. A spotlight beamed down, casting a glow on a couple locked in a deep, beated loss on the stage


    Even from a distance, Damon spotted Giselle right away. Es had her wrapped up in his arms. Her cheeks were unusually flushed, and her hands traced slow, yful lines along his back. She looked nothing like the bold, free-


    spirited heiress they all knew. For a moment, the seven or eight people standing by the door werepletely stunned into silence.


    That brief hush felt almost jarring against the rising cheers inside the bar.


    "Damn, she just got out of the hospital and she''s already going all in. They''ve been at it for, what, half


    an hour? Do they even need to breathe?" "Rx, they''re a couple. What''s wrong with a little make-


    out session if the mood''s right? Are you jealous or something?"


    "Hey, didn''t Gigi and Elias get together like six months ago? And they''re still not sick of each other? Do you think this one''s going


    tost longer than her thing with Damon?""


    wears ago, but the


    "You''ll never figure out what''s going on in Gigi''s head. She''s probably just ying around. Look at Damon. She dumped him three years ago, second she wants his attention again, she yanks him around like a Damon''s friends bristled when they heard the way Giselle''s friends ran their mouths. There was no way they were letting that slide. They showed their way through the crowd and stormad in.


    One of them cut the music, another pped on all the lights, and the rest jumped onto the stage, closing in on the couple still tangled up in their heated kiss. The whole vibe of the bar crashed in an instant Snapping back to reality, Giselle''s face darkened as she took in the


    group of intruders. She nced around, not spotting Damon anywhere, and let out a small breath of relief.


    Then, her expression turned ley as she fixed a re on the ones who''d just crashed the party. "How''d you all even find this ce? I didn''t invite you What the hell are you doing here? Already on edge, Damon''s friends fired


    back, ¡°It''s just a bar. You can be here, but we can''t? Since when do we need an invite?"


    "Oh, let me guess you''re hiding out here on some little honeymoon with your new boyfriend because you don''t want us seeing it and running back to spread the word, is that it?


    Not about to back down in front of


    Elias and her friends, Giselle snapped, "Spread what? I''m just dating someone. Am I supposed to be worried about Damon finding out? He''s a married man. Don''t tell me he gets a say in his ex love life!"


    As soon as she said that, Damon''s friends erupted in cheers and whistles.


    Answers


    A shiver ran down Giselle''s spine when she saw them grin instead of getting mad. Something felt off, and she was just about to press them for answ when they got ahead of her.


    "You''ve been acting like a


    heartbroken ex this whole time while


    pretending you still had feelings, but now the truth''sing out, huh? Giselle you''ve been dating another guy for six months, so why were you stiff flirting with Damon and trying to have it both ways?"


    Elias picked up on the shift too, and his expression darkened. Giselle never saw thising.


    She could feel things spinning out of control, so she clenched her jaw and fired back, "Wasn''t he the one shamelessly begging me to talor him back? He drives me crazy- like I''d ever chase after him.


    te''s like a stray dog that won''t leave me alone was done with him three years ago. That''s why I bailed on the wedding. It had nothing to do with going abroad! The only person I care about now is Elias!"


    "So that''s how you really feel?"


    Faced with their pointed question, Giselle refused to back down. She raised her chin like a proud peacock.


    "Obviously. Even if Damon were standing right here, I''d say the same thing word for word."


    silence fell over the room at her bold statement. Damon''s friends all stopped aside in perfect sync, clearing a path.


    Watching them move so smoothly made Giselle''s right eyelid twitch. She turned her head and spotted a familiar figure by the door. Her heart, which had been pounding just moments ago, went ice cold. Everyone who had been caught up in the drama followed her gaze.

 Chapter 13

    Three yearster, Damon was back in the limelight.


    But, to everyone''s surprise, he seemedpletely indifferent. There wasn''t even a trace of the disappointment, hurt, or embarrassment they had expected


    All they saw was a quiet kind of eptance-


    the kind that came from someone who''d been through it all and was finally at peace with it.


    From across the crowded room, his eyes found Giselle, who was standing motionless on stage. Her face was deathly pale. She was the woman he''d loved for years but could never really keep, the bride who ha


    Now, she felt like a stranger. He felt like he was seeing her for the very first time. And yet, they had known each other for 18 years.


    Amid the whispers from the crowd, Damon spoke with calm control. "I heard every ward, loud and clear. Thanks for finally being honest with me, Giselle."


    He didn''t sound like he was calling her out. He sounded more like he wasmenting on the weather.


    Seeing Damon''s response, his friends on stage couldn''t help but sh back to the day ra first showed up before them three years ago


    She had worn the same look and used the same tone. "I''m single right now. If you''re not against it, Daman, I could be your bride."


    After calmly saying his plece to everyone in the room, Damon looked down. A small smile spread across his face.


    His thoughts were with ra. It was only now that he understood the kind of pressure she must''ve been under when she stood by him that day.


    ra was so quiet and careful, but she''d done so much for him. It had taken him three years to fully grasp the depth of her love and passion. Thankfully, it wasn''t toote. Damon made up his mind. He wasn''t going to waste


    another second on people who didn''t matter. Without a second thought, he turned and walked away. Step by step, he moved forward with unshakable determination.


    Back in his car, Damon pulled out his phone and sent the message he''d already typed up. He was expecting a reply right away, so he quickly checked the screen


    In the chat, the single gray tick


    stared back at him. He noticed her


    profile picture and status were gone. Blinking a couple of times, he


    focused on the contact name in the


    middle of the screen.


    It was definitely ra. Why on earth would she suddenly block him?


