Chapter 8
Even though he was full of rage right then, he still forced himself to stay calm.
He did not want to scare me away again.
“I knew you weren’t dead! I had everyone in LA out looking for you, but I never thought you would hide this far away!
“Come back with me and I promise I won’t blame you for anything that happened before.
“I already kicked your sister out of LA. She’ll never hurt you again!
“You want to be Mrs. Errard, the most powerful person in LA? Fine, I’ll give it to you whatever you want!”
He grabbed my hand and took in the scent he knew so well. At that moment, his eyes were red and his voice was full of longing.
I yanked my hand away furiously.
“Ruben, you maniac! Why don’t you go be crazy with your precious Veronica? What are you doing here?
“I have nothing left for you! If you keep bothering me, I’ll die all over again!”
Ruben finally seemed to understand something, and his grin sent chills down my spine.
“Elise, you’re still jealous, aren’t you? Don’t worry. I only have eyes for
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you now. I won’t even glance at another woman!
“It wasn’t until you were gone that I realized you’re the one I really love. If you come back with me, you can hit me or punish me, or do whatever you want to me–however you want.”
After he said that, he lowered his head miserably and said, “I never knew I could miss someone this much.
“I fixed up the attic and lived in it ever since. Your scent is everywhere. I should’ve figured out my heart a long time ago instead of hurting you again and again.
“All I did was torture myself too!”
Right then, Bastien, who had had enough, stepped forward and punched Ruben so hard his head snapped to the side.
Before Ruben could fight back, his bodyguard rushed up and shielded him.
Three or four guys ganged up on Bastien, surrounding him.
I saw him getting beaten so badly he was coughing up blood, but he was still using his eyes to tell me to run.
Instead, I ran straight over and hugged him tight, yelling, “If you want to touch him, you’ll have to get through me first!”
I shut my eyes tight as I shielded Bastien with my body, ready to take the hits myself.
However, the pain I was bracing for never came. When I opened my eyes, I saw Ruben staring at me like he could not believe it.
“Elise, you’re protecting him like this… Are you in love with him?
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“Didn’t you love me before?”
I laughed, but my voice was bitter. “Ruben Errard, did you really think I’d fall for a monster who locked me up for three years and tortured me day and night?
“I’ve been fine this whole year without you. If you really want what’s best for me, just let me go.
I looked straight at him. My eyes were full of fear and anger, but no love.
Ruben stepped back a couple of steps. The notorious and mighty Mr. Errard looked like a stray dog, crushed by just a few words from me.
Bastien and I held onto each other tightly, like we had built this little warm circle no one else could break into.
And Ruben–he was just the outsider now. He seemed totally lost. It was like he did not know what to do to keep me or win me back.
Then something clicked in his head and his eyes lit up.
“Elise, are you still mad at me for what happened to the baby?
“He came at the wrong time, but if you want…
“Come back to me. We can have another baby. We can have as many as you want.”
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