The Love We Left Behind

ng after

lay, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her body felt heavy, her chest hollow. The warmth of

had driven her home, walked her to the door, and kissed her like she was his entire world. He had w

memorizing the feel of him, the taste of him, because

twisted as

eded t

this before she

tstand, and her heart clench

ve. I hope you slept well.

ted to reply, wanted to tell him that she lo

deleted the m

the door pulled h

was before she

d suit, his expression unreadable. He stepped inside witho

ready?"

y. "I don't think

g moment. "You made your choi

into fists. "I know

phone and tapped the scree

ropped. "What

. "Julian will be here soon. And when

left h

u s

hly. "And I am. This way, there's no room for que

ld have more time, that she could break his he

ready decided how

lm, and she realized she had bee

was

r, another knock s

li

lammed agai

pulled her against him, and just as the door

d seemed

oorway, his expressio

hesitant, like he didn't u

o push Antonio away, to

he di

ack, forcing indifference in

en her and Antonio, his jaw t

wrist tightening just enough to ke

ace darken

hard. "I'm s

d into fists. "

hold his gaze. "For no

searching hers for something-an expla

said, his voice bar

ightening. "She's not, Coppe

nio, and in a blink, his fist

back, cursing u

h her," Jul

breath

ed to protect

his eyes dark with amusement. "Poor Ju

ly on Rose. "Tell me the truth," he

mouth, but no

se." His vo

o run to him, to let him hold her, to t

e hospital bills, of the life Julian dese

d him in the

love you

through the ai

all the air had been k

ence filled the s

kily, running a han

re ly

itter laugh. "Beli

e to believe you just woke up one day a

id coldly, hating he

for a long moment b

voice hollow. "If tha

at the finali

is pockets. "I won't beg you, Rose. If yo

o much she though

, walking out of the apar

d him, Rose felt the weight of

loor, pressing her hands over her mouth

eside her, his exp

e," he sa

d with tears. "Then why does it

didn't

y both knew

e

decision pressed down on her. The sound of Julian's footsteps fading down the hall

ad do

d brok

o, she had sha

been nothing more than a business transaction. "You should get up," he

gainst the wooden floor. "You d

is wouldn't be easy. But you

respond. S

er off without her-that if she had to sacrific

id it hur

er own heart and handed it to him,

er face. "You think he's going to forgive you one day?

o her palm. She didn

d hoarsely. "Th

, studying her. "You're

kle, wiping the tears off

suit, and checked his watch. "I need to go. You should

e had no idea what she was going through. But

ff the floor, her le

end of the deal?" she aske

our mother's bills will be taken care of. She'll get th

led shaki

"You should prepare yourself, Rose. Julian isn

lowed. "

Antonio left, shuttin

se was

no one to turn to. No arms to run i

chosen t

had to li

--

Year

anged, yet it r

n her hands. The cool autumn air brushed against her skin, but she barely fe

rviews, faced rejection after rejec

und the folder containing

s Gr

ions whispered over coffee. It was one of the fastest-growing com

ilt an empire fr

e had on

an C

tched at the

she last saw him-seven years s

k into his company, sit acros

ances that he wo

l

t's what she

tment personally. With the number of employees under hi

d herself that i

n't even know

p in and out of Cr

t have been

The receptionist had taken her resume over half an hour ago, a

to check the time, a s

Rose C

lancing up at the man

harp features and a

he said, stepping

thering her things befo

. Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the sprawling cit

o the man sitting

li

caught in

ked di

Sharper

gone, replaced by a hardened exterior. His dark hair wa

rcing blue eyes-settled

e air felt too t

th

his voice smooth but unr

ightened arou

ognize

rse, h

no way h

f his world, and then-the sour

elf to hold his

ut there was no humo

any?" he asked, tilting his head sligh

aid, keeping h

retched be

h

hy

her words carefully. "

e swore she saw something

desk. "You walked out of my life seven years ago, and n

ng, but she d

crawling," sh

htly, his presence suf

dug into

the Julian s

d loved was kind,

s m

omeone els

d, his voice dangerously so

what he w

, to beg, to regret eve

't give him th

er shoulders. "Bec

rk curled

that

dded.

Then, he leaned back in his chair, a g

he said. "Y

e f

like

me," he continued smoothly. "Con

an down h

uld hav

only the