Chapter 13
He’d forgotten who he was–and the promise he once made to
repay
her
Lina, still smarting from the money she’d spent on his hospital bills and the wages she’d lost taking time off work, decided to keep him by her side. If he worked with her, they could both eam a little, and maybe he’d make good on that promise to pay her back.
So he stayed. For three whole years.
They became each other’s everything, getting through the roughest days side by side. Somewhere along the way, the comfort they found in each other turned into something deeper.
He told her he loved her. That one day, he’d make enough money to marry her
Once, he even had her name tattooed right above his collarbone, sneaking off to get it done while she wasn’t looking. When she finally noticed, the skin was still red and sore. She reached out to touch it, and he winced–but when she looked at him, he just grinned at her like an idiot, trying to play it cool.
Those years, after losing both her parents, were the happiest Lina had ever been.
She used to believe they’d always stay that happy. But she’d forgotten–Bruno, who loved her so fiercely, was also the Bruno she’d taken in off the street. He was never just a poor boy like her
Later, his memories came back. He took her home to the Morris family–to a life of wealth, to a huge mansion.
But he wasn’t the same Bruno who had loved only her.!!
Suddenly, Lina’s phone rang, yanking her out of her memories. She glanced down and saw “Rylan” on the screen, and let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Thank goodness, she thought. That was all ancient history now
Thank goodness, she had a brand new life–one that was hers alone.
She answered, and Rylan’s gentle voice came through right away. “Lina, did you make it there?”
Lina nodded out of habit, then remembered he couldn’t see her. “Yeah, I’m here safe and sound. What about you?“!
“There’s a bit of a hiccup on my end. I’ll need a few more days before I can get back, Rylan said with a sigh.
The way he said it made Lina smile. “Is it something serious?”
“Nothing big, don’t worry. I’ll be home in a week at most. You’ll just have to start at the new company on your own.”
That finally put her at ease. But at his last words, she couldn’t help but blush a little.
“Stop teasing.”
After they hung up, Lina didn’t stick around. She grabbed her suitcase and headed outside.
As she walked, the wind caught her hair and tossed it behind her. Across the crowded lobby, Bruno suddenly looked up, scanning the people until his gaze landed on her
In that instant, his eyes widened and he froze, staring like he was afraid she’d disappear if he so much as blinked!
A second later, he tumed and sprinted toward her–only to crash straight into Kylie, who had been rushing after him.l
“Ahl
“Mr. Momis!!!
Both of them cried out, and Bruno stumbled. When he looked up, the person he’d been so desperate to see was already gone.
A wave of regret and anger crashed over him. Without even thinking, he raised bis hand and slapped the person in front of him.8
The smack echoed through the lobby, and for a moment, everything went quiet. Dozens of people turned to look–some curious, some amused, some eager for drama. Each glance felt like a knife in Kylie’s back, holding her in place X
A bright red handprint stood out on her cheek, impossible to hide. Tears pricked her eyes as she looked at Bruno, hurt written all over her face
“Bruno, how could you hit me? What gives you the right?”
like this?..
All she’d ever done was love him. How could he use her feelings to humiliate her like
Her wounded expression tugged at the hearts of a few bystanders, but not Bruno’s
He just looked at her coldly, then let out a short, bitter laugh.
“You don’t have to follow me
Just like that, any argument Kyle had died in her throat.
Of course. She was the one who’d insisted on chasing after Bruno. She was the one who kept running into walls and refusing to give up.
In the end, she had no one to blame for her heartbreak but herself.
“Why? Why are you always so cold to me?!
