Ch. 271..275: Begging For A Reconciliation Chapter 271-275

Chapter 271 You Don’t Have To Do All This

Han's clenched fists loosened. It was a gradual effort for his expression to return to its unperturbed state.

Did Leah mean what she said? Or is she just trying to make herself feel better?

"Is that what you really think?" The words he uttered were cold.

"Of course," she answered with no hesitation.

She liked her current life. It was mundane and grounded. It would be even better for her if Han's condition improved.

He stared at her as if to gauge whether or not she was lying to him before quickly averting his gaze.

Leah, who failed to get a response, felt her heart sink. She smiled bitterly. Who was she trying to fool? Han probably hated his current life.

She hid her disappointment and kept her lighthearted front. "I was joking. I'll work hard to make some money so we can treat your leg. I'll start a painting stand tomorrow and see how it goes."

Molly still had Han's heart.

"You don't have to do all this."

He stared into space, his dark eyes flashed like cold steel. He was going to lie in wait for an opportunity to make Shawn pay.

Leah, meanwhile, was set on setting up an art stand. Han wasn't going to stop her. Creating art pieces was a hobby of hers. It was a good thing to be able to do what one liked.

Early the following morning.

Leah stuffed her meal prep into the fridge and set the table for breakfast before coming to Han's door.

"Breakfast is on the table, Han. Don't forget to eat."

He set aside his book in response and went up to her. "I'll come with you."

She rejected his suggestion without a second thought. "No. It's hot outside. You can just wait for me here."

There were talks of the authorities shutting down pop-ups. She couldn't take the risk of having him with her then.

Han's voice was gentle. "I'll wait for you to come home then."

"Okay." She flashed him a smile and left with her easel.

She planned a strategy last night by scouring the internet and knew where the crowd mostly congregated at White Sands Park. After setting up her easel, she stuck her price list in the ground.

Leah was a beautiful woman that naturally drew the attention of those around her just by sitting there.

"How much for a sketch, Miss?"

Leah was taken aback by the woman in front of her. "One hundred eighty."

This was her first customer.

The woman turned to look at her child. "Do you want a portrait drawn, Mary?"

Leah followed her gaze to see a little girl in a pink, poofy dress standing timidly behind the woman. The girl seemed afraid.

A smile spread across her face at the sight. "Hey there. You look pretty."

If her child were still around, they'd be roughly the same age.

The girl thanked her in her childlike voice. "Thank you, Miss."

Leah gently ruffled the girl's soft hair before offering them two stools to sit on.

It didn't take long for the woman to receive a sketch she was happy with.

She couldn't help but exclaim, "You draw very well."

"I'm happy to hear you like it."

Leah, who received the compliment, also gained confidence in herself.

Her phone began ringing the moment she took her seat.

"I found you a job, Cindy. It's not a design job but it's less strenuous. The pay is also good."

Serena didn't have many connections when she first arrived in Linkville but only the wealthy sought her out for her designs. These affluent tycoons had a foothold in the industry, making it possible to find a job.

Her friend had good intentions and was trying to look out for her by pulling whatever string she could to help Leah.

She would've said yes in a heartbeat in the past but times were different now.

What's more, if Shawn caught wind of Serena trying to help her, it would only involve her innocent friend.

Leah set down the paintbrush in her hand. "It's fine, Serena. I found a job. It's something I love to do."

"Really?"

Serena didn't sound convinced.

Leah had a habit of only reporting the good rather than the bad while she was still abroad. She refused to admit to being picked on. This time was probably no different. Was she afraid that she'd owe me a

favor?

"Of course. Come see for yourself if you don't believe me."

After she hung up, Leah sent Serena her location.

Serena frowned at what she was seeing in her WhatsApp chat. What kind of job did Cindy take for her to end up in the park?

Her worry led her to set aside her work and make her way to Leah.

She called Leah when she arrived at the entrance.

"Where are you?"

Leah stood up and waved in Seerena's direction. "Turn around."

There was doubt in her eyes when she caught sight of the easel and price list. "What are you doing? Some kind of performance art?"

Many foreign painters set up pop-ups on the street to find inspiration by observing the crowd around them.

Serena took a seat by her side. "Did you reach a bottleneck or something?"

Leah shook her head. "No, I'm earning through this."

