Blaise and Camryn were sworn enemies, which was why I had initially approached him.
In looks, family background, and abilities, he fell short compared to Camryn, but when it came to me, he had managed to find Camryn's Stuart's weakness and repeatedly rubbed it in his face.
His half-truths had worked their way into Camryn's mind.
Yes, I had gone to W Mountain with him, but it was for a project inspection with a large group. We came back the same day, so the hot springs and sunrise he mentioned were all lies.
I had never brought up Camryn in front of him, and I would never reveal my own scars to Blaise.
As for the birthmark, while I sometimes covered it, I'd occasionally forget, and those close to me knew about it. Blaise might have seen it by accident.
But none of that mattered. Every word he spoke painted a picture of us being intimately close, designed to anger and even hurt Camryn.
And he succeeded.
Camryn was driving fast, the roar of the engