Chapter 3
After giving me a few more words of advice, my professor hung up.
My decision to go to Berlin was settled.
The hospital room suddenly felt very quiet. I stared at the ceiling, lost in thoughts as memories of Dominic and me flooded my mind.
A strange ache filled my heart, making me want to cry again.
Before Faye appeared, Dominic and I had shared many beautiful years together.
We were childhood sweethearts who grew up side by side.
Our parents had arranged our engagement since birth. I followed him everywhere like a shadow, and he looked after me like a caring big brother.
He would bring me treats and little gifts I loved.
As we grew older, I became prettier, and boys at school started pursuing me. Love letters would appear on my desk daily.
Dominic grew jealous and afraid I might fall for someone else. He actually cried in front of me the first time I’d ever seen him cry. With red–rimmed eyes, he asked if
I could promise not to like anyone but him.
Although we had our arranged engagement, our parents weren’t old–fashioned. If I had fallen for someone else, they wouldn’t have forced me to honor the
arrangement.
Seeing how anxious he was, my heart raced at his words. Finally, I stood on tiptoe
and kissed him. “Dominic, let’s be together–not because of our engagement, but
because we want to.”
His eyes lit up with joy as he held me tightly. I could feel his heart pounding against mine, wild with excitement.
“Yes. Sienna, I’ll always protect you and love you. Let’s never be apart,” Dominic
promised, his words sincere and passionate.
That was the summer of our eighteenth year, when everything felt perfect. Dominic was always jealous, hating anyone who came near me. He’d say I belonged only to him. His possessiveness made me believe he truly loved me. But when Faye appeared, I realized perhaps Dominic had never really loved me at
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all–he just felt possessive toward me.
Because I saw how he looked at Faye—with tenderness and adoration. For her, he would sacrifice anything. He respected her and understood her.
He had never looked at me that way or cared about my feelings like that.
Looking back at how I’d always chased after Dominic, desperate for even a glance from him–how pathetic I’d been.
Given Dominic’s personality, if he truly liked me, wouldn’t I have felt it? I had been so in love with him that I kept deceiving myself.
Now I was finally awake, finally able to see through all his promises as lies. Wiping away my tears, I called my brother. When the call connected, my throat
tightened, and I couldn’t speak.
“What’s wrong, Sienna?” my brother asked, confusion in his voice. “Why aren’t you
saying anything? Did someone hurt you?”
Hearing his concern, my carefully controlled emotions erupted. Even my voice
started breaking. “Callum, I…..”
I wanted to tell him that Dominic was terrible, that I was done with him, that I
didn’t want to stay here anymore–that I wanted to come to Berlin immediately. But I was afraid saying too much would worry him.
“What happened? Who hurt you, sweetheart? Tell your brother, and I’ll buy a ticket home right now!” Callum’s voice rose with alarm.
I could even hear the sound of his chair crashing to the floor as he stood up too
quickly.
I fought to control my emotions. “It’s nothing, Callum. I just miss you and Mom
and Dad.”
But Callum clearly didn’t believe me. He had watched me grow up–how could he
not tell when something was wrong?
“Is it Dominic? Did he hurt you?” Callum’s voice suddenly grew dangerously low.
