Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Julie POV
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I sat on the couch, holding my phone as I listened to the broadcast over and over again–Cassandra’s confession, Damien’s trap. The headlines were everywhere now: “Cassandra–A Liar and a Manipulator! Damien Exposes Her Evil Schemes.”
saw a video of her–she looked embarrassed, her face red as reporters bombarded her with questions. Some called her a whore, asking if it was true that she slept her way through every business meeting, while others questioned whether she really destroyed her ex–husband. People were throwing things at her.
As I watched, I didn’t know how to feel. A part of me felt… a bit relieved.
I took a deep breath as I stared blankly at the screen. Then Williams interrupted my thoughts. “So, what are you going to do now?”
I blinked and looked at him. I had forgotten he was even here–we had barely said anything for the past thirty minutes.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.
Williams sighed, shaking his head. “Julie, listen to me. If it were up to me, I’d tell you to use your head, not your heart. Last time you followed your heart, you ended up getting hurt.”
I nodded because what he said was somewhat true, if not completely. I could feel the tears rolling
down my cheeks.
“I just really don’t know what to do or how I even feel–I feel a bit relieved, but at the same time, I’m scared,” I whispered. “What if I get hurt again?”
“Then don’t let yourself get hurt again. Protect yourself this time.”
I nodded, even though I wasn’t sure how to do that.
He looked at his watch and sighed, “My flight is at noon. I have to be at the airport soon.”
I frowned. “You are leaving?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I have a business to run, remember? And besides, I have no reason to stay. I have done what I came here to do. And you, of all people, should know how much I hate this place.”
“So, nothing could make you stay?” I asked.
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Chapter 65
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Williams looked at me and then smiled. “Well, maybe if you want me to stay, I can–for a few days. Or better still, let’s get married, and then I would never leave you again. Probably stay here with you.”
I laughed. “You really can’t stop flirting with me, can you?” I asked.
“Maybe it’s high time I get you a girlfriend. You are not getting any younger.”
He grinned, but then his eyes shifted to the window. I followed his gaze.
“Speak of the devil… why does he always show up when we talk about him?” he muttered.
I turned to look. It was Damien–he was parking his car.
Williams sighed and stood up. “Remember, Julie,” he said. “Love isn’t always enough. It’s never
sustainable. Maybe that’s why you and I never happened–I knew it wasn’t sustainable.”
I frowned. “Williams-”
But he was already walking away, heading toward the door. He opened it for Damien to come in, then
left.
Damien stared at me, fidgeting with his hands.
“You’ve probably listened to the broadcast, haven’t you?” he asked, still not looking up at me.
I quickly wiped my tears and nodded. “Yes, I have. But it still doesn’t change anything.”
“Cassandra planned all this–I had no hand in it,” he said.
Then he took a deep breath. “Julie, you know I could never intentionally hurt you.”
I chuckled, fighting back the tears. “But you did,” I whispered. “Not once. Not twice.”
Damien flinched. “It was never intentional, Cassandra planned all this.”
“Shit,” I cursed as the tears flowed down my face; they just wouldn’t stop.
“Look, Damien, none of this matters. You hurt me, and I don’t care whether you intended to or not. The fact remains that you hurt me.”
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “You don’t know how much it kills me to see you like this. Every time you’re in pain, I can’t breathe. It drives me insane, Julie.”
I wiped my face, trying to calm myself. “I love you,” I said. “Or at least, I think I do. Maybe I really do.”
Damien took a step closer. “Me too.”
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Chapter 65
I let out a shaky breath. “But I also loved Alex once, you know, right?”
“And Alex broke my heart,” I continued, my voice breaking.
“But I am not Alex.”
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“You don’t have to be Alex to break my heart, Damien,” I said. “You have broken my heart, and this has made me realize that maybe love really isn’t enough.”
He just stared at me without saying a word, rubbing his hair in frustration.
“I can’t lose myself again. I just can’t afford to get hurt again,” I continued.
Damien raised an eyebrow. “And what do you mean?”
I wanted to tell him everything–about how I really loved him, but I was terrified of letting myself fall again. Maybe it was better that we parted ways. But before I could say a word…
“Can we just…” He cut me off.
“Don’t say it,” he said.
“Please.” He muttered.
“Julie, don’t push me away. Don’t tell me not to fight for our love. Please, don’t tell me to give up on you. Because I really don’t care how much you push me away, Julie. I will fight for you.”
I shook my head. “Damien, this isn’t sustainable. Love is not sustainable.”
“Love is sustainable!” he shouted suddenly, his eyes filled with tears. He was on the verge of crying. “Please, don’t say that,” he choked, his voice breaking with tears.
“Don’t tell me to give up. I can’t.”
I broke down crying. “I just can’t anymore, Damien,” I sobbed.
He grabbed my hands, squeezing them tightly. “I told you before–I won’t stop fighting for you. I swear it, Julie.”
I trembled, pulling my hands away as I whispered, “Then please, let me go.”
“If you truly love me, please let me go.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.