"I missed you. Derek, I’m sorry. Please forgive . I didn’t an anything I said — I love you!"
Derek’s entire body stiffened at lissa’s embrace. Her words rang painfully in his ears.
Love?
Slowly, he looked down at her, who was clinging to him like he was her last lifeline. lissa’s body trembled, her fingers gripping his clothes so tightly the fabric creased.
"I didn’t an everything I said," she cried, pressing herself against him. "I was just really upset... my agency cutting off, everyone criticizing , my mom pushing . It felt like no one understood how hard it was for to have my engagent cancelled."
Her tears flowed uncontrollably, soaking his shirt. "Please, give a chance to fix us. Derek, I don’t think I can take this anymore. I love you, and I don’t know why I said those things."
"Please..." she hiccuped, looking up at him, hands fisting into his chest. "Let’s not break up anymore."
Derek didn’t respond. He simply stared at her swollen, tear-filled eyes.
"Derek..." Her voice softened as she stood on her toes, attempting to kiss him. But before her lips reached his, he pulled back sharply. His hand caught her wrist, stopping her in place.
"Derek, please," she choked out. "I really didn’t an anything I said. Let’s fix this — I don’t know how to live without you. All my life, I’ve been with you. I practically lived for you! Have you forgotten everything I did for you?"
She humd desperately, tears clinging to her lashes. "We can fix this like we always did! I’ll be good. I’ll be whatever you want to be! Just — just don’t leave , please!"
"lissa." Derek finally exhaled, eting her eyes. He released her wrist and gently wiped the tears from her cheek with his thumb.
Relief washed over her at his touch. She leaned into his palm, blinking up at him hopefully. But his expression didn’t change, with a tinge of sadness lingering in his eyes.
"Sure," he whispered.
"Really?"
"Mhm." He nodded with a soft smile. "Let’s fix us."
"Oh, Derek!" lissa burst into loud sobs, throwing her arms around him again. "Thank you! I promise I’ll be the perfect wife! I won’t do anything to humiliate you—thank you, thank you!"
But Derek remained still, his expression unchanged as she rambled through her promises.
Then he spoke quietly, but with impact.
"But lissa, if we fix us... my grandfather will take my na out of the family will."
He felt her whole body freeze. Her tears halted instantly. Slowly, she pulled away, staring up at him. He held a faint smile on his face.
"I am fine with that. You love , right?" he murmured, placing his hands on her shoulders. In the next second, his grip tightened and he shook her lightly. "Let’s be together, lissa. You love , so it’s fine even if I end up with nothing, right? You said you didn’t an any of those things before. So it’s you love—not my family’s wealth. Not my inheritance."
The faint smile on his face slowly disappeared, replaced by the rage he had swallowed for so ti now.
"Is that fine with you?" he asked with a mocking laugh. "I’ll forgive you, lissa. I’ll forget everything you said — even the conversation with your mother. Just say the words. Let’s be together again."
Her lips trembled. She tried to move away, but he shook her again, harder.
"Say it!" he roared. "Why can’t you?! Why are you hesitating?!"
"Derek — ouch! You’re hurting !"
But he didn’t stop until he shook her once more, laughing bitterly as he released her. He ran a hand through his hair, eyes blazing with disgust.
"See?" he snorted. "Do you really think I’m a fool?"
lissa clutched her throbbing shoulder, her tears now real. "Derek, it’s not what you think. I just... I love you so much that I don’t want you to suffer because of —"
"Hah!" His laughter echoed, loud and unhinged. He loosened his tie and placed his hands on his hips, looking at her like she was filth. How could he have let this woman hurt him?
She never loved him, not once.
What she wanted was never him, but everything that ca with being a Lancaster.
Back then, he had been furious at his grandfather for opposing their engagent. Bitter that the family didn’t accept her.
But now?
He was grateful. Grateful the chairman had delayed things. Grateful he hadn’t secretly married her.
"For God’s sake, lissa." Derek pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at her with chilling clarity. "Did you really co here thinking you can still manipulate ?"
If this had been before, her excuses might have moved him. But not anymore. He could see straight through her.
"Ah..." He tilted his head. "You need money? Right. Your family was bankrupt, huh? Karma finally reached you guys."
Without hesitation, he pulled out his wallet, removed the few bills inside, and tossed them at her face.
"There you go," he said coldly, jerking his chin as the bills drifted to the ground. "Pick them up. It’s not enough, but with your current status, it’ll probably feed you for the whole month."
"..." lissa’s fists shook as she glared at him. "Derek, I ca here to fix our relationship. How could you be so cruel? I spent my youth with you. I don’t want it to end like this—"
"Cruel? You’re not the only one who wasted youth," he snapped. "I wasted mine on you. But aren’t you happy now? You got what you wanted — freedom. Congratulations."
His eyes darkened. "And I realized sothing too. Just like you... I never loved you. I only felt grateful you saved my life without knowing you’d been lying to longer than we were even together."
With that, Derek turned his back and headed to his car. As he walked, he pulled his phone out and called soone.
"Hey, tell the guards at the entrance to tighten their security..." he ordered, loud enough for lissa to clearly hear. "Yes. Ban lissa Young."
He stopped by the driver’s seat, shot her a final cold glance, and repeated, "Ban her."
Then he got into the car, reversed, and sped off without hesitation—forgetting completely what he had co ho for.
As for lissa... the bills on the pavent fluttered from the force of his departure. She stared at them, her fists trembling violently.
"That... that fool..." she shrieked, grabbing her hair as she crouched down in frustration. "I hope he dies — that jerk!"
*****
As Derek drove away, his heart raced. He hadn’t been thinking of lissa much lately—work kept him distracted. But after that encounter, he couldn’t stop wondering.
"Then... who saved back then?"
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