Bianca looked down, her voice soft but firm. “When there was a fire at my mother’s apartment, Blake didn’t hesitate to rush in and save us. I owe him my life. Not once, but twice. I must repay him, or I’ll never be at peace.”
“So, you’re saying you’d rather stay single to take care of him?”
Dave felt a surge of anger. He grabbed Bianca’s shoulders and desperately shouted, “What about me? What about us? Do you care about me less than Blake’s leg? Is that really how you feel?”
Bianca bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears. She looked at him and said softly, “But being together doesn’t mean we have to get married, right? Marriage is just a formality. As long as we love each other, anywhere can be our home, right?”
Dave’s laugh was bitter, filled with disbelief.
He had fought for the family inheritance, battled in business, and even stood up to his grandfather. He did all of this not only to avenge his parents but also to marry Bianca and show the world that she was his wife.
He had imagined their future-adorable children and a happy family life. But now, Bianca’s decision made everything feel like a cruel joke.
Suddenly, a hollow emptiness spread inside him, as if he had fallen back into a life of endless destruction, empty and alone.
It was true. Blake had risked his life for her twice. But what had he done? He had only stood by during the fire, watching her face danger. It may have made sense for her to choose Blake after all.
Dave felt a heavy weight on his heart, and his eyes began to sting. He let go of Bianca and stepped back, forcing a bitter smile.
Both of them shared the same pain. Bianca understood how much this hurt Dave. She knew her words were painful but felt she had no choice. Right now, her priority was helping Blake heal as quickly as possible.
“You understand where I’m coming from, right?”
Tears filled Bianca’s eyes as she looked at the sad man in front of her. “If the little girl who once saved you from the cellar were in trouble, you wouldn’t just stand by, would you? My mother taught me to repay kindness from a young age. These are life debts, and while I can’t repay them with my life, this is all I can do.”
Bianca sniffed and lowered her head. “Dave, if you can’t accept this or understand if all you want is a wife, then I…”
A wave of sadness hit her, and tears began to fall. Despite trying to stay strong, her heart felt like it was being torn apart as she spoke. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. With a voice shaking from emotion, she said, “I won’t stand in your way. You are free to leave me anytime.”
After expressing her feelings, Bianca leaned gently against the wall, trying to manage the pain in her heart while keeping her composure. She looked up at Dave and forced a small smile. “Dave, I mean what I say. I won’t push you any further. I’ll respect your decision,” she told him.
Dave was shocked by how firm Bianca was.
Could it be true? Was she really willing to end their relationship for Blake? Had Blake been right? Had Bianca truly chosen to be with him?
At that moment, Dave felt a sharp pain in his chest, as if a knife had pierced his heart. It was hard for him to breathe, and his eyes lost their usual brightness, growing dull and empty.
“He saved your life, so you want to repay him…”
With a bitter smile, Dave repeated the words to himself. He looked up at Bianca with eyes full of pain and asked, “Bianca, have you really made up your mind?”
Dave believed in repaying those who saved lives, but he never thought it would mean sacrificing his own happiness to do it.
He had never considered marrying Skylar or leaving Bianca for her. But Bianca’s willingness to be with Blake to repay him for saving her life made him feel ungrateful.
When Dave asked her, Bianca fell silent, her head bowed. After a moment, she nodded and softly said, “I’m sorry.”
Hearing this, Dave felt like he might lose control of himself. His face twisted into a bitter expression. He knew how hard it was to change Bianca’s mind once she decided, but he still hoped she might reconsider for him. His question about her decision was born from that hope.
But Bianca’s response crushed that last bit of hope. With a heavy heart, Dave closed off emotionally, his voice barely a whisper as he said, “Okay, I understand.”
With a heavy heart, Dave turned and left the bathroom without saying anything.
As he walked away, Bianca felt a wave of panic and called out to him, “Dave!”
But Dave didn’t stop. His back seemed to carry an air of loneliness and pain as he walked on.
Bianca quickly followed him. Her desperation grew when he reached the door, and she called out again, “Dave!”
This time, Dave stopped but didn’t turn around. His voice was cold and distant as if they were strangers. “I understand. Please, leave me alone.”
He opened the door, and a cold breeze caught the edge of the towel around Bianca’s body. With a loud slam, the door shut behind him, leaving Bianca shivering from the chill.
He had left her. Would he ever come back?
Clutching the bath towel tightly around her, Bianca stood frozen, lost in disbelief. Slowly, the reality of Dave’s departure hit her like a wave. Sorrow and pain consumed her, and with trembling legs, she sank to the floor, wrapping her arms around herself. Tears streamed down her face, each one a painful reminder of the memories they had shared in that room.
Meanwhile, as Dave walked alone through the streets, memories of him and Bianca flooded his mind. He saw flashes of them walking together in that place, happy and carefree.
Before Bianca came home, Dave had sought comfort by locking himself in the bathroom and taking a cold bath to calm the storm inside him. Now, his damp clothes stuck to his skin, and the night wind chilled him to the bone.
Yet, despite the physical cold, it was nothing compared to the emptiness gnawing at his heart.
The pain Dave felt made his memories even sharper, with every word Bianca had ever said echoing in his mind.
“Dave, I will protect you.”
“I only like you. I don’t want anyone except you.”
“Yes, I do.”