That astonished Serena. Leah was drowning in riches while abroad. How could she be setting up something like this even if she was experiencing some lows?

"This is your job, Cindy?" Serena could barely believe it.

"Yeah." Leah wasn't the least bit embarrassed. "This is a good thing, isn't it?"

She didn't think there was anything wrong with it but her past self would probably beg to disagree.

Having a pop-up not only allowed her to earn her keep, but she was also helping capture moments in time.

Serena thought she was making excuses and was up on her feet in seconds to help pack up her easel. "You're coming with me. I'm not letting you live like this while I'm still here."

Leah was a delicate woman unsuited for weathering the elements all day long.

This prompted Leah to take the easel away from her friend. "Serena, I'm doing fine. Really. It offers me all the freedom in the world too."

Serena finally caught the sincere look in her eyes and understood that she was being serious.

No one could stop Leah when she got serious.

Just like how if she liked someone, she would never look the other way.

She finally let Leah go and begrudgingly nodded. "You're as stubborn as a mule. But promise me one

thing."

"What?"

"Speak up if you run into trouble. Don't be afraid to come to me."

"Of course," Leah answered with no hesitation.

Chapter 272 Flattery

The heat began to set in as the sun crawled higher. The crowd in the park gradually thinned out. Serena, who felt bad for her friend, had Leah come with her for a bite.

Leah had no choice but to agree. Serena would be all up in her face if she rejected her offer.

She put the easel into the trunk of the car, and the duo drove to a nearby mall together.

"It's my treat today. Just take it as thank you for helping me sell the design draft. Don't fight me for this one."

Leah remembered that she still owed Serena a favor for the design draft. Serena was also the one who kept reaching out to her to help. It felt right for her to do this.

Serena's eyes fell on an inconspicuous restaurant tucked in a corner. "Alright. How about this one?"

Despite the establishment being so tucked out of sight, there was still a crowd. The food here must be good.

Leah followed her gaze. "Are you sure?"

It didn't look like much of an upscale restaurant and Serena was particularly demanding when it came to her food.

"Of course."

She barely waited for Leah's response before she was dragging her to the entrance.

The waiter was all smiles as they warmly greeted the two. "Hello, how many people?"

"Two. We'd like a private room as well."

"This way please."

The waiter led them to the room.

Leah tossed Serena the menu. "Go ahead and order. I need to give Han a call."

She had been out all morning with no time to give him a call. "Had he eaten?" She wondered.

She called him.

She asked tentatively, "Are you busy, Han?"

Han was currently in the middle of a video conference and gestured to have the meeting paused before setting aside his notebook.

"No."

"How are you doing? Are you tired? Come home if you feel tired."

He wanted so badly to tell her that she didn't have to work this hard.

"I'm fine. Being able to do something I like makes me happy."

Her easy-going tone eased his icy expression. Even he hadn't noticed the change in his countenance.

"Good."

"Remember to eat. Take your meds after. I'm with Serena right now."

She hung up the phone after a few words of advice when she perceived an amused look being shot her way.

It put her on the spot. "This is the first time I left him by himself for so long. I'm worried."

Serena shrugged and gave her the menu.

"You're like a mother who's in charge of everything from housing him to feeding him now."

Leah had become cautious ever since the accident with Han and had long since dropped her arrogant persona.

She scanned the menu and rang the service bell. "It's not that bad."

The waiter was back to take their orders.

After the two finished their meal, Serena dragged her to the jewelry store on the third floor before the

poor girl could even bring up wanting to get back to her hustling.

"Don't you wanna see what the other designers' bestsellers are?"

That got Leah interested.

Being a designer wasn't all talent. There was also hard work in the mix.

She would lose her touch if she stayed away from the circle for too long.

With that, the duo stepped through the doors of ME Jewelry Boutique.

Serena was already demanding to see the latest styles of jewelry the moment she set foot inside. "Show me the latest."

The clerk could tell the clothes and accessories she wore were finely made and made an educated guess that she was an affluent individual. She approached Serena with a flattering smile.

"Certainly, Miss."

She then turned to the clerk behind her. "Hurry up and get the new ones."

The new collection was neatly placed in a brocade box and brought to the duo.

The woman began to introduce each piece and gestured to a blue necklace.

"This is the 'Beating Heart', inlaid with cut sapphires. The gem sways with every movement and

resembles a beating heart, hence its name."

