Henley’s handsome face fell in an instant.
Raegan glared at him, her tone becoming even more frigid. “I regret having considered you a friend. From this point forward, we are nothing to each other. And I’d appreciate it if you kept your distance. Should you decide to continue spreading rumors, be prepared to face a lawsuit for slander!”
Raegan had no desire to engage further and turned to leave.
But Henley swiftly caught her wrist, holding it firm. “Mitchel had caused you pain, and yet you decide to return to him? Do you value yourself so little?”
Henley’s eyes were bloodshot, like a creature from the depths, gazing at Raegan with intensity. “He only married you to satisfy his grandfather’s wishes, not because he loves you. He’s exploiting you as well. Why is it acceptable for him to do so and not for me?”
Raegan found herself at a loss for words.
Henley had a knack for pinpointing vulnerabilities. He knew just how to strike at Raegan’s insecurities, exploiting them at this critical moment.
Even Mitchell, who had been mustering the strength to stand up and have Raegan back to his side, froze in his steps. He wanted to hear her thoughts.
“Raegan, it’s true I initially approached you with a motive, but I genuinely fell for you as time passed. Do you understand the depth of my despair when you rejected me? I saw you leave with him, and during my nights in solitude, you invaded my dreams. You were the beacon that guided me back to consciousness!” Henley continued.
At that instant, Henley shed his pretenses, speaking with genuine, raw emotion. “Raegan, whatever Mitchel can provide, I can match or surpass. Return to me. Let’s erase the past and begin anew, shall we?”
Raegan observed the desperation in Henley’s eyes, perceiving it as madness. She responded firmly, “Henley, can’t you see the truth? I was never with you, so there’s no ‘returning’ to your side. There was no beginning for us, so there’s nothing to begin anew.”
Raegan’s words cut deep.
Henley’s face lost color and then flushed with a mix of shame and frustration. After a brief pause, he mustered the courage to ask, “Why?”
Why indeed? Raegan pondered that perhaps it was Mitchel’s unwavering dedication and his willingness to embrace Janey as his own before knowing Janey was actually his own, that resonated with her deeply.
And the times he saved her from peril… Especially when he risked his life to leap with her, that moment was utterly astonishing.
Mitchel had done so much for Raegan, quietly and without demanding anything in return. Her heart was responsive to these gestures. After all, when she knew the man she once loved dearly had done so much for her, how could she remain indifferent?
Feelings, indeed, were complex. In relationships, it was not the grand declarations that counted the most. It was sincerity. Sincerity stood out as the most valuable currency in love.
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Raegan faced Henley, speaking with conviction. “It’s his genuine care. He’s put himself in harm’s way for me, and I cannot disregard that.”
With those words, Raegan turned and re-entered Mitchel’s ward.
Henley’s gaze followed her assertive departure, his hand clenching tighter. Sincerity… That was something he lacked.
Raised amidst adversity, Henley refused to be belittled. So, he veiled himself in a facade, pretending to radiate positivity.
But with time, this facade became so ingrained that it seemed inseparable. Only he knew the decay festering within. How could someone so corroded genuinely interact with others?
Henley gazed at the shut door of the hospital room, envisioning the intimacy within. His clenched fist nearly exploded before abruptly relaxing.
A chilling smile crept over his face. This was merely the opening move in a longer game. The victor was yet to be decided.