Unmasking the Heiress

30 minutes later, David, finally in fresh clothes, held a steaming bowl of soup the housekeeper had prepared and made his way to Celina's room alone.

He was about to knock, but the door was slightly open. Knocking lightly out of courtesy, he stepped inside.

Celina was a shadow of herself, propped up by pillows at the head of the bed.

"You came."

Her eyes were empty, her gaze lowered, hiding her thoughts.

David's heart twisted at the sight of the brace around her neck and the healing wounds on her body. A lump of pain lodged in his throat. He tried to speak but no words came out.

The moment he got his phone back and powered it on, he was greeted by a barrage of missed calls. Each one felt like a weight dragging him down.

He owed Celina an apology.

"Say what you need to-I need to rest." Celina's voice was detached as she adjusted the blanket.

The moment she got that endless busy tone when she needed him most, she promised herself that her life would no longer include David.

"I'm sorry..." David's voice was tentative, his eyes brimming with regret.

"However, it wasn't on purpose, I really had an emergency!"

Walter, his boss, had dumped that huge task on him out of the blue. How could he have refused?

"I know what you were up to. No need to explain."

Celina learned the truth from Evangeline.

Apparently, when he was an assistant and an emergency hit, he could not just say no. However, what good did that knowledge do her then?

If she had not bumped into Evangeline by chance, she would be six feet under, with no chance to hear David's excuses.

It was a moot point, really. It was time to let it go.

"No need for apologies," she said after a moment's thought.

What did the apologies of a guy who had walked out of her life even mean to her? Nothing.

"Look, David, the main reason I

agreed to meet today was to make it clear. We're from different worlds.

для

Let's not kid ourselves. It's over,

okay?"

All she wanted was to live in her own little world, savor the few sweet memories they had, and then, bit by bit, erase him from her life.

"No, Celina! The moment I laid eyes on you, I was a goner. You're the one for me for life! I messed up, I know. However, I swear, there won't be a next time!"

David held up three fingers, as if taking an oath.

"David..." Celina brought the blanket up to her shoulders. "Do you really think I've got nine lives to risk waiting for your 'next time'?

"Just go, please. Thanks."

She was resolute. Any more of David's pleading would only aggravate her pounding headache.

However, he would not give up. He leaped to his feet.

"I won't go!" he yelled with stubborn defiance, but the sudden move was too much for him. He wobbled and crashed to the floor.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Celina had not been watching David, just listening to his rant cut off abruptly. She turned to see him out cold on the floor. "David, what's wrong?!"

Celina's scream pierced the silence

as she instinctively tried to rise, but a

sharp pain in her neck from moving

too quickly made her gasp and forced her back onto the bed

Despite the pain, her first thought was to call for help.

BUMS