Leah was intrigued by the presentation and took a closer look.

"This isn't it."

Serena couldn't help but click her tongue. "There's nothing special about this piece aside from its name."

The clerk looked embarrassed and hurried to introduce the next piece.

"What about this piece? The pendant charm on this necklace is shaped to look like a lock. The edge of it is outlined with the thinnest gold thread while the inside is hollowed out. It refracts different colors when placed in direct sunlight."

Leah recalled seeing similar pieces in magazines while she was abroad years prior.

This one looked more like a plagiarized piece.

"This was the in thing years ago but it's kind of dated now."

It was only then that the clerk realized they weren't here to interest themselves with the pieces. They were here to pick a fight.

She handed the box back to her colleague with a condescending expression.

"Leave if you're too poor to buy anything. What's with all the opinions? Look in the mirror. You walked

into an ME boutique dressed like a beggar."

Anger flared in Serena's blue eyes. "What did you just say?"

This was the first time she was described as poor.

Leah immediately held her friend back. "That wasn't what we meant."

The clerk's contemptuous gaze fell on the duo. She snorted, "Poor people like you aren't welcome in our store. Leave."

"What's going on?"

An icy voice rang out.

Leah froze in place. Her instincts told her to run but her feet were firmly planted on the ground.

She wasn't expecting to meet Shawn in a jewelry store of all places.

The clerk's arrogance vanished. "Mr. Ford."

"Is that how you treat your customers? Apologize to them this instant."

Serena was about to say no when Leah tugged on her coat, signaling her not to speak.

Shawn was surprised to see Leah in the store.

"Is designer Cindy here to sell her work to my ME?"

ME Jewelry belonged to Shawn but reception to it had always been lukewarm due to a lack of good designers. He happened to drop by today for an inspection only to run into Leah.

Leah's complexion was ping-ponging between green and red until she squeezed her palm to calm herself down.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She then took Serena by the end to go around him.

Chapter 273 He Has No Right

Leah knew that she couldn't offend Shawn, but just because she couldn't afford to offend him didn't mean she couldn't hide away.

She had tried to avoid him but ended up running into the devil himself anyway.

Her attitude irritated Shawn to no end. "Hold it. Did I say you could leave?"

His chilling gaze landed on her retreating figure.

She stopped in her tracks. Leaving as she was now would only anger Shawn.

Neither she nor Han could afford to weather the consequences of his anger.

She sucked in her breath, held back the indignation she felt, and turned around to face him with a placid expression.

"Do you have some wisdom to impart to us, Mr. Ford?"

Shawn's gaze skipped over Leah and landed on Serena. "You come to my store and cause a ruckus and try to leave without a word of apology?"

He knew Leah well. She wouldn't care if he threatened her but lay a finger on those around her and she would do everything in her power to protect them.

What a foolish woman.

Leah shielded Serena when she noticed his threatening gaze.

"It was me who did it. I'm the one solely responsible for this. If anyone should be taking responsibility, it's me."

He scoffed. "And how are you going to take responsibility?"

The startled Leah apologized softly, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ford. I was being ignorant."

There was a hint of surprise in his dark eyes. The hands behind his back clenched into fists. What an adaptable woman.

"You're disgusting, Leah Murray."

Leah didn't answer. All she cared about was whether or not his anger had subsided. "Can we go?"

Dignity was a non-issue for Leah in the face of survival. This was a lesson she learned from childhood.

He snorted. "I have your design drafts. It seems you're not worthy of even being a designer anymore. These are nothing more than scraps of trash."

He watched her as if looking for a reaction but Leah said nothing more and sidestepped him to leave.

The clerk assumed that Shawn was her to support her. It was hard not to be tempted by a handsome

and wealthy man. She greeted him with a gracious smile.

"You should've called to let us know you were coming, Mr. Ford. We could've made proper arrangements to receive you."

He backhanded the clerk.

He was not a kind man, much less a man of principle.

He heard how the woman insulted Leah and left an uncomfortable feeling festering in him.

"Get out of my sight."

His simple words sealed the woman's fate in Linkville.

The poor woman didn't even understand what she had done wrong.

Serena couldn't help but apologize to Leah when they got back to the car. "I'm sorry, Cindy. We wouldn't have run into him if I hadn't suggested we go there."

Serena knew Shawn was a demon but she wasn't expecting him to be so loathsome.