    Damon couldn''t make any sense of it. He sent a few more messages, but it still showed he was blocked. His heart, which had been calm just moments ago, started to churn with angely


    His mind told him something had to be wrong. But his feelings kept trying to brush off the worry. He was scrambling for other reasons to calm himself down,


    After all, she''d still seen him off that morning, looking fine as usual and even waving goodbye. Maybe she just hit the wrong button by mistake.


    Damon kept trying to convince himself. But the way he mmed down on the gas, blowing through ten red lights just to get home before dark, made it clear how rattled he really was. When he pulled up, the house


    looked exactly like it did when he left, but it felt cold and empty-


    nothing like the home it once was.


    Damion saw the kitchen light on and immediately thought ra was in there, making a hangover remedy Without a second thought, he


    hurried inside. Sure enough,


    pot of hangover remedy was simmering on the stove, but it wasn''t ra tending to it. It was the housekeeper.


    Noticing him, she quickly greeted him. She fumbled a little as she handed him a cup


    Damon hadn''t been drinking, but he still took a small sip. It tasted off, nothing like the usual vor.


    Frowning, he asked, "Mrs. Croft didn''t make this hangover remedy?"


    The housekeeper''s eyes went wide with panke. "I-I''m so sorry, Mr. Croft. Mrs. Croft showed me how to make it before she moved out, but I didn''t write it down. Let me brew a fresh pot for you right away.


    Damon''s mind zeroed in on just four words-


    before she moved out. His heart sank as if it were falling into a bottomless plt


    "When did she move out?" he asked.


    "This morning, right after you left."

 Chapter 14

    Damon searched every inch of the house-living room, bedroom, study, bathroom-


    but there was no sign of ra anywhere. Dous had rushed over when he heard themotion.


    Seeing how panicked and confused Damon looked, Dous finally voiced the question that had been weighing on him. "Mr. Croft, why did you agree to divorce Mrs. Croft?"


    Divorce? The word sent Damon reeling.


    ra had never brought up divorce, so why was everyone acting like he was the one who wanted it? His mind raced as he struggled to put the pieces together. He was sifting through his memories for clues.


    He thought back to Olivia acting strangely at the caf¨¦, the ne ticket he hadn''t even had a chance to look at, and the cryptic words ra had said that mering-


    something about already giving him what he wanted most.


    Damon''s panic grew as he thought about thatst part-


    the thing he hadn''t had a chance to ask her about.


    He ordered his assistant to track down ra''s whereabouts while he set off to look for her himself. He


    went straight to the home she''d lived in before their marriage, only to find the doors and windows boarded up.


    Neighbors told him ra had


    stopped by the day before and thrown out a bunch of things like she was getting ready for a long trip.


    A momentter, his assistant texted him. "Mr. Croft, I found out Mrs. Croft bought a ticket to Falverton two weeks ago. She left this morning, should already be there." So ra wasn''t just moving out. She had left the country.


    so she


    The realization sent a chill through Damon. He couldn''t wrap his head around why ra would suddenly


    want a divorce and disappear without a word. Hadn''t she always wanted to marry him and stay by his side?


    After instructing his assistant to


    book him a flight to Amethria, Damon got back in his car. He didn''t start the engine. Instead, he leaned back against the seat and stared nkly at the chat screen where she


    had blocked him.


    His phone, drained from being uncharged all day, shed a low battery alert. He reached into the glovepartment for a charger. That was when his eyesnded on a document envelope This time, he finally decided to open the file that had been sitting there for a month.


    The second Daman saw the words "divorce agreement", his hands started shaking, But he managed to keep himself calm and flipped through the pages one by one.


    Then, when he reached thest page


    and saw his signature, he froze: Why was his signature on a divorce


    agreement? Why didn''t he remember signing it? His mind raced as he scrambled to piece together everything he had missed. C¨®ntent


    ra was the one who had drawn up this agreement. The only time she had ever asked for his signature was one evening a month ago. She''d


    said she wanted to give him a he''d


    and he had signed it without looking at it. After that, he walked away.


    She had left that agreement in his car, reminding him over and over to check it until a whole month had passed. The agreement had already gone into effect, yet he had never even opened it. Those flimsy sheets of paper felt impossibly heavy in Damon''s hands. Only now did he finally understand why ra had left,


    She must have sensed the


    doubt in his heart about their marriage. She must have thought he would divorce her and go back to Giselle, so she chose to leave first


    And that so-


    called "gift" had been this divorce agreement. ra had given him his freedom, convinced that was what he had wanted all

 Chapter 15

    It was afternoon by the time ra''s flightnded in Falverton. She spotted someone she hadn''t seen in a while-


    her former professor, Selina Yates,


    waiting by the arrivals area.


    During ra''s senior year, Selina quit her job at Aeloria College to start her own business. Three yearster, she had firmly nted herself in Sunstone


    Valley.


    It was Selina''s job offer that had been the push ra needed to move abroad. Selina, who was in her early 30s, had always been close with her students at the college.


    Now, out in the professional world, she seemed even more down-to-


    earth. The second she spotted ra, she waved with a big smile.


    *ra! It''s been way too long!" she said.


    ra rolled her suitcase over while grinning. "Professor Yates! It''s been ages!"


    "I''m not a professor anymore. Just call me Selina if you want.


    Her easygoing, friendly vibe helped ra settle in, especially since she was still trying to find her footing in the new country. ra happily agreed and called her by her name.


    Selina smiled and hummed in response. She took ra''s arm and led her toward home.


    On the way back, the two of them talked about old times-


    everything from funny ss moments to farewell parties. They both felt nostalgic.


    "ra, remember when you finished your master''s six months ago, and I invited you to Amethria, but you turned me down?


