Chapter 25
Eugene smiled wanly. “Of course. You were probably also in this much pain when you saved me back then.”
When I saw how difficult it was for him to speak, I told him to rest and to stop talking. However, he shook his head and continued slowly, “I didn’t mean to follow you. I thought long and hard about what you said yesterday, and I understand what you mean now.
“I did you wrong in the past–I took your feelings for me for granted, and I exploited them. I only sought you out today to tell you that I regret everything.
“I just couldn’t find the words to convey that. Imagine my horror when I saw that guy whip out a knife to stab you. At the time, I only had one thought— I couldn’t let you get hurt.”
I never would’ve expected to hear Eugene say something like that. A few years back, I would’ve been touched by him finally changing.
Yet now, everything was different. I was no longer the woman who’d loved Eugene deeply. I was grateful that he’d saved me, but I felt nothing else.
At my silence, Eugene understood my stance. He still wanted to give it one last shot, though. He asked, “Would we have stayed together if Cassandra hadn’t shown up?”
I shook my head. “No.”
Cassandra was just a spark that had set everything on fire. My love for Eugene had wasted away after five years of his cold treatment–Cassandra’s appearance had only sped that up.
Even if she hadn’t shown up, and if we’d gotten married, he would never have realized how hurtful his attitude toward me was.
We wouldn’t have been happy after marriage, especially with the build–up of negativity. We would’ve ultimately reached the point of divorce.
Funnily enough, I had to thank Cassandra for splitting us up before it was too late. At least Eugene and I had skipped out on more torment in the name of love.
He finally understood that he and I would never go back to how things had been. After some hesitation, he asked, “Can I meet your fiancé?”
I was surprised by that request. Then, I returned to my senses and said, “I’m okay with it if he says yes.”
I asked Ezra about it, and he readily agreed. When he arrived at the hospital, I gave him and Eugene, shutting the door behind me as I stepped out.
Now, when Eugene thought about how Ezra would soon be my husband, he no longer felt jealous. He only felt envious–envious that Ezra could spend
the rest of his life with me.
Ezra noticed Eugene’s bandages as soon as he entered the hospital ward. He said sincerely, “Thank you for saving Riss.”
It was only upon meeting Ezra that Eugene realized what I’d gotten together with him—he wasn’t afraid to convey his emotions, yet he wouldn’t be nasty to Eugene just because he was my ex.
It was true that I needed someone who could boldly convey their love to be by my side after going through five years of Eugene’s cold treatment. I needed to be told that I was loved.
I didn’t know what Eugene and Ezra talked about. All I knew was that Eugene’s presence changed. He’d exuded stubbornness before this, but he was now
calm.
I asked Ezra what they’d talked about, but he told me it was a secret between men.
I laughed and let the matter go.
I visited Eugene every other day while he was hospitalized. Sometimes, Ezra would go with me. When he was busy, I would go alone.
Eugene and I could now talk about our past with open hearts; we could even talk about our plans for the future.
A day before the wedding, I still made time to visit Eugene. However, because there were too many things to prepare, I got up to leave after only a few
minutes.
Eugene stopped me before I could leave. He asked, “Can I attend your wedding tomorrow?”
