Chapter 14
The accusations stung Xavier like a thousand needles, leaving him restless and wracked with pain.”
Watching him stand there in silence, Fidelia’s anger only burned hotter, until she was determined to get the truth out of him tonight, no matter what.{}
“So you’re admitting it, aren’t you? That in your heart, Loretta means more to you than I do? You never saw her as just a stand–in for me–she was your girlfriend, and you fell for her. Am I right, Xavier? Tell me the truth!“>
Her words, sharp and demanding, pushed Xavier’s fragile composure to the very edge. He realized that tonight, he’d finally have to face everything he’d tried so hard to avoid. He needed to make a decision.}
But with Fidelia–the woman he’d longed for over a decade–standing right in front of him, he found himself unable to say the words “No.”
Because he couldn’t deny it: Loretta had been his girlfriend. For over three years, they’d shared their lives–holding hands, exchanging kisses, sharing quiet embraces. Without even noticing, she’d become a part of him, seeping into his world like a gentle, persistent rain.
Yet she was so quiet, always keeping her feelings–her joys and her sorrows–locked away. She was so quiet that he’d overlooked her presence, overlooked his own feelings for her. It wasn’t until she was truly gone that he finally realized what he’d lost.”
When Loretta first came into his life, maybe she had been a substitute for Fidelia. But by the time she left, she was no one’s shadow–she was simply herself. The woman he lost wasn’t a stand–in; she was his girlfriend. A real, living person who had stayed by his side for three years, just like Fidelia once had.
No matter how many questions the others hurled at him, Xavier remained silent.
To Fidelia, his silence was as good as an admission.
She’d never imagined that what she’d held onto so tightly could slip away–not because she let go, but because someone else had taken it. And not just anyone, but a woman who’d imitated her at every turn, someone she’d always thought inferior.}
She couldn’t swallow her pride, and with Loretta nowhere to be found, she unleashed all her frustration on Xavier.}
“Say something! Why won’t you talk? Is it so hard to just say she meant nothing to you? Haven’t you told everyone else she was just a stand–in?”
“Have you forgotten what you promised me when we broke up? You swore you’d wait for me forever. How could you go back on your word? It’s only been three years, Xavier! That’s all it took for you to fall for someone else. Is that what your love means?“}
“What does she have that I don’t? She’s ordinary in every way, so plain she can’t even hold her own. The fact that you fell for someone like her is an insult to me–do you understand that? An insult!“}
Xavier had never seen Fidelia lose control like this. In their relationship, she’d always been the one in charge–aloof, untouchable, capable of stirring up a storm with just a few careless words. Because of that, he’d convinced himself she didn’t care as much as he did. But now, seeing her unravel, he finally glimpsed the heart she’d hidden away: she could be anxious, uncertain, even hurt. Emotions that, under different circumstances, might have brought him comfort–proof that she did love him.
But right now, with Xavier’s heart a tangled mess, her outburst only poured fuel on the fire. His pain grew sharper, more unbearable.} What he couldn’t understand was this: if she cared so much about him, if she cared so much about their relationship, how could she have walked away for seven years?}
His fists clenched at his sides, his eyes reddening as he finally shot back, unable to hold it in any longer.}
‘And what about you? Why did you break up with me and leave the country when I loved you most? Why did you stay away for seven whole years? You haven’t moved on either, have you?“}
‘I just wanted to see if you really meant it–if you could love me and only me, just like you promised!” Fidelia’s words tumbled out, raw and unfiltered. “Did you do it? No, you didn’t. You fell for Loretta. You broke your promise!“}]
Hearing her say it, Xavier froze. He’d never imagined that seven wasted years had been nothing but a test of his heart. Back then, he’d given her everything–almost his very life–and after the breakup, he’d spent three years barely getting by.”
But she’d believed his love was just a lie, his promises worthless.
In that moment, all the faith and determination that had carried him through a decade crumbled to dust. Looking at her now, with her familiar face and features, Xavier felt like she was a stranger.
The last remnants of longing and regret inside him finally faded away. He dropped his gaze, his voice heavy with exhaustion he could no longer tude E
“You’re right–1 broke my promise. So let’s end this, once and for all.”
Days blurred into weeks, then months, then years.
