They were going to talk about those photos.
Of him being caught entering another woman’s room—-
When he was supposed to be in love with her.
She turned away from him with a jerk.
“Ilse—-”
She reached for the first item with a shaking hand, and as soon as her fingers wrapped around a mug, she began groping for space inside the box, trying to look for the best possible fit for it.
Ilse had gotten two mugs and a book in by the time the billionaire spoke again. “You don’t want to hear it.”
She froze.
“Do you?’
Ilse slowly shook her head.
“Alright then.” He slowly reached for her hands, and they felt too cold in his. “Alright.” Even knowing it would be better for him to simply let go and walk away—-
Even knowing that he would do her no good—-
His grip tightened.
“Forgive me, Ilse.”
He thought she still wouldn’t speak, and she didn’t. But her head bowed slightly, a nod, and it was still more than he deserved, and the billionaire inhaled deeply. “I’m so damn sorry. So goddamn sorry for everything.”
He spoke, and she would nod.
All small nods, without a single word of recrimination—-
She accepted him.
She believed him, no questions asked.
And it was really more than he deserved.
More than he would ever deserve.
“You know...I have to leave, don’t you?”
Her fingers twitched in his grip.She knew.
But still, they stayed in his hold.She knew...but she didn’t want him to leave.
“I’m not leaving because you’re blind,” the billionaire said hoarsely. “I love you, Ilse. I will always love you. But I know I’ll hurt you even more if I stay, and—-” The billionaire’s tonebecame savage. “I don’t want to keep failing you to the point that the worst happens. Willem almost died because of me, and I—-”
The mere thought of it – the mere goddamn thought of it was more than he could bear, and he broke off.
His hands loosened.
And even before he came back to his feet, Ilse had already felt her disappearing on him, and her lips started to tremble.
Please don’t disappear on me.
But she covered her mouth, struggling to keep the words and all the tears inside of her.