    What made you change your mind all of a sudden?" Selina asked.


    ra''s gaze went nk for a second, but she quickly snapped out of it. After a moment of thinking, she replied carefully, "Back then, I wasn''t sure what I wanted to do next, and with everything happening with n


    find


    a new dream once I''m


    "But now, I''ve figured things out. I''m not sure what''s next, but I decided to just dive in and see where it takes me. Maybe I''ll fi on the journey."


    Having been through simr


    uncertainty in her own career, Selina understood where ra wasing from and offered someforting words "That''s how life is. You figure it out step by step. Look at me-l taught at a college for years before I realized I wasn''t cut out for the whole academic life. That''s why I decided to try something different.


    "You''re still young. It''s totally normal to feel a little lost, but if you''re brave enough to take the first step, I''m sure you''ll find your way. Seeing Selina''s sess gave ra the boost she needed. Once they parked. Selina took ra up to the apartment. It was a standard two-


    bedroom, one-living-room sunlight.


    There was a supermarket right downstairs the rooms were clean and bright, which eased some of the exhaustion weighing on ra Selina gave her a quick tour and went over a few important details before taking her out for a meal. Afterward, they stopped by the supermarket to grab


    some essentials.


    When they got back, Selina lett her address and headed out, not wanting to overstay her wee.


    of disconnection settled over her.


    ra took a shower, theny on the bed while staring at the darkening sky outside the window. A strange sense o Just yesterday, at this exact hour, she''d been at the vi in feston, curled up in a nket, watching heavy snow fall outside the window. Now, she was across the ocean, starting over on her own


    The room waspletely still. Her mind wandered in all sorts of directions, and soon enough, she drifted off to sleep.


    ra''s dream took her to Daimon''s wedding. This time, Giselle didn''t run off-


    she actually married him. ra watched as they exchanged rings and promised to spend their lives together.


    As they hugged and shared their big, celebratory kiss in the midst of everyone''s well wishes, ra slipped away, heading back to the quiet campus to lose herself in three more years of study.


    After graduation, she flew to Amethria to start a new life and never looked back. In that brief lifetime, her only connection to Damon was the four years they''d spent as sunites.


    After that, they''d gone their separate ways. She remained nothing


    g more than a stranger whose paine he never quite remembered


    The next morning, ra woke up feeling off-


    maybe the dream had been a little too real. She wasn''t sure if what she''d just experienced was a memory or a dream. Mar sat alone on the couch for a long time.


    dated noon, a call from Seline finally pulled her back to reality. "ra, you up yet? I''m downstairs. Feel like grabbing lunch?"

 Chapter 16

    ra noticed Selina''s car in the parking lot. She opened the passenger door, leaned inside, and caught a quick look at someone in the back seat.


    Not wanting to be rude, she didn''t linger on the person, assuming Selina would introduce them when the moment came. Once she was in and had her seatbelt on, Selina stayed silent.


    A familiar voice came from the back seat "Did you rest well, ra?


    ra jerked her head up. She checked the rearview mirror and saw a face she knew all too well-


    Damon.


    They''d only been apart for a day, but he lookedpletely drained like he hadn''t slept in ages. Even so, his gaze was steady and unwavering.


    For a second, a dozen words crowded ra''s mind, but she had no idea where to start. In the end, she said nothing. The car fell into silence,


    A momentter, Selina picked up on the tension. She nced at ra, then quicldy tried to smooth things over.


    "re, this is your ssmate Damon Croft. You remember him, right? He just got in from the airport and gave me a call to catch up. Since you two were In the same ss in college, I thought we could all grab a bite. You don''t mind, do you?


    Actually, ra wasn''t okay with it. But since Selina had no clue what was going on between them, she had to keep it together.


    Forcing a casual smile, she said, "Whatever you''ve got nned is fine, Selina. I''m just a little dizzy from the jetg, that''s all "


    Selina nodded, signaling ra to take her time, then turned to Damon, "Damon, you good? Would you rather get some rest first and meet upter?¡±


    Damon hadn''t slept in over 30 hours but knew this wasn''t the time to rest.


    He shook his head. "No, it''s fine."


    "Let''s grab a bite first. I''ve already booked a table. You two didn''t exactly spend a lot of time together in college, huh? Who would''ve thought you''d run into each other by chance here in Falverton after graduatio By chance?


    ra kept her head down but could feel Damon''s gaze burning into her back. She knew exactly why he was here.


    d by


    She was a nobody, yet she''d had the


    nerve to ask for a divorce from the CEO of Croft Group-a golden boy who''d spent his whole life


    surrounded 1 praise and admiration. He was probably feeling frustrated about it.


    ra shut her eyes and rubbed her temples, bracing herself for whatever wasing next,


    Meanwhile, Selina and Damon continued their conversation


    "It wasn''t exactly by chance" Damon said. "I came to Falverton for something important, so running into ra was bound to happen."


    The way he said it made it seem like he and ra were close. But from how


    ra was acting, it looked like they barely knew each other. The whole thing had Selina a bit confused.


    "So you''re here specifically to see ra? Have you two kept in touch much since graduation? Are you close?"


    Not really," ra replied before Damon could answer.


    Damon''s expression darkened, and he pressed his lips together.


    "Well, you were ssmates for four years." Selina said. "Even though you two aren''t that close right now, the more time you spend together, the better you''ll get to know each other.


    "Anyway, Damon, are you in


    Amethria for work? Did youe alone? Didn''t you bring your family? heard you married one of your old ssmates." ra''s heart started pounding, and she instinctively


    clenched her fists.


