NovelStartChapter 1686: Tracy let out a bitter laugh. “Do I really need to remind you? We had a wedding, but we were never truly husband and wife." Shaun's tone sharpened. "I wanted to marry you! I did! So why did you-" "Because I couldn't commit to a man who, just moments before our wedding, was more concerned with another woman than with his own bride." Tracy gave a bitter chuckle. "Eventually, I understood. You never really loved me. That's why letting go-even on our wedding day-was so easy for you." A flicker of panic crossed Shaun's face. He shook his head, his voice filled with urgency. "No, that's not true! It wasn't like that! I had just taken over the family business—I needed the Ruiz family's backing. My hesitation wasn't about you. I was securing my place in the company!" Tracy remained silent for a moment before a hollow laugh escaped her. "You just proved my point. Love was never your priority. And so, I was the one left behind, dealing with the fallout." Shaun's eyes brimmed with tears. His voice wavered, thick with regret. "I was wrong. I was young and reckless. I thought money and power meant everything." Tracy's smile faded, her gaze turning cold. "And now that you have it all-power, wealth-why aren't you satisfied? Why are you here, looking for me?" Tears spilled down Shaun's face. He pressed his lips together, struggling for words.
Tracy didn't wait. "I'll tell you why. Because none of it was ever enough. No matter how much you gain, there's always something missing. And that void, Shaun, isn't filled with power or money. It's filled with love." His lips quivered, his grief nearly swallowing him. "You understand?" Tracy let out a bitter chuckle. "I loved you once, Shaun. Four years in college, and another year after we graduated. I watched you push yourself-taking over the company, chasing deal after deal. Not for wealth or status, but for your parents' approval. Because the only tyou ever felt their love was in those rare moments of success." She met his stunned gaze. “Even now, looking back, can you honestly call that love? They cherished your achievements, not you. When you succeeded, they praised you. When you stumbled, they tore you down. You spent your life chasing an impossible standard, pretending to be flawless-because to them, any sign of weakness made you unworthy. Shaun, wasn't it exhausting carrying that weight?" Shaun froze, caught off guard. He had never imagined she could see through the mask he had worn for so long- into the cracks beneath, to the fragile, uncertain part of him he tried so hard to hide.
His voice wavered as he asked, "If you understood all of that... if you knew who I really was... why did you choose to be with me?" Tracy's face remained unreadable, her voice steady. "I loved you. Even after seeing you for who you really were, I still loved you. It hurt-watching you chase approval that never truly came, pushing yourself to exhaustion for achievements that felt hollow. I saw you sacrifice yourself, and it broke me. All I wanted was to be there—to take care of you, to love you-hoping that, somehow, it would bring you even a little happiness.”
Shaun's entire body trembled. "You...
loved me?" The contents on Ο ΠΙ novelenglish.net!
"Yes," Tracy replied, her tone devoid of warmth. "I loved you. Past tense." A bitter laugh, escaped her lips. "But then, I nearly died. And love? That becthe least of my concerns."
Shaun's face twisted with anguish. "Did Lowell push you off that cliff?"
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