The Stand-In Girl He Couldn’t Keep Chapter 11
Sophia finally felt a surge of fear, tears welling up in her eyes as she whimpered, “Steve, you can’t just abandon me!
“You promised you’d always take care of me. You can’t go back on your word!”
But Steven didn’t look at her again. Instead, he took me with his uninjured hand and led me away.
I started struggling to break free. He knew I still wanted to lash out at Sophia, but he didn’t defend her this time; instead, he tried to reason with me for Mom’s sake. “If you lay a finger on Sophia today, the police won’t let you off. Throwing your life away for someone like her just isn’t worth it.
“Melissa loved you so much; she would never want to see you do something so foolish.
“You need to live a happy, wonderful life so her soul can find peace in heaven.”
He was right; I couldn’t let Mom down.
I had to live well to make her sacrifices mean something.
And right now, the most important thing I had to do was cut all ties with Steven.
I brushed his hand away and said coldly, “My mom’s deepest wish was for me to leave you, and I am going to fulfill her dying wish.
“So, Steven, from this day forward, we are completely finished. We’ll have nothing to do with each other ever again.”
Steven stared at his empty palm, looking utterly lost and bewildered, as if he couldn’t quite understand where this sudden emptiness in his heart was coming from.
I didn’t spare him another glance and turned to walk away.
***
After taking care of Mom’s funeral arrangements, I resigned from my job.
First, I wanted nothing more to do with Steven, and second, this past year had been too exhausting, and I desperately needed to rest for a while.
Soon, two weeks passed. One day, as I stepped out of the elevator, I found Steven leaning dejectedly against the wall.
“Ellie…”
I ignored him, preparing to walk straight into my apartment, but he grabbed my wrist.
With his eyelashes cast down, he pleaded in a deeply humble voice, “I tried.
“I tried to live life without you, but I just can’t get used to it.
“I keep thinking of you constantly, aching to see you. I want to have dinner and go shopping with you; I want to kiss you and hold you close.
“I want to say good morning and good night to you every day. You’re the only person I want to see before I fall asleep and when I wake up.”
He gazed at me with profound, unwavering devotion, confessing his feelings. “Ellie, I think I’m in love with you.
“I want to be with you for a long, long time, to spend the rest of my life with you.
“Can we please…start over?”
Once upon a time, I had desperately craved his love, but now, it meant absolutely nothing to me.
I looked at him with a mocking sneer: “You want to start over with me?
“Can you bring my mom back to life?
“Can you erase all the pain you inflicted on me in the past?
“You can’t.
“So stop talking to me about starting over; it just makes me sick to my stomach.”
He froze, looking as though my words had pierced right through him, yet he stubbornly pressed on: “I know I did a lot of terrible things in the past, but back then, I didn’t realize I had fallen for you.
“Now I am absolutely certain of my feelings. From now on, I will never do anything to make you sad again; I will make you happy.”
My attitude remained ice-cold, leaving him without a shred of hope. “Just stay far away from me, and I’ll be happy.”
He froze, looking as though my words had pierced right through him, yet he stubbornly pressed on: “I know I did a lot of terrible things in the past, but back then, I didn’t realize I had fallen for you.
“Now I am absolutely certain of my feelings. From now on, I will never do anything to make you sad again; I will make you happy.”
My attitude remained ice-cold, leaving him without a shred of hope. “Just stay far away from me, and I’ll be happy.”
With that, completely indifferent to his misery, I walked into my room and locked the door right in his face.
I figured he would give up after being refused, but the next day, he was waiting by my door again, holding all kinds of expensive gifts.