    A few secondster, Damon''s slightly hoarse voice broke the silence. "Yeah. But not long ago, she asked me for a divorce. I''m here in Amethria to sort it


    Selina hadn''t expected her casual question to dig into something so personal. The awkwardness hit instantly.


    ra had no interest in dragging out the conversation, so she jumped in again, steering things in a different direction.


    "Selina, did you book an Aethrian restaurant for today, or somewhere with our home cuisine? How much farther is it? I haven''t eaten anything since I woke up, and I''m starving." Selina shot re a grateful look and picked up on the hint right away.


    "It''s an Amethrian restaurant, just a few hundred yards away. We''re almost there

 Chapter 17

    Damon, ra, and Selina spent about an hour at lunch. Selina yed mediator the whole time, trying to keep the conversation going between Daman and ra


    Meanwhile, Damon watched ra focus on her food. He forced himself to swallow all the questions he wanted to ask.


    Halfway through, Selina got an urgent call from work and had to leave early.


    What started as a casual lunch between a professor and former students quieldy shifted into a standoff between two people on the verge of divorce. The mood turned tense in an instant.


    When ra took thest bite of her steak, Damon handed her a napkin. She didn''t take it. Instead, she got up and grabbed a fresh one.


    Her voice was calm, but she got straight to the point. "Whatever you need to say, let''s put it all on the table now,"


    Damon''s hand stopped midair as he met her gaze. It had only been a day since theyst saw each other, but the person before him felt worlds apart from the gentle, amodating wife he remembered. He didn''t know if she had changed-or if he had never really known her at all.


    Looking back on their three years of marriage, he realized that aside from the moments


    they shared in bed, he had rarely paid attention to her face or feelings.


    ra had been like a still, ssyke-


    always there, quietly waiting nearby. Over time, he stopped wondering where she hade from or why she had stayed without moving on.


    But just when he had gotten used to it, she


    started to change. She pulled away and rushed toward a ce he couldn''t follow.


    Darmon barely managed to keep up, only to realize ra had never been as calm as he had thought. She wasn''t something that would stay put forever while bending to his expectations.


    Everything he had believed before had been nothing more than an illusion. This new side of ra threw him off bnce.


    But Damon knew she wouldn''t be asking for a divorce unless it had something to do with him. So from the very start, he offered a sincere apology.


    "I''m sorry, ra. For the past three years, I failed as a husband. I never gave you a real home, and I took everything you did for granted. I''m sorry." ra knew he meant every word. But it was toote. His apol start.


    How could someone who never loved hermit to a lifetime of marriage? Especially when Damon had never truly let go of Giselle.


    ra filed for divorce because


    she finally saw how naive and foolish she''d been three years ago, and she just wanted to set things right. It wasn''t about responsibility, family, or anyone''s efforts.


    So she simply replied, "I don''t need your apology. Just submit the divorce agreement and send me the decree when it''s done. Cash on delivery is fine." Darmon froze. On the ne here, he had convinced hims Her calmness triggered a sh of panic in his eyes, and his voice came out tight. "Do we really have to go through with this? Why?"


    Cara met his gaze.


    Her words we anymore. That''s all."


    were sharp and final. "I married you because I loved you. I want a divorce because I don''t have those feelings for you

 Chapter 18

    After leaving the restaurant, ra didn''t go straight home. Instead, she went to see Selina.


    When Selina saw ra show up alone, a flicker of surprise crossed her face. "Where''s Durnon?"


    "He had something to take care of after you lett. Since I''ll be starting at thepany in a couple of days, I figured I''de by and check it out first,"


    ra d


    Selina didn''t think much of it. She had just wrapped up her work, so she happily showed ra around the office. After work, the two of them grabbed dinner together, and only then did ra head back to her ap Once she was home, she checked her phone and saw that Damon had sent her a follow request on Instagram. Suddenly, his words from earlier came back to her.


    "Since you''ve made up your mind about the divorce, I''ll respect that, I don''t deserve your love. I let you down, and I''m sorry. But we''ve been married for three years, Can we still be friends after everything?" Friends? Why would ra stay friends with Damon?


    She couldn''t think of a reason for it. She thought they''d just part on good terms and leave it at that. So, she didn''t ept his


    follow request right away. ra was just about to call it a night at 10:00 pm when she noticed


    another follow request from Damon, this time with a message. "There are a few uses in the divorce agreement 1 need to go over."


    est right away. Damon wasted no time and sent over the sections he wanted to revise, marking since it had to do with the divorce, she epted the request them in red.


    Looking closer, re saw that he''d changed the original asset-


    division terms to an even 50-


    50 split. In other words, she''d walk away with half of Demon''s total assets once the divorce was finalized


    It was like a sudden windfall, but ra couldn''t shake the unease creeping up on her.


    She sent him a voice message. "Let''s just stick to the original agreement for the asset division. You don''t have to give me that much because of the marriagew. I''d feel bad taking it."


    Damon''s reply came almost immediately as though he knew she''d say that. "I low you didn''t marry me for money. I''m not changing the contract to make it up to you. This is just what thew says. It''s what you''r ra tried exining, but Damon kept giving her the same response. Eventually, she got too tired to argue and just let it be,


    Days went by, and ra


    officially started her new job. She gradually got the hang of things at work. A monthter, she got her divorce decree, along with a pile of property deeds, shares, and other assets.


    Staring at all the zeros in her bank


    ount, she had no idea what to do


    with it, so she just set it aside and carried on like nothing had changed.


    The harsh winter gave way to spring. Asusual ra went to work


    She had barely stepped through the door when Selina called her into the office for a meeting."panies in their home country.


    The Lord topic was a potential partnership with several IT


    During the meeting, Selina mentioned that she needed to pick an assistant to travel back and help with negotiations. Her eyes scanned the room before settling on ra "ra, you''lle with me!"


    ra waspletely caught off guard. She''d only been with thepany for only three months. There was no reason she should be given such a big. responsibility.


