Blushwood Health
Chapter 14
Declan stared at Marissa, who was smiling faintly, lost in some distant memory. Emotion surged inside him, wild and unrelenting, like something long buried clawing its way back to the surface.
After what felt like forever, he finally stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
He towered over her, easily a head taller. The light overhead cast his shadow over her small frame. He lifted his hand–hesitated–then let it fall back to his side, fingers curling into a loose fist.
“Marissa… I’m sorry.”
Three years too late.
But part of him still held onto the pathetic hope that late was better than never.
The apology came out of nowhere, and for a second, Marissa looked confused. “What?” she asked instinctively.
Then she paused, as if remembering something, and didn’t say anything else.
Across from her, Declan began explaining, almost in a rush. “I didn’t know my mother would pressure you to leave. I never wanted you to go…”
But Marissa shook her head and cut him off before he could finish.
“Your mother didn’t force me,” she said calmly. “She just happened to say it out loud the moment I’d already made up my mind to leave.”
That sentence hit like a knife to the gut.
For the past few years, Declan had played out every version of her departure in his head. Especially after learning his mother had been involved, he’d clung to the belief that Marissa hadn’t left by choice.
He’d imagined their reunion so many times–maybe she’d smile at him again. Maybe she’d still be angry and throw a fit. But he’d never expected this: cool, detached, indifferent, like he was just someone she used to know. Someone irrelevant.
His chest tightened. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The words lodged somewhere in his throat, choking him.
She was really that heartless. Chapter 14
Blushwood Health EBC–46. Tincture 10:1 Blushwood Berry Extract 50 ml | Lab-…
Shop our versatile Tincture 08. This lab–tested, 10:1 both sublingual and topical use. Fast global shipping. Blushwood Berry extract with EBC–46 is designed for
bh
59.09%
For Chronic Discomfort
Blushwood Health
So heartless she couldn’t even bother to lie and let him believe she’d left unwillingly.
But how could he just let it go?
That desperate, younger version of himself inside his heart screamed in protest. This wasn’t how things were supposed to end. Not like this. Not with her so cold, so distant.
“I get it now,” he said, voice rough. “Back then, I was a coward. You’d seen me broken, humiliated… and I couldn’t handle that. I was young, stupid, too proud to admit I needed you. I thought pushing you away would protect what little pride I had left.”
His voice cracked, eyes rimmed red.
“And then, I found out the truth. I thought you tried to hurt Celeste. I blamed you–God, I wanted to believe it was you. But it wasn’t. It never was.”
He looked away, jaw working hard to hold himself together.
“It wasn’t until that night–when Celeste vanished and I sent someone to bring her back–that I had your things packed up. They found the vials. Still sealed. And the order receipts. You hadn’t even used them.”
He gave a short, hollow laugh. “That’s when I went back and checked the auction house security tapes. That’s when everything unraveled. All those times I doubted you, all the ways I failed you… it all came rushing back.”
But by then, the truth had come far too late.
He’d never gotten the chance to say it to her face. Until now.
And now… she clearly didn’t care anymore.
Marissa really didn’t.
Truth meant nothing when it showed up years after the damage had been done. No apology could
undo what she’d gone through. And she wasn’t about to keep living in that place of pain just
because he finally decided to own up to it.
“Mr. Hawthorne,” she said evenly, “do you have anything else to say? Because if not, I should go. My boyfriend’s waiting outside.”
Chapter 14
Blushwood Health EBC–46 Tincture | 10:1 Blushwood Berry Extract | 50 ml | Lab-…
Shop our versatile Tincture 08. This lab–tested, 10:1 Blushwood Berry extract with EBC–46 is designed for both sublingual and topical use. Fast global shipping.
bh
59,09%