Leah forced a smile. "It's fine. We're both okay now, aren't we?"

If she hadn't lowered herself, the next one in line for the chopping block was Serena.

Serena thought the situation was weird. Shawn was acting as if he wanted both Leah and Han to be at

the bottom forever so why did he take her designs?

"I didn't know he was the one who took the design draft."

Leah considered her work gone now that it was with him.

"He's doing it on purpose."

She started her car as she spoke.

She couldn't come up with any other reason than Shawn being out to humiliate her by taking them away.

Serena couldn't help lamenting, "It's just a shame about those designs."

After Shawn left the ME Boutique, he dialed a number.

"Find out what she's been up to."

Whoever was on the other line clearly knew that he was talking about Leah.

"Certainly, Mr. Ford."

That night, Leah's recent whereabouts were compiled into a file and sent to his email.

The photograph on screen pictured a smiling Leah accompanying Han to the hospital. The image conveyed the tenderness of the moment.

"Bang!"

The screen went black.

A chilling rage was spewing from his eyes. What right did Han have to be so happy even after losing everything?

No! He has no right!

By the time Leah returned, the dinner table was set.

Han immediately helped her with the easel. "Tired?"

"No."

This was her first time seeing Han this way. Even his helping her with her easel escaped her notice.

She was in disbelief at the sight of the table of food. "You made these?"

Han awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Yeah. I'm not sure if it's any good. I was following some instructions online."

He had never done this before and believed it was a waste of time.

With nothing but time on his hands, he found satisfaction in cooking for someone he loved.

There was a twinkle in Leah's eyes. "Wow, it's your first time? It looks amazing."

She was clueless in the kitchen back when she was a child. All she managed to do was hurt herself and ruin the meal. Charlie Parridge was less than pleased.

The thought of him left her with a bad taste in her mouth.

Han shot her a suspicious look. "You mean you weren't like this your first time?"

"No, I always ruin everything when I cook. I would be beaten whenever it happened."

That distressed Han.

"No one will ever lay a finger on you again. I'm here now."

She smiled at him and nodded.

Han was going to protect her.

He handed her a fork. "Come on, let's eat. The food's going cold."

Both had a satisfying and happy dinner.

When Leah returned to White Sands Park the next day, her spot was now occupied.

The group of burly men in suits left her with a feeling of unease.

Leah wasn't keen on picking a fight and left for another spot.

Just as she was setting up her easel, the group approached her.

"Can I help you?" She asked calmly.

"Destroy everything." The one clearly taking the lead ordered the men.

The group swarmed her, snatched her supplies out of her hands, and kicked over her easel.

She immediately got to her feet to stop them. "What are you doing?!"

Due to the disparity in strength, she was flung to the ground.

Chapter 274 Forced

Leah propped her hands on the ground to protect the fetus in her stomach. Her palms flushed red from the friction of the cement floor.

Her easel was smashed to pieces in seconds.

The man stared at her with no intention of helping her up.

"Mr. Ford has a message for you. He's not a patient man. Both Han and your dearest friend will continue to suffer if you don't make up your mind."

She bit her lip and refused to shed a single tear.

She felt cold rushing over her despite it being a sunny day.

It didn't matter what she did. She couldn't rid herself of Shawn and was causing everyone around her to suffer.

She slowly got to her feet after a while to pick up the pieces of her easel before giving Serena a call.

"Oh, you have time to call me today?"

Leah held back her tears. "Have you been doing okay recently, Serena?"

Han's accident caused her to neglect Serena's well-being. The man's words only made her uneasy.

"I'm okay."

Serena's tone put her at ease.

Thank God. As long as she doesn't get dragged into this mess.

Serena could tell something was up. "What's wrong? Why do you ask?'

Leah had stubbornly held back her tears despite being outright threatened but Serena's concern shattered the dam. Her tears fell in rivulets.

She was choking up as she said, "Shawn had someone destroy my stand."

"Stay there."

Serena immediately hung up and rushed herself over to the park.

She wandered around before finally finding her friend by the lake.

"You scared the sh*t out of me, Cindy."

Serena sat down next to Leah, who had bloodshot eyes. It was clear she had been crying.

Leah was truly an unlucky woman to have met someone like Shawn Ford. He was disrupting her livelihood and destroying any semblance of peace she had.

