Chapter 80
Dorian’s shirt was soaked through with sweat by the time he finally reached the wishing tree. The sight of the tree was more magnificent than he’d thought.
The weather was breezy, and ribbons tied to the tree branches fluttered with the wind. It felt as if God Himself was here to examine the wishes written and grant them to their bearers.
Dorian was not in the mood to admire the scene. Swaying unsteadily on his feet, he stood under the tree and muttered to himself, “The leftmost side of the wishing tree. The wish is on the lettmost.
He frantically searched through the ribbons, trying to find the one that was once written for him. The first thing he spotted was a familiar red ribbon tied for his
safety
A glimmer of hope brightened his dull eyes. Tied to the ribbon, the charm Lila had cracked still had her handwriting. “I wish Dorian’s life is smooth sailing and that he gets everything he wants!”
Dorian’s voice was shaking with emotion as he exclaimed, “I–It’s Lila’s handwriting! I knew it! She still loves me!
He caressed the charm with trembling tingers, though his gaze was unsteady. “Why is it cracked? Which bastard ruined it?”
His outburst drew disapproving looks from those nearby. Terry apologized on his behalf and gently urged, “Calm down. Let’s leave for now and talk it out with Lila.
Dorian seemed not to have heard anything. He continued muttering in a daze, “How could it have cracked? If 1 asked for another one, does it still count? Lila will forgive me if I’m sincere enough, right?”
Terry had no answer to that question. He looked away only to notice a similar–looking charm lying on the ground, shattered. A red ribbon on it bore the names of Dorian and Lila
His heart missed a beat, and he instinctively tried to block Dorian’s view, but the sensitive latter sharply noticed his strange behavior.
Dorian turned around, and his eyes widened at the sight. He wanted to approach, but his feet felt too heavy to move.
“Here’s to Dorian and Lila’s happily ever after,” he read out loud. His voice was hoarse and barely a whisper as his chest tightened.
As he looked up and saw the cracked charm, the sharp pain in his heart made him double over.
Terry panicked. “Dorian!”
“It’s true. She meant it when she said she didn’t love me anymore, but how could that be?”
“Dorian, calm down. This doesn’t mean anything. If you still love her, go back and apologize. Treat her like you used to with love and care.
“Lila’s soft–hearted, so I’m sure she’ll forgive you. Let’s go down the mountain, okay?
Leaning on Terry’s arm, Dorian barely managed to steady himself. He stumbled toward the charm and reached out to caress th
with trembling hands. Then, he picked it up and clenched it tightly
Oddly enough, the charm Lita had struggled to smash now crumbled easily.
Terry’s eyes widened at the sight. He opened his mouth to speak but found no words.
the patterns on the shattered surface
All the tension in Dorian’s body finally snapped. Indisbelief, he loosened his fingers only to have the charm slip from his grasp and shatter further on the stone steps with a crisp sound.
The charm that had once been whole was in
now split into four. The red ribbon tied to the charm lay separately as if they’d never been connected at all. Dorian’s knees buckded as he collapsed to the ground. He picked up the ribbon and the char, pressing them tightly against his chest, Then, he broke into heart- winching sols
Terry stepped forward alipost sorrowfully. “Dorian, let it go.”
Dorlan looked up with bloodshot eyes that were filled with fury. He clutched the cham and abruptly rose to his feet. “This doesn’t mean Lila broke How could she have the strength for that? It stave been someone else trying to come between us! I’m going to ask her and make it clear!“
Dorain was clearly on the verge of losing control as he repeated said, “I have to ask Lila need to know.”
