Chapter 23
The ice in the water had melted halfway before Vivian cautiously began: “Riley, come back with…”
“I’m not coming back,” Riley interrupted without mercy. “Once the paperwork is complete, I’ll return for my permanent residence permit. I won’t be returning after that.”
Asher’s voice broke: “Why?!”
Brother! Calm down!”
Vivian quickly restrained him, then turned to ask softly: “Why, Riley? I’m your best friend, and my brother is the man you wanted to marry. Weren’t our days together happy? Why did you suddenly leave? Have you considered how heartbroken we’d be?”
Riley looked directly into her eyes: “Sudden? It doesn’t feel sudden to me at all. I’ve had enough of you two hurting me again and again because of Nora. Leaving you both feels like freedom.”
Asher stared at her in disbelief: “Riley, don’t you love me anymore? Don’t you love Vivian anymore? How can you say such cruel things?”
Riley turned her face away, letting out a soft laugh: “You’re right. I don’t love you anymore, and I don’t love Vivian anymore
either.”
Asher had never been able to accept such words. He was the Blackwell heir, the prodigy who took over the company at eighteen. He couldn’t allow anyone to abandon him.
Asher took a deep breath, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white: “That’s impossible. Anyone else might stop loving me, but not you, Riley Hawthorne. You loved me so much–how could you possibly let go so easily?”
“Why is it impossible? Asher, why are you always so confident?”
Remembering the past, Riley’s eyes darkened: “From the moment you faked bankruptcy to deceive me, I let go of all feelings
between us.”
Asher and Vivian exchanged glances, panic evident in both their eyes.
Vivian’s voice trembled: “How… when did you find out?” They thought they had hidden it so well.
“Does it matter when I found out?”
Riley’s eyes held subtle mockery: “I not only know you faked bankruptcy to deceive me, but I also know you did it to create an elaborate charade to trick me into giving my heart to Nora.”
“While I was helping you raise money, working eighteen hours a day, you were flirting with Nora, finding her an apartment, helping her secure a job.”
“And you,” Riley shifted her gaze to Vivian, “became that snake’s new best friend, wearing matching outfits, splurging on high–end afternoon tea, taking her to amusement parks, casually dropping three thousand dollars on stuffed animals.”
Riley laughed bitterly: “Vivian, do you know my hourly wage was twelve dollars? Three thousand dollars was half a month’s salary for me.”
“I washed thousands of dishes daily, my hands aching in ice–cold water. I stood at convenience stores all day–at the worst
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Two Chances, One Bullet: How His “Next Life” Promise Failed
74.4%
Cup 29
point, my legs were so swollen I couldn’t even walk. I gave you every penny I earned, yet when I needed thirty–one stitches, I wasn’t even worth a five–dollar shot of anesthesia.”
Riley’s tone remained steady, but her eyes contained turbulent emotions: “just because I loved you both, did that mean i deserved to be treated like garbage? If that’s true love, I admit I can’t afford to love you anymore.”
Every word Kiley spoke was like a sharpened blade, piercing Asher and Vivian’s hearts one stab at a time.
Vivian hung her head, tears falling like broken pearls: “I’m so sorry–we never meant to hurt you! Can you please give my brother and me one more chance to make it up to you?”
Kiley’s voice was barely audible: “It’s too late, Vivian.”