    But since Selina had already made her decision, rah


    Selina got straight to the point. "ra, we''ll be meeting with four


    had no choice but to agree. After the meeting, the two of them stayed behind.


    Croft Group? The name stirred something in ra''s mind.


    She turned to Selina with hesitation in her eyes. ¡°Damon?"


    Selina nodded. She thought for a second before deciding to be upfront. "After ourst gathering,


    Damon got in touch and askedet


    meet with me alone. That''s when we set things in motion for this projec?. He told me a bit about what happened between you two.


    "Since it''s personal, I never brought it up. But now that we''re at a critical stage need your help to make sure: everything goes smoothly I know this might feel a little intrusive, but I hope you''ll understand."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 19

    ra had no idea what Selina was getting at. She was just a new hire with no real connections. Why would they need her for such a major deal? Was it only because she was Damon''s ex-wife?


    But Damon didn''t love her. Their divorce had been clean and final, and they hadn''t spoken since. What made Selina believe he''dpromise just because of her?


    To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, ra decided to be direct. "Selina, the reason I didn''t bring it up is because I''m already divorced, so I figured it wasn''t a big deal. But since this project is so important, I''ll be upfront.


    "Damon and I were basically married in name only. He never loved me, and there was never any real connection between us. We split on good terms, and that''s all there is to it. From what I know about him, he''s loyal and thoughtful, but he sticks to his principles when ites to big decisions.


    "If you think bringing me along will help close the deal, I hate to break it to you, but that''s not going to happen."


    Selina found ra''s description of her marriage a little strange.


    She gestured for ra to sit and asked the question she couldn''t hold back, "Are you sure Damon doesn''t have any feelings for you at all?"


    ra nodded without hesitation.


    Seeing how certain she was, Selina couldn''t help but remember something Damon had said before he left Falverton.


    "Professor Yates, ra and I are still married, but technically, we''re in the middle of a divorce. I wasn''t a great husband, and she got disappointed enough to want out. ra was set on it, and I agreed because I didn''t want to make things harder for her.


    "But honestly really do want to make things right. I just need a little time to sort it out. I know ra probably won''te back with me, so can ask you to keep an eye on her for a bit? As a thank-you''d be happy to go over the ''RO'' project with you."


    Even though a good amount of time had passed, Selina could still picture the look on Damon''s face-how defeated he seemed and hear the sincerity in his voice.


    She couldn''t believe that someone like Damon would hand over a project that top ITpanies were scrambling for, all for the sake of his ex-wife, who he supposedly didn''t care about.


    Still, Damon had admitted that he and ra had their issues, so Selina chose not


    to overthink it. She decided to ask ra for her opinion onest time.


    "Don''t stress about the project.


    You''ve got me. I''m bringing you along partly for my own reasons and partly to help you get more experience. Just treat it like a regr business trip and stick to the usual process. Deal?"


    After working alongside Selina for a while, ra knew she was upfront and wasn''t the type to go behind anyone''s back. Plus, this trip was a rare opportunity, and ra didn''t want to pass it up.


    After giving it some thought, she agreed.


    They were set to leave in a week. While keeping up with her regr work, ra began packing. The closer their departure got, the calmer she felt.


    Looking back on the past now felt like recalling a dream-one she hadpletely woken up from. There was nothing left to hold onto.


    And Damon? He was just an old ssmate again. ra had already decided exactly how she''d handle seeing him.

 Chapter 20

    Back in the city she knew so well, ra could already feel that her perspective had changed. She walked beside Selina, wheeling her luggage along as they talked happily on their way out of the airport.


    While they were chatting, Selina noticed her parents in the distance and waved. Once Selina introduced ra, her parents immediately asked her toe home with them.


    But knowing they had a lot to catch up on, ra politely declined so she wouldn''t be in the way of their reunion.


    After they parted ways, ra left the airport alone, only to find it was pouring outside. With no cabs in sight, she pulled out her phone to book a ride.


    Just as she was about to book one, a ck car pulled up in front of her. She instinctively looked up¡ªand there was Damon, walking toward her with an umbre.


    It had been months since theyst saw each other. He looked noticeably thinner. He wore a dark green trench coat that made him look tall and lean. He was almost like a reed in the wind.


    ra hadn''t expected him to show up, and for a moment, she just stood there, stunned. He walked straight up to her. His eyes held an emotion she couldn''t quite read.


    His voice was low and steady as he said, "It''s been a long time, ra. How have you been?"


    ra instinctively took a few steps back, putting some distance between them.


    "I''m fine," she replied tly.


    Her cold response made something sink in Damon''s chest. Still, he knew this was just how things were now. They were exes and nothing more. He pulled himself together quickly.


    He noticed the suitcase in her hand and said, "It''sing down hard. Let me drive you to the hotel."


    ra checked her phone to find that her ride was already confirmed. She shook her head. "No, thanks. The car will be here any minute."


    "Then at least take this umbre. Your luggage is going to get drenched."


    ra couldn''t figure out why he was suddenly being so considerate, and an uneasy feeling crept over her: "I ''t I don''t need your help, and I don''t see


    any reason for us to stay in touch. Don''t you agree, Mr Croft


    Her words cut deep. They were sharp as a de. Hidden inside his sleeve, Damon''s hands trembled slightly.


    With a strained smile, he asked, "So we can''t stay friends after the divorce?"


    ra slipped her phone back into her pocket, pulled out her umbre, and watched as her ride pulled up.


    "We were just ssmates even before the divorce. So let''s leave it at that. We were never really in the same world, so there''s no reason to be friends now," she said.


