will you
“Come with me to Usna, will you?” Zachary looked at Giselle with genuine sincerity.
“Huh?” Giselle was caught off guard. “You… What do you mean?”
“My Uncle Don, for some reason, decided to send me to the Usna branch to gain experience for a few years, Once his mind is made up, my parents and grandma will back him up without question. I can’t really do anything about it.”
Zachary let out a sigh, sounding a bit helpless. “The thing is, I don’t want to make things ugly with him. He’s done a lot for me over the years. I’m grateful, and I don’t want to go against him So…”
He looked at Giselle again, his gaze steady. “I want you to come to Usna too. That way, we can still see each other. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck in a long–distance relationship.”
Giselle didn’t say anything.
He continued, “You grew up abroad. You’re used to life outside. As for your career, don’t worry. I’ll invest in a bigger pet shop for you overseas. If you want to try something else, I’ll support you financially. You’ll also be away from all the drama with the Holt family. We can just live our own life together.”
say.
Hearing all this so–called beautiful planning made Giselle’s mind go blank. She felt awkward, unsure of what to sa
After a long silence, she finally said, “Zach, thank you for caring about me so much, but I’ve thought a lot about it, and I still think we’re not right for each other. I’ve always seen you as a very good friend. Being in a relationship wouldn’t be fair. I don’t want to lie to you.”
Zachary’s eyes dimmed. He stared at her intensely. “What exactly are you worried about? Can’t you see how much I like you? I’ve never felt this way about any other woman. Whatever you want, I can give it to you.”
Giselle felt heavy inside under the weight of his unwavering gaze.
She’d spent years dritting through life without much care, rejecting countless confessions without a shred of guilt. But this man–he was the only one who made her feel sorry.
Because only around him did she feel normal.
She didn’t need to wear a mask.
She didn’t need to be on guard.
For a brief moment, she even wanted to tell him the truth about her and Donovan
But considering how much Donovan valued Zachary, she didn’t dare. Some consequences were simply too big for her to risk.
Η
“You should go to Usna.” Gselle’s voice was low and calm. “Maybe someday we’ll ride mountain bikes again and hang out together. There’s no need to make things so awkward. You know my situation. We come from different worlds. Forcing this won’t lead anywhere.”
Zachary’s expression shifted from tender to somber. He stared at her with sadness in his eyes.
“Alright, I get it.”
That was all he said. There was no impassioned confession, no anger at rejection–only a quiet sorrow lingering in his voice. The light in his usually bright and clear eyes had dimmed, replaced by a hint of something broken.
He got up from the couch, hands in his pockets, and slowly walked out
Watching him leave, that lonely figure disappearing out the door, Giselle felt her chest tighten unbearably. She didn’t low what to say. She didn’t know what to do. She could only stand there, frozen, staring at the now–empty doorway.
Somehow, she felt Zachary wasn’t as simple as he seemed, and that he wouldn’t give up that easily
Chapter 62