She wiped her tears away. "I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Han's arms and cry but she couldn't.

She couldn't let Han see her like this, let alone let him know that all of this was because of one Shawn Ford.

Leah forced herself to get up. "Can you come to the hospital with me?"

She had just been pushed and had no idea how the fetus was doing.

"I'll come with you."

Both women left the park.

Leah finished all examinations and held the report card in her hand at the OB-GYN department. She could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The reports showed that everything was normal.

She gently covered her stomach with both hands. "I'm sorry, dear. I failed to protect you."

Serena then drove her back to her apartment.

Leah smiled. "Alright, you've been with me for an entire afternoon now. You should head back."

Serena left after watching the woman disappear into the building.

Leah calmed herself when she reached her door. It was only when she could put a smile on her face that she unlocked the door.

Why is the door already unlocked?

That didn't seem right. She made a call to the cops. She had to report it if a burglar got in.

It was only then that she opened the door.

The tidy apartment was left in a disarray with furniture and ornaments scattered about.

She frowned and made a beeline into Han's room.

The wheelchair-bound Han was on the floor with his eyes screwed shut.

"Han?"

She nudged him gently but received no response.

His face and arms were littered with bruises. Everything in the house indicated that someone had broken in.

She couldn't think of anyone else who would do this besides Shawn.

She immediately called emergency services.

Han was greeted by a white ceiling the moment he opened his eyes. The air was filled with an acrid

smell of disinfectant.

He was in the hospital.

He remembered being home and was going to prepare dinner for Leah when the front door came off its hinges. A group of people came inside, destroyed everything in sight, and took his phone away, leaving him no opportunity to call for help.

"I'm fine."

Han endured the pain and gently patted her head to comfort her.

Leah's eyes were swollen red and glistening with tears. She must've been shocked by what she came home to.

He wanted so badly to tell her that this was nothing and that he had suffered far worse to bring the Howard Group to heel.

She was holding his hand with teary eyes. "Does it hurt?"

"No. Just a minor inconvenience. We'll be out of the hospital once they clear me."

Han then used all his strength as support to get out of bed and reach the wheelchair.

Leah stopped him.

"Stop it. The doctor says you should stop moving around."

She covered him with a quilt before he could even protest. "Rest. I'll get the doctor."

With that, she closed the door of the ward and walked out.

The soft expression on Han's face was gone in an instant and replaced by an icy chill.

He made a call to Alfred Bannon. He wasn't going to let sleeping dogs lie.

It didn't matter if it was Shawn or Jackson. He was going to make them all pay.

"Kick off the plan, Alfred."

Everyone only knew Han as the president of the Howard Group, not as a well-known investment mastermind overseas.

Leah's phone rang the moment she left the doctor's office.

"Hello, am I speaking to Ms. White?"

"Yes."

"I'm Officer Fallon. We've looked into your home invasion case. There was nothing captured on the surveillance camera. Mr. Ford does not accept your accusations. If you have any other evidence, please provide them as soon as possible to not waste everyone's time."

"Our time is precious. We don't have time to waste on people like you."

Leah staggered as her grip on her phone tightened.

Was it that they didn't find anything or that Shawn wasn't allowing them to look into it?

She immediately hung up her phone.

She was down on her knees. She wanted to cry but found herself unable to.

Was all of Linkville now under his power?

What was she supposed to do?

She understood him well. He was a sinister man who would do anything to achieve his goals.

Everything that happened today was going to keep happening if she remained by Han's side.

She was going to drag everyone down with her if this continued.

She lost track of time for a while before finally dragging herself up to the washroom to freshen herself up. She had to hide her emotions before heading back to the ward.

Chapter 275 I Promise

The doctor didn't drop by nor conduct any checks on Han even after Leah returned.

She frowned. "Didn't the doctor come by?"

Han comforted her. "I'm fine. It's just superficial wounds."

Having someone care for him made him feel as if he had previously been living his life in vain.

He took her hand at the sight of her nervous frown. "Alright. Don't worry so much. All that tension isn't good for the baby."

Leah had recently been rapidly losing weight and Han knew exactly why.

It was because of him.

She forced a smile. They were already down in the dumps and he was still caring for the baby in her belly?

She couldn't keep acting so selfishly. It was time for her to make her choice.