    There wasn''t a trace of warmth in her voice.


    Damon was rooted to the spot. His eyes followed the driver as he packed her suitcase into the trunk. She opened the car door and snapped her umbre shut.


    Suddenly, he felt something slipping away from him. Without thinking, he lunged forward and grabbed the door just before it closed.


    His voice came through steady and clear over the pounding rain. "I don''t think we came from different worlds, ra. Maybe you''ve heard people gossip about where you''re from or say you shouldn''t have married me, but need you to understand that I never looked at you like that.


    "Not once did I think you weren''t good enough to be with me. You''ve taken on life straight on and gone after what you want without hesitation. You don''t have to put yourself down."


    ra had been on her own for nearly ten years, and no one had ever said


    anything like that to her. She turned slightly and gave him a smile she hardly ever showed.


    "Thank you," she said.

 Chapter 21

    After checking in at the hotel, ra saw that the rain had stopped. She grabbed her bag and hurried to a restaurant to meet Olivia.


    They hugged each other tight, then sat down and started catching up. When Olivia heard ra had walked away from the divorce with half of Damon''s worth, her jaw hit the floor.


    Ignoring the curious looks from other diners, she flung herself at ra and shrieked. "My best friend is loaded now! Oh my goodness! Does that mean I''ll never have to worry about money again if Itch onto you?"


    Mortified, ra pped a hand over Olivia''s mouth and shot an apologetic look at the startled diners. Then, she dragged Olivia into a private room.


    Once they were alone, Olivia''s eyes gleamed with curiosity as she whispered, "Did the money actually hit your ount?"


    "It did," ra said. "But I''m scared to spend it. It feels like a lucky break and could be taken away any second."


    Olivia refused to let her think like that.


    Taking ra''s hand, she reassured her patiently. "It''s not some lucky break. It''s your fair share! Damon was generous enough to split his fortune, so why shouldn''t you spend it? It''s not like you held him at gunpoint to marry you!"


    That logic made ra stop and think.


    Olivia saw her start to unwind and couldn''t help but grin. She grabbed the menu, skimmed it real quick, and pped it into the waiter''s hands.


    "I''ll take the priciest stuff-spiny lobster, top-shelf everything-one of each!" With that, she leaned back, lookingpletely pleased with herself, and smirked. "How was that? Did I nail the role?"


    ra shot her two thumbs up and decided to tease her. "Not bad, Ms. Hyde. But let''s see if you still feel that way when the checkes."


    "What? You''re not picking up the tab, ra? Guess we''ll just have to split it then..."


    Once the feast was over, Olivia lookedpletely pleased.


    Noticing how satisfied Olivia was, ra pressed the bell to call the waiter. She was ready to pay when a mocking voice broke the silence.


    "Well, well, if it isn''t ra."


    Both ra and Olivia looked up. A group of people-most of them from Aeloria College¡ªwasing down the stairs, with Giselle right in the center.


    As they got closer, Olivia leaned in and whispered some gossip into ra''s ear "ra, the day after you left the country, Giselle''s whole mess with juggling multiple guys blew up it got so bad it even trended online. Apparently, she was involved with way too many men.


    "Word is, Damon''s friends were the ones who spread it around. Her reputation''s been in shambles ever since She tried crawling back to Damon and begged him to take her b?ck, but hepletely shuther down. You should''ve seen her face when he rejected her in front of everyone-it was priceless."


    Giselle approached them and caught fragments of what Olivia was saying. Her


    face soured, and she shot ra a harsh look.


    "Didn''t you leave the country, ra? What are you doing back here?" she snapped.


    "That''s none of your business," ra said.


    "What''s there to be so smug about? Do you thinking back will get you anywhere with Damon? He never cared about you before, and he definitely won''t now!"


    ra had no idea why Giselle was so hostile, especially since she and Damon were already divorced. Not wanting to make a sc¨¨ne, sh?....... quickly paid the bill and took Olivia''s hand. She was ready to leave.


    But Giselle only got angrier when ra ignored her.


    She stepped forward, blocking their way. "You walked away with half of Damon''s fortune because you took my wedding. You''re nothing but a gold-digger, so stop acting like you''re better than me!


    "So what if you''ve got all that money? Look at you¡ªyou still reek of poverty, no matter how much you try to cover it up. Don''te anywhere near me with that stench."

 Chapter 22

    When Giselle''s little entourage heard her remark, they burst into mockingughter. Fuming, Olivia was about to go after them, but ra quickly pulled her back.


    ra stayed calm and collected. She met Giselle''s gaze as she spoke in a t, controlled voice. "The money was Damon''s idea. Just like those rumors about you legit and true as they may sound."


    When ra finished talking, she didn''t even nce at Giselle before yanking


    Olivia away.


    ra''s jab hit Giselle hard, making her snap. In a fit of rage, she shoved a passing waiter in their direction. The hot soup flew through the air. It was just about to spill all over ra and Olivia.


    Out of nowhere, Damon appeared. He pulled ra and Olivia behind him, taking the full force of the scalding soup on his left arm. It wasn''t long before angry blisters popped up on his skin, and his face turned ashen.


    Giselle hadn''t expected him to show up, and in a panic, she rushed over to check on his arm.


    Fighting through the searing pain, Damon clenched his jaw and shot her a re colder than ice. "I''ve let your past behavior slide out of respect for Mr. and Mrs. Sutton. But I won''t hesitate to make sure you learn your lesson if you keep this up."


    Giselle tried to exin, but he didn''t give her the chance. He turned and left with ra and Olivia, both of whom were still shaken.


