Chapter 83: You’ll Have To Be Loyal
“Jennifer, you, you’re really heartless. First, you used me to achieve your goals, and now you’re throwing me away!”
“Dan, you’re overreacting. It was our choice to be together, and now it can also be our choice to break up. Besides, we can still be friends. Why are you so desperate to stay with me?”
“What? Desperate? When we made love, you said you love me; when I did things for you, you said you love me. If you hurt me like this, then I will hurt you back.”
“What do you mean?”
“I will tell Clint the truth.”
“How dare you!”
Selene only came in late in their conversation but could guess what the problem was. What a shame that Clint was involved in this love triangle, Selene thought.
Selene wasn’t interested in hearing the rest of their quarrel, so she just turned around and left.
****
It was the end of the year, and both Selene and Austin had finished their work. They went back to Cloudy Town to spend Christmas with their families.
As usual, they celebrated Christmas Day together, but Austin went back home early, as he still hadn’t fully recovered from his injuries and needed to rest.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
Later that evening, when Selene finished washing and was ready to go to bed, she found Harry sitting in the yard and drinking by himself again.
Selene shook her head, took a glass from the kitchen, and then sat down next to him. “I’ll drink with you.”
“I thought you hated it when I drink,” Harry said, glancing at her.
“I only hate it when you drink because of that woman,” Selene said as she took the wine bottle and poured some wine into her glass.
Harry fell into silence for a few moments, then lifted his head again. “Why did you break up with Clint?”
Selene suddenly stopped drinking and put the glass down. She looked at her father. “I think you know the reason very well.” Selene calmly answered.
Selene initially hadn’t known why Harry had such a strange reaction when he first saw Clint Denovan. But when she came across Clint’s parents in the hotel, it was no longer a mystery.
Clint resembled his father a lot, so it was no wonder that Harry figured out who Clint was at first sight.
“You’ve met his parents, I’m guessing.” Harry looked a little uncomfortable.
“Yes. Once. I didn’t say anything to her.”
Harry sighed heavily. “Selene, I know you hate your mom, but you don’t know the whole story.”
“Don’t you start making excuses for her,” Selene said impatiently. “I don’t know what happened between you. You’ve always blamed the whole situation on yourself, but what about me? What did a five-year-old do to deserve being abandoned by her mother?”
“It’s my fault that you broke up with him. And he seems like such a great guy.”
Selene shook her head. “I broke up with him for other reasons and not because of this.”
“Maybe it’s for the better. The guy’s a billionaire, and he comes from a wealthy family. We come from a different world. You should marry someone from a similar background.” He then paused briefly, looking thoughtful. “How about Austin? He’s not bad.”
Selene laughed. “What about you and Dora?”
“I’ve known her for a very long time. Nothing will happen between us if you marry her son. And I’d be happy with him as my son-in-law.”
“Really?” Selene raised her eyebrows.
“Absolutely.”
Selene sipped a little of her wine and touched her chin. “Okay. Let me think about it.”
“Are you serious?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Harry and Selene hadn’t talked so freely and happily in a long time. All the troubles and hardships in their lives seemingly vanished from their minds.
The following day, Austin came over to their house, bringing gifts.
After they finished their breakfast, Austin took Selene out shopping.
There were few people at the mall. But they came across Joseph, Selene’s ex-boyfriend from college.
When Joseph saw Selene and Austin together, he seemed a little surprised. They all greeted each other and started talking. Joseph hesitated for a while before mentioning the subject. “So, you two are…”
Austin didn’t know him very well, even though they had been classmates back in high school. Austin had not been happy since Joseph had dated Selene. If Joseph hadn’t dated her, then maybe he would’ve confessed his love for her much earlier on.
With these thoughts running through his mind, Austin put his arm around Selene’s shoulder and pulled her close. “Yes. We’re together.”
Joseph smiled. “I see. Well, congratulations.” He then turned to Selene. “We didn’t get along in high school, but I still think he’s right for you.”
Then Joseph shrugged his shoulders. “All right. I need to pick up my girlfriend. See you guys.”
“Okay. See you!” Selene said.
After he left, Austin teased, “He seems to have moved on after you two broke up. What about you?”
“I got married, then divorced.” Selene laughed.
Austin realized that he couldn’t win Selene by words, so he changed tactics. “But you’re not dating anyone right now. How about me?”
Selene glanced at Austin’s hand on her shoulder. “Maybe. But you would have to promise me something.”
“Sure. Promise you what?”
Selene smiled happily. “You’ll have to be loyal, keep your promises and protect me. But, I also want you to be by my side for good or bad, and I want to know that I’ll come first in your life.”
Selene was sick of emotional pain in relationships, and she wanted to avoid that.
But she didn’t know why she was so quick to list all her emotional needs. Then, she finally realized that she was in dire need of someone to love her truly.
She was very ambitious and tenacious when it came to work and her career. But when it came to love, she needed a partner that would spoil her.
Austin seemed surprised and gave her a wide-eyed look. “You really are something!”
Austin looked thoughtful for a few seconds, quietly counting something on his fingers. “I’ve already been doing these things for a long time.”