AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She was sitting on her bed with her arms wrapped around her knees, hiding her face. Her gown consumed her, reminding me of a beautiful portrait. It was a memory I’d take to my grave. What happened tonight would be my own personal hell. I would now close my eyes and forever see her falling apart in front of me.
Because of me.
I found it hard to breathe.
Hard to move.
My feet were cemented to the ground as she continued to cry. I accepted it all, and each tear that fell from her face became pieces of me. Coursing through my veins, it flowed endlessly.
A river of her sadness and sorrow and all of my broken promises flooded the hole in my heart where she used to be.
They say you have that one moment in your life that could change the course the direction you could have taken. That one moment that could forever alter your future and everything you wanted to believe in.
I’d forever remember this moment for the rest of my life.
I should have apologized.
I should have begged for her forgiveness.
I should have stayed.
But I didn’t.
I spun around and walked away from the love of my life.
Fully aware, I just made her life better…
By leaving her behind.
Chapter 28
—Belle—
Now
“Tristian…” I wept with tears falling down my face. “That’s why you left?”
He nodded.
“I don’t even know what to say. I can’t believe our grandfathers. How could they do this to us?”
“I imagine they think they’re making it up to us now.”
“Oh wow… This makes so much sense now. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why the change of heart? After all these years, why would they want to join forces? I can’t believe they would do that to us. I hated you for so long. I never thought… I guess, I just… I needed time to cool off, and once I did, you weren’t at school anymore.
“At first, I tried to pretend like it didn’t bother me, but then people started talking, saying you had left town. I couldn’t ask anyone about it. Where you were? If you were coming back? I spent years thinking you’d come back for me.”
“I’m sorry, kitten. I just wanted you to make a life for yourself. A life that you wanted. I learned that you were working for your grandfather after you’d graduated college, I didn’t want to fuck up your future. I figured if I came back into your life, it would end your career. If they didn’t allow us to be together in the past, why would they allow it in the future? I couldn’t do that to you. Not when I know you worked so hard to get there.”
“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have this career.”
He swept the hair away from my face. “I’d do anything for you. I knew I broke your heart, and there was no coming back from that. If there was one promise I was going to keep it was that one. After I graduated from college, I stayed overseas managing our international companies. I didn’t want to come home. I didn’t have one anymore. You’ve always been my home.” He looked deep into my eyes. “I spent years trying to figure shit out. Who I was, what I wanted, where I was going to end up?”
“When did you come back to Kentucky?”
“I was in and out throughout the years, but I didn’t move back until a few years ago.”
I took in everything he was saying, my heart breaking for him. He inhaled a deep breath, grabbing my face to kiss away my tears.