    A st of cold night air helped clear ra''s head. Noticing the burn on Damon''s arm, she reached into his pocket, grabbed his car keys, and drove them straight to the hospital.


    The nurse on duty nched at the severity of the burn and immediately called for the doctor. It was alreadyte, and Olivia had work in the morning. It took ra quite a while to convince her to go home.


    That left just the two of them in the ER. ra turned to Damon, who was barely holding back the pain. She gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with a few tissues.


    When he met her eyes, which were heavy with guilt, he tried to calm her with a shaky voice. "This isn''t on you. She''s holding a grudge because of me. If anyone should be apologizing, it''s me."


    ra knew there was no use arguing about me right now. Without a word, she went to get the prescription the doctor had given them.


    By the time she got back, Damon''s wound had already been treated. The doctor rattled off a long list of aftercare instructions before finally letting them go.


    ra drove Damon home. Stepping back into the vi, she noticed the living room looked almost exactly the same as before, and for a moment, she felt dazed.


    Dous lit up the second he saw her and hurried over. He was talking a mile a minute. "Mrs. Croft, you''re finally back! Mr. Croft''s been waiting for you this whole time..."


    He stopped mid-sentence the moment he noticed Damon''s injury. "Mr. Croft, what happened to your arm?"


    ra acted like she hadn''t heard Dous'' words. She handed him the


    medication, repeated the doctor''s instructions, and turned to leave.


    Damon felt a hollow ache in his chest as he watched her walk away. He wanted to call her back, but the words wouldn''te.


    Dous felt a rush of desperation when he saw how defeated Damon looked He didn''t think twice before chasing after ra catching up to her and finally saying everything he hadn''t gotten the chance to say.


    "Mrs. Croft, now that you''re back, please don''t leave again. For the past three months, Mr. Croft has done nothing but work and stare at the flowers you used to nt.


    "At night, he talks in his sleep about how much he wants you back. He flies to Amethria every week just to see you, but he''s too afraid of disturbing you, so he won''t even reach out..."


    ra had no idea. She had assumed Damon had moved on and started a new life without her.


    Hearing what Dous said, her first thought was that it was ridiculous. Hadn''t Damon always been in love with Giselle? How could he possibly have done all that for her, his ex? She pushed the thought aside.


    "Damon and are divorced, Dous," she said in a firm voice. "That chapter''s closed. What happens with the Crofts is none of my business anymore. And stop calling me Mrs. Croft just call me ra It''s date. I should head out. Take care of yourself."

 Chapter 23

    After taking two days off, ra dove back into work. Tagging along with Selina to negotiate the coboration details taught her a lot, and the project moved forward so smoothly that it felt almost effortless.


    Damon didn''t show up when it came time for their meeting with Croft Group. He had the COO take his ce instead. ra breathed a sigh of relief as she passed the contract she''d carefully prepared.


    After reviewing the terms, Croft Group was eager to move forward but had one condition. They wanted ra to serve as the main point of contact between both sides during the contract period.


    Selina immediately figured this was Damon''s doing. He was clearly using the partnership as a way to keep ra around. After giving it some thought, she decided to ask ra directly how she felt.


    They left Croft Group and found a quiet caf¨¦.


    "ra, I know this is personal, but if you don''t mind, could you tell me about your marriage to Damon? How did it start and end?" Selina asked.


    ra fell silent for a moment before telling the whole story. They had spent four years as ssmates, then three more as husband and wife. It was a span that made up nearly a third of her life.


    But saying it out loud now felt strangely weightless like she was describing someone else''s experiences. The deep love that had once carried her through so many nights had finally faded with time.


    When ra finished, Selina sat quietly for a long time. She was unable to shake it off. She didn''t know what to say. Every word felt painfully inadequate, and silence settled over the small booth.


    Seeing the pain and regret on Selina''s face, ra gave her a faint smile. Her voice carried the steady calm of someone who had been through it all.


    "Selina, I know what you''re worried about. You want this project to seed, but you don''t want me to get hurt. The reason I opened up about these memories¡ª memories I could''ve just kept buried is to let you know that I''ve truly moved on.


    "No matter what Croft Group asked for, I only see it as work, and I''m ready to handle it. I may not have a ton of experience, but I''ll give it my all-for you and the team. I won''t let anyone down."


    Selina''s eyes welled up at ra''s unwavering promise. This project was her big break, and ra was the key to making it happen.


    As much as Selina hated the idea of leveraging Damon''s feelings for ra, she knew she had to in order to lock in the deal. Thankfully, ra understood and was willing to help.


    In the end, all the things Selina wanted to say boiled down to a single crisp clink of their sses in a toast.


    ...


    Selina was ready to fly back to Falverton with four signed contracts byte April. ra saw her off at the airport, and they shared a long hug.


    Noticing a familiar figure in the distance, Selina couldn''t hold back her question any longer. "You loved him for seven years, ra. Are you really not giving him another chance now that he''s finally realized how he feels?"


    ra knew Selina only wanted what was best for her. But only ra understood how unbearably slow those seven years had felt before she was finally able to move on.


    She might have only felt regret if it was just about longing for someone she couldn''t have. But she had thought she was holding the bright, untouchable moon, only to find out it was just a reflection in the water.


    After going through that, ra had no desire to chase after the impossible again. Some things, she understood, were meant to be admired from a distance.


    So, she said, "Selina, life doesn''t hand out second chances. We just have to keep moving forward."

 Chapter 24

    To make things easier for work, ra rented a top-floor apartment. The very next day, someone moved in across the hall. It was Damon.


    Over the next month in Jeston, she ran into him everywhere-by the supermarket shelves, outside the pizza ce, in a quiet corner of the park. Given his status, these weren''t ces he was supposed to hang out.


    ra knew he was following her. Now and then, when they ended up face-to- face, they''d make small talk, like regr friends. Otherwise, he stayed behind her like a shadow.


