“Wonne, can you tell me when you two started seeing each other?” Steven asked, glancing at Reid’s car across the street. Reid seemned anxious, constantly looking over.
Wonne smiled at Reid and turned to Steven. “Not long ago. It was that night at the club when you and Sharon mentioned buying the Ernerald Heart for her. I was in the room next door.”
Steven froze, feeling absurd and foolish. He wondered, ‘That night, Reid has even asked if I wanted to go home–he did that on purpose. If I’d chosen to be reasonable that night; if I’d left when Reid suggested it, would things have been different?‘
“Wonne…” he murmured, but the words died in his throat.
He knew that some things had been wrong from the start, and no matter how hard he tried, he could never go back to the way things were.
He watched as Yvonne’s figure slowly faded into the distance, overwhelmed by a deep sadness. The girl he had once protected with his life was slipping away from him forever.
Yvonne slipped into Reid’s car, and as the door shut behind her, it felt like she’d locked the past away for good.
Reid smiled, plucked the divorce papers from her hand, and examined them carefully. His eyes sparkled with amusement, his gaze lively, and his grin brightened the entire car like a burst of spring sunshine.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for what feels like forever,” he murmured softly, reaching out to place Yvonne’s hand over his heart. “Yvonne, can you feel it?”
Beneath her palm, his heart pounded fiercely, each beat a testament to the intensity of his feelings. Yvonne slowly pulled her hand away.
Like a magician, Reid produced a stack of papers from the dashboard storage. He waved it gently, his eyes brimming with anticipation.
He said, “Look, I brought all the papers needed, and yours is still in there. You give me a nod, and we can get married right away.”
Yvonne was taken aback. She never imagined Reid would be so prepared. His earnest expression made her heart begin to race.
“Yvonne?” he prompted.
She took a deep breath, looking into his earnest eyes. “Reid, I don’t intend to remarry or start new relationships. I’ve been through a failed marriage, and it’s left me scared and distrustful of love and marriage.
“I don’t want to risk getting hurt again. I just want to live on my own terms. So, are you still willing to stay with me?”
Reid paused for a moment, but his smile quickly returned, his eyes shining with determination. “If you want to get married, we will. If you don’t, then we’ll just stay like this. It’s all up to you.”
Yvonne blinked in surprise. “What if I never fall for you?”
“If that day ever comes, just leave whenever you want,” he replied, though he knew it was impossible.
“What if I fall for someone else?” she pressed.
Reid’s smile wavered for a second, but he shook his head gently. “If that’s your choice, I’ll respect it. As long as you’re happy, I’ll be at peace.” But his mind was totally another story–he would make sure this was never gonna happen.
Yvonne was genuinely surprised by his words. She stared at him, her mouth slightly open, her eyes wide with astonishment. He seemed both unfamiliar and strangely familiar at the same time.
Seeing her disbelief, Reid thought to himself, ‘Well, she doesn’t believe it. I’m not gonna do all that anyway!
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$72
Chapter 48
But he still spoke gently, “Yvonne, I’ll use my sincerity to win your heart and heal the pain from that marriage. Give me a chance. And of course, I won’t restrict you, not even if you fall for someone else.”
Yvonne frowned, a hint of doubt in her eyes. “Really?”
Reid leaned closer, gently lifting her chin so she could meet his gaze. “Yes, for you, I’d do anything. Come on, let’s go back. I’ve got a divorce gift waiting for you.”
Meanwhile, Reid told the driver to head back to the hot spring resort where she had stayed before.
Wonne looked at the so–called divorce gift and couldn’t hold back anymore. She picked up one of the clothes with her finger and asked with a mix of frustration and amusement, “Are you sure this is for me? Not for yourself?”
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AD
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