Chapter 7
“Chloe, why din feel like you hate Kyle and Faithummer thand do?
Chloe’s face faltered for a moment, but she quickly forced a light laugh, brushing it off. “Belle, come on, I’m just looking out for you. I know better than anyone what you’ve been through to get where you are. I can’t stand the thought of Kyle mining your future.”
She leaned inconspiratorially. “Oh, by the way, Belle, Mr. Cole will be in Rendonia in a couple of days. If you don’t deal with Kyle soon, what will happen if he causes trouble? or worse, Il Mr. Cole gets upset?”
chloe’s voice tumed sharper. “We need to lock kyle down now and make sure everything stays under contml.We could even get him thrown back in jail for a bit. That way, everything will go smoothly, and honestly, it’s for his own protection Η
Belle tilted her head in thought, then gave a slow, reluctant ned
“Looks like we don’t have much of a choice,” she namored, “I just want to keep Kyle alive. If he crosses Mr. Cole, he’s done for. Honestly, I’ve done everything can for him. It’s not my fault he’s so mediocre,”
She sighed, shalong hec head. “10“xashame he’ll never understand that I’m trying to protect him. He probably curses me behind my back. Not that it matters. We’re done. I don’t need his gratitude. I just hope he leaves me alone from now on”
With that decision made, Belle exhaled heavily as if she’d made some great sacrifice.
Across town, in another part of kendonia, Faith stood frozen, staring at her phone. She clutched it tightly, looking at the address and number on the screen, tom with indecision
Diessed in a cream–colored dress, her delicate, graceful features were shadowed by pain.” Tears shimmered in her eyes, betraying the heartache she couldn’t suppress. Her life was spinning out of her control.
“Belle,” Faith whispered, her voice trembling. “Why are you like this? You don’t understand how lucky you were to have Kyle’s love. I’d give anything to cherish him, but I don’t even have the night to love him anymore.”
Ater slipped down her cheek as Faith bowed her head. She knew she shouldn’t go. It was reckless, dangerous even. But her heart screamed otherwise.
The thought of him abandoned, hopeless, and suffering alone was unbearable.
A woman approached from behind as she stood there, lost in her emotions. It was her mother, Maria Meclain.
Seeing Faith’s tear, Maria sighed deeply.
“Faith, don’t blame me for this. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want you to marry Peter either. He’s nothing but a spoiled playboy who chases women and has no redeeming qualitin. But the Curtis family needs you. We need the Russo family’s support to survive.
a’s voice softened. “I know it’s undair, and I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you someday.”
Faith wiped her tears and shook her head. “Mom, it’s okay. Don’t worry about me. This is my fate, and whether I accept it or not doesn’t matter. The family needs me, and I’ll do what’s best for them, no matter how much it hurts.”
The Curtis family had oder been prominent in Kedonia, but now they were clinging to survival. A marriage alliance was their last hope, and even then, the match mal Tai liom ideal Yet, they didn’t dare refuse
Faitli bad resisted at first, but when she saw her grandfather, once so proud and strong, bending his knee to plead with her, she knew she had no
no choice. Her life, from that moment où, was no longer her own.
“I’m stepping out for a bit,” Faith said quietly. “It anything comes up, just call me,”
Despite the risks, she had made up lær mind. She lud to see Kyle, even if she no longer had the right to care for him.
Meanaldir, Kyle stood in the dimly lit living room of his old house, staring at the chaos asuu
Ther plate was a mess, and the air feir heavy with neglect. He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping
fir’d berout of prison for past two hours, but the life he had deramed of while locked up couldn’t have felt further away
and a freshestart, a happy life waiting for fun Instead, he was met with this–a booken fame and shattered hopes. cand missery itally change people this much?
Ashe toured in Irarr, the doorbell tang
die seung the door open, raperting the worst, but his breathe
Toth stood there, looking as pristine and porr as a white lilly itsing from the i
“Fainn? What air you duitų lei
Her lips curled indoca soft sinile seeing him out of prison grimiorly made lært lappy, but her eyes quickly clouded witli concem. “Kyle, you’ve lost un touch weight,” she said, her voler trembling. “Yusi
“velindatenible time these past six years.”
Kyle checked ligidly. “Prison food and accommodations at exactly five–star, but I managed. Come on in; no paint standing out here.”
Chapter 7
He stepped aside, letting her in.
Faith glanced around, her heart aching at the state of the house. The mess, the despair–it all spoke volumes. She bit her lip, trying to back her emotions.
“Was in Belle?” she asked softly. “Did she force you to sign the divorce papers?”
Kyle blinked, caught off guard “Oh, right. You two were close friends, weren’t you? Well, it’s not like that. There’s been a lot of misunderstandings.”
Faith frowned. “We haven’t spoken in six years, not since you went to prison. We’re not friends anymore.”
She hesitated before asking, “Kyle. Do you regret it? Everything you did for her?”
Her question hung in the air.
Kyle stayed silent, the weight of her words pressing down on him. Did he regret it? Did he regret falling for Belle, sacrificing everything for her, even taking the fall that landed him in prison?
He let out a bitter laugh. “Faith, regret won’t change anything. What’s done is done.”
He forced a smile, “Enough about me. What about you? How’s life been treating you? Married yet?
At that, Faith’s face tell, a deep sadness overtaking her features.
“So, even now, you don’t see it, do you?” she whispered.
“Kyle, I’ve always loved you. Why was I never enough? Why couldn’t you see that?”
Kyle shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say.
He had always known about Faith’s feelings, but his heart had belonged to Belle. To him, love was about loyalty, and he’d never considered betraying the woman he was committed to
But at that point, Falth seemed unwilling to hold back any longer.