    Eventually, lost in her little world, ra stopped noticing him as much. She told herself it was just like having a free bodyguard.


    Once they were neighbors, they bumped into each other even more, and Damon''s smile only grew brighter. Every so often, he''d ask her out for a walk, dinner, or a short trip somewhere.


    ra always came up with an excuse to say no. Every time she said "sorry", his eyes dimmed noticeably.


    She kept thinking that Damon would give up after she turned him down. But the very next day, he''d show up just the same. He would greet her with the same fresh enthusiasm.


    Watching how eager he was to please, ra was somehow reminded of Damon''s college days with Giselle. He used to be like this back then too, always afraid she''d reject him or get mad, so he did everything he could to keep her happy, even at his own expense.


    But ra wasn''t Giselle. She wouldn''t feel right taking advantage of his kindness and had no interest in ying games with him. She wasn''t the type to unt her appeal. All she wanted was to live her life and enjoy each day.


    Time went by day after day. Spring gradually turned into summer. Before long,te fall gave way to early winter.


    The nearly year-long project was wrapping up, and the contract was set to end right on ra''s 25th birthday. She booked a flight back to Falverton for that very day.


    The night before she left, she was up packing until dawn when she happened to notice light snow falling outside the window. When the clock hit midnight, there was a knock at the door.


    She opened it to find Damon standing there with a birthday cake. He was smiling as he wished her a happy birthday, but she could sense the sadness behind it.


    ra hesitated for a second, then,


    quickly pulled herself together an


    thanked him politely. Once the candle was lit, she pressed her palms together and made a wish.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw the expectation in Damon''s gaze.


    "What did you wish for?" he asked.


    "The same asst year," ra said.


    And that was it.


    Remembering herst birthday, Damon felt his smile fade into something bitter. ra dropped her gaze to avoid his eyes. The air between them grew heavy.


    After a long silence, he asked something unexpected, "ra, what did you say the day you leftst year, when you walked me out? I didn''t catch it back then."


    What had she said? ra couldn''t remember. Those cold, damp


    memories-the ones she had l


    desire to revisit¡ªhad long since faded they were blurred by time.


    All that remained were the brighter, livelier moments, the ones that still warmed


    her whenever she thought of them.


    Now, at the start of another year of


    her life, all she wanted was for


    everyone she met and everything


    ahead of her to find Onal


    happy ending. Se on a whim, she came up with two sentences.


    "I wished you well. And I wished the same for myself."

 Chapter 25

    When ra woke up, everything outside her window was white. It was still snowing. She headed downstairs and saw Damon waiting by the curb.


    He moved toward her and reached for her luggage. His voice wasced with emotions too tangled to sort out. "It''s almost impossible to get a cab in this weather. Let me take you to the airport."


    This time, ra didn''t turn him down. She could tell he still had things he wasn''t saying. And after all, this really was a one-way trip. Some things needed to be put to rest.


    Once they were on the road, Damon drove painfully slow. Maybe it was the snow- covered streets, or he was just trying to stretch out the drive.


    Either way, they had plenty of time. So, ra stayed quiet as she watched the scenery pass by.


    The silence grew heavier with each passing second until Damon couldn''t take it anymore. He wanted to speak, to spill everything weighing on his heart, hoping somehow that it would make her stay.


    "ra, do you remember our second Christmas after we got married? It was snowing just as hard that year. My mom wasn''t doing well, so you took me to a church to pray for her.


    "I lit a candle and made a wish. Then, I cracked open a fortune cookie, and inside it read, ''May you find a love thatsts forever..."


    Hearing that, ra was pulled back to that distant moment. After Damon got the message, she remembered how the priest looked at them and said something cryptic.


    "Some things are meant to be, and some are meant to test us. But if you see the truth in time, it may turn out to be the greatest blessing."


    At the time, ra hadn''t really gotten what the priest meant. She''d thought he was giving her some advice and spent a long time trying to figure it out. After all, she''d wanted to spend the rest of her life with Damon.


    But looking back now, it was Damon who had opened the fortune cookie. The priest''s words hadn''t been for her. And back then, the person he''d wanted to grow old with... It wasn''t her, was it?


    ra chuckled at that thought and said, "I don''t really remember."


    Damon hesitated for a few seconds before quickly changing the subject mostly small, everyday. details from their married life things ra could barely remember. But he remembered everything.


    Without her realizing, he''d reyed those moments countless times over the past year. Now, he was hoping those cherished memories from their time together would light a spark in her.


    Yet ra''s face remained unreadable like she felt nothing for what was already gone. Before either of them knew it, they arrived at the airport.


    She grabbed her suitcase and started to walk away when Damon called after her. He handed her a small box and watched her with quiet hope.


    ra opened it to find a pair of bracelets-the ones Damon''s grandmother had worn every day. They were said to be the Croft family heirloom. Why was he giving them to her?


    "These are far too valuable for a farewell gift. I can''t ept them," she said.


    Damon was on the verge of losing hisposure after yet another rejection. His throat tightened, and desperation flickered across his face.


    "Please take them. This is what I want. It''s what my mom wanted, too," he said.


    ra shook her head gently. Her


    voice was t. "I know what this gift


    means That''s exactly why I can''t


    ept it. I''ve told you over and


    over Our story is over. It''s time we go back to where we belong.


    Each word cut deep into Damon.


    He stood in the snow, watching her walk away, step by step, without looking back Snowkes settled in turning white t was like


    his hair,


    quiet echo of the future he''d once imagined-growing old together.


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