But then Jan smiled sheepishly, and he could no longer help it.
The billionaire laughed, and so did Jan.
When he finally managed to speak clearly, he told Jan encouragingly, “You’ll get it right next time.”
Jan nodded.
“Let’s practice again soon, okay?” He came to his feet. “I’ll check on Ilse now. Will you be okay here on your own?”
“Yup.” As the billionaire walked away, Jan suddenly said, “Jaak?”
He looked back at Ilse’s brother. “Yes?”
“She’s been crying.” There was a slightest trace of confusion in Jan’s voice. “She never cries.”
The billionaire ascended the stairs slowly, and upon reaching the landing, he saw that the door to their bedroom was left slightly open. She was seated on the carpeted floor, her hair pulled back by a lace band, her face free of makeup, like it had always been since the accident.
She was dressed in an oversized sweater and jeans, and she was busy stacking an assortment of stuff in a huge brown box.
But the moment his gaze fell on her, Ilse’s movements stilled, and his guts twisted in a sickening realization. At that moment, he remembered the first time he and Ilse had returned from the hospital. He remembered her asking if she had come up—-
He had lied, and she had known he lied.
But she had let him.
She had let him lie because if she hadn’t, the truth would have been out in the open.
The truth, and that was that she had needed him that night, and he had chosen not to be there.
SO MANY THOUGHTS STRUCKIlse all at once as she felt him coming towards her, and for one moment she just wished. She just wished so badly she could see him.
His silky black hair—-
His brilliant blue eyes—-
She strained herself to see, but she just couldn’t. All she could do was wait. All she could do was feel.
I love you.
I hate you.
I need you.
As he came nearer, the familiar scent of him, the familiarheatof him, reached her and Ilse’s every thought disintegrated. Pain and love saturated her heart to the point that it felt like it was about to burst any moment.
And when he finally spoke-—
“Hello.”
She realized how easy – so damn easy – it was to lose any of her other senses. She didn’t even need to be a part of anotheraccident. She only had to love, she only had to hurt, and she could no longer speak.
The seconds stretched between them, unmarred by words, and all the while she could feel him gazing at her, and she hurt even more. It used to be that when he looked at her, she would feel beautiful.
But now she no longer did.
“Ilse—-”
Just the way he uttered her name told Ilse that he was going to tell her about it.
