Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

That night, moonlight cast a silvery glow on the ground while the night breeze rustled the trees outside the

window.

Closing his eyes, Jonah clutched a cross in his hands, devoutly praying in front of the statue of God.

Since the passing of his former beloved, he had day after day sought self-redemption through prayer, repenting

for the sins he had committed.

Countless times in the past, it had all been for him.

But now, standing once again before the statue of God, Jonah found himself unable to discern his own feelings.

He felt lost and adrift.

He breathed out a long sigh. Just as he turned away, the doors of the church were suddenly pushed open.

A chilly wind rushed in, dispersing the sorrow between his brows.

The next moment, that slender and graceful figure with fox-like eyes tore through the desolation and caught his

gaze.

Jonah...

Julien's slender figure stood alone in the center of the doorway. His eyes were brimming with tears. "You've come

looking for me... Why didn't you wait for me? Would it have killed you to wait a little longer?"

Jonah's heart wrenched. His entire body froze, and the emotions in his bloodshot eyes surged uncontrollably.

"Jackass... Don't you know... how hard it was forto find you?"

Julien tried so hard to suppress his emotions that he was trembling all over. But he finally broke down in tears

upon seeing his beloved.

"I lost my phone... | was afraid to go to KS Group or Heightsnew Villa to find you... | was afraid to contact anyone

from the Taylor family or even Aunt Mandy... | was afraid of causing trouble for you and each and every one of

you..."

At the last syllable, he choked up, almost to the point of losing his voice. "But... what I'm afraid of even more is

never seeing you again."

How many times had he said "afraid" in one breath?

Jonah suddenly remembered the carefree and easygoing second son of the Lovelace family, who had just come

to his side from Mosgravia. He had never feared anything.

What had caused him to beclike this?

Was it the feud between the Taylor and Lovelace families?

Was it his ambivalence toward him or the ruthlessness he showed in extinguishing the rekindled flof desire

for the sake of the bigger picture?

Jonah gazed steadily at Julien's tear-streaked face. His heart throbbed painfully as if it were being torn apart.

"Jonah, I'm afraid... I'm afraid that the moment | watched you walk away from my house that night might be the

last t| see you."

Julien cried until he was a tearful mess, seemingly wanting to shed all the tears of his life. "But | can't let that

happen. | want to be with you. | want to be with you forever. I love you, Jonah... | love you!"

"Dr. Lovelace." Jonah's throat felt dry as he spoke. His words were stiff as if speaking for the first time. "This is a

church. Please refrain from saying such words against the will of God."

"I've said it! If there truly is a God, then let him punish me! Let him condemn me!"

Julien took two staggering steps forward, poking his chest forcefully. "It's hurting so much here... | don't care

about the Lovelace family. | don't care about the punishment from God. They mean nothing compared to you!

"If there's karma, let it hit me! If the heavens fall, I'll hold it up for you. If we're going to hell, I'll accompany you

there. Bring it on!"

Julien finally ran out of strength, his eyes closing as his body slumped down.

But he didn't feel any pain. It was replaced by a warm embrace tinged with the strong scent of testosterone.

It was a hug for which he had longed for so long.

Jonah felt the intense heat of Julien's body through the thin shirt as his hand rested on Julien's waist. "You're

running a fever?" When he rested his hand on Julien's sweaty forehead, he found it scorching hot.

"I'm fine."

Julien also wanted to hug Jonah, but he was in too much pain. He was too weak to lift his arms. "Seeing you...

makes everything okay."

Jonah clenched his teeth tightly. "Don't be silly! You have a high fever. You have to go to the hospital!"

"I can't... My dad and my brother must be looking fornow. If | go to any hospital in the country, even your

family's hospital, they'll find out immediately..."

Julien tightly grasped Jonah's shirt, shaking his head forcefully. "I'll be fine... after taking sfever medicine."

Then he drifted into unconsciousness.

Jonah's eyes welled up with tears. He gripped the back of Julien's neck, pulling him deeply into his embrace.

"Foxy, can there be anyone more foolish than you?"

Considering Julien's words and fearing to bring greater trouble to both families, Jonah had no choice but to take

him to his private villa in Solana City.

The Lovelace family's influence was concentrated in Belbanks, so being in Solana City would be safer.

Julien lay in bed with a cold towel draped over his forehead. Jonah fed him Ibuprofen and repeatedly wiped his

neck and arms with a damp towel, but it was futile.

Julien's cheeks were flushed with fever, and he rambled incoherently. But every word revolved around Jonah.

Jonah frowned deeply, and his heart pounded heavily. It had been a long tsince he felt this lost and helpless.

In the end, he picked up his phone and dialed a long-forgotten number.

"Who is this?" a cold voice cfrom the other end.

Jonah's throat tightened, and his voice was hoarse. "It's me."

There was silence on the other end for a while, then ca voice trembling with disbelief. "Judas? Is that really

you?"