"Didn't you say you want to be discharged from the hospital? Let me handle the hospitalization procedures." She pulled her hand away.

If Han wanted to go home, she was going to accompany him home.

She didn't want to waste the last of their time together in the hospital.

After she left the ward, she sat down in a deserted stairway instead of heading to the inpatient department to go through the formalities.

She dialed Shawn's number.

The call went through on the first ring.

"You've made your choice?" The man's deep voice sounded.

"You won't hurt Han if I leave him?"

Shawn grew irritable at hearing Han's name. His tone was now impatient. "Sure."

He was going to show Leah how much better he was compared to Han.

"Give me some time… I…"

He interrupted her before she could finish. "I'm sure my men have made matters clear with you."

Her heart sank. The hand holding her phone hung feebly by her side.

She had no idea what had happened between Shawn and Han in the past but Han was where he was now because of her. She couldn't just turn a blind eye to it all.

Shawn was patiently waiting for her to make her choice on the other end of the line.

Her voice was hoarse when she finally spoke up. "I'll be at the Ford family mansion tomorrow."

All her strength drained out of her body when she hung up the phone. She could barely remember making her way to the inpatient department to get Han discharged.

When they got back to the apartment, Han asked, "What's wrong? You seem out of it. Are you ill?"

Leah had seemed off ever since they left the hospital.

Is it because my condition has worsened?

But I'm fine.

She finally came back to her senses and forced herself to hold back the tears threatening to fall. Perhaps a split was the best decision for the two of them.

She absent-mindedly brushed the tears beading in her eyes away and shook her head to feign being at ease.

"I'm fine. I was just too preoccupied with my thoughts."

Han took the meal prep away from her. "You should rest. Let me do it."

He had learned how to cook multiple dishes.

She didn't refuse his offer. She washed her hands and sat behind him, watching his busy figure puttering about the kitchen.

After dinner, Leah proposed they watch a movie together with Han agreeing to it.

She rummaged through all the DVDs they had lying around before her eyes fell on Roman Holiday.

"How about this one?" She turned to him with the box in hand.

Both the hero and heroine didn't end up together in the end but Leah believed they would never forget one another.

That was her hope for Han; for him to remember her.

Han put the disc into the DVD player as a foreign language filled the room.

Leah curled up on the couch and rested her head against Han's shoulder.

It didn't take long for sleep to claim her.

He lovingly flicked her forehead. "This is such a good movie and you end up falling asleep?"

He wasn't angry with her for falling asleep but instead went back to the bedroom to fetch her a blanket and stayed by her side.

Leah surreptitiously awoke in the middle of the night to see Han at her side.

He had been accompanying her all this time.

She rubbed her eyes and shot a tired, apologetic glance at Han. "I fell asleep?"

She hadn't expected to sleep through the movie.

Han didn't mince his words. "You were tired."

Leah had spent much of her time in the park with her art stand and coming home to fuss over him while suffering the reactions brought about by her pregnancy.

Han gently ruffled her hair.

"Alright, you should go get some rest. It's getting late."

He was just about to leave when she clung adamantly to him and refused to let go.

She couldn't let time pass them by when this was all the time she had left with him.

"I want to be with you."

She looked down, blushing.

He was flabbergasted when he figured out the meaning behind her words.

Since when had she become so forward?

Did something happen to her?

He watched her with a sharp, searching gaze.

"What happened?"

Leah feigned calmness as she nervously clasped her hands behind her.

Han was as sharp as ever and saw through her at a glance.

She smiled sheepishly. "Nothing happened. I just wanted to spend more time with you."

There was a soft look in his eyes.

Leah didn't wait for him to answer her and pushed him right into the bedroom.

"I swear I won't do anything," she said as she carefully arranged the blankets.

She then laid down beside him to hug him close.

When he heard the sound of even breathing next to him, he helplessly shook his head at the sleeping woman in his arms.

He sent Albert a text to have him investigate what had happened today.

Leah wouldn't be acting this way just because he was beaten up.

There had to be something he didn't know about. His eyes turned as cold as steel.

Early the next morning, Leah got out of bed the moment the sun hit her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

She pressed a soft kiss against the corner of his lips with an apologetic look.

She was once again reneging on their agreement.

After a simple wash, she prepared him breakfast and stood at the door looking ever reluctant. She didn't want to leave but resolved to shut the door behind her.