Chapter 24
Riley’s eyes were calm to the point of cruelty: “I already gave you my heart. Please don’t hurt my other one, okay?”
With a thud, Asher fell straight to his knees.
He crawled to Riley’s feet, his eyes red as blood: “Riley, I truly know I was wrong. Without you, my days have been miserable… Nora deceived both Vivian and me!”
Kiley gazed at him quietly: “I know. Her heart condition was fake, and those cruel parents she described were fake too, right?”
“But… Asher, if you had firmly stood by my side, not believed her words or felt sorry for her, none of this would have happened.”
Her gaze moved between the siblings: “We’ve reached this point because of choices you both made. And permanently leaving you is my choice.”
Tears Asher could no longer hold back streamed down his face. When they dripped onto Riley’s hand, they felt scalding hot.
“Without us, are you truly happy? If you’re not, we can start over completely!”
Thinking of everything she now possessed, Riley finally displayed a warm smile: “I’m doing very well. Very, very well.”
After arriving in Paris, she and her mother had a heart–to–heart conversation that finally opened their hearts to each other.
She understood that after the divorce, her mother hadn’t abandoned her or stopped loving her–she had fought for custody despite leaving with nothing.
As a single woman trying to provide security and a better life for Riley, she had to work ten times harder than any man.
She didn’t have time to be the perfect mother.
When Riley began spending time with her stepfather, she discovered he was a wonderful person. He treated her mother’s youthful spirit with delicate care, regarded Riley as his own daughter, contacted every friend he knew, and prepared his life savings just to get her a living heart.
They helped her undergo scar removal surgery, encouraged her to pick up the violin again, and supported her joining a new
orchestra to return to the stage.
There, she met Julian, the pianist.
ཆ་བཅ་ཇ་བ༅་ཛ་ཀྑུཾ་ཨོཾ
Their initial attraction came from an impromptu duet during rehearsal. His fingers danced across the black and white keys while her bow created the most passionate melody.
The moment their eyes met, Julian fell for her.
He pursued Riley ardently, frightening her so much that she avoided the orchestra for days, afraid to see him.
She feared meeting another Asher and feared experiencing that same heartbreak again.
But over time, she discovered they were different.
No matter what happened, Julian would stand firmly by her side.
22:00
Two Chances, One Bullet: How His “Next Life” Promise Failed
75.2%
Chapter 24
Even when his closest friend made a casual comment about Riley, Julian’s face would harden as he demanded an apology: “Apologize. You’re criticizing the woman I love, which means you’re criticizing me. This hurt isn’t something our eight years of friendship can erase.”
Three months together shifted the balance in Riley’s heart completely.
She wanted to be brave for herself this time.
Coming back to the present, she composed her expression and checked the time: “My mother and uncle should be returning soon. You should leave.”
If you truly feel remorse for what you’ve done, please don’t disturb my life again.”
“Goodbye.”
After the reluctant siblings left, Riley turned around to find the ring and a worn stuffed animal on the sofa.
It was the first pair of best friend plushies she and Vivian had shared, once hanging from their backpacks for nine straight years.
She picked it up gently, then decisively threw it into the trash can.
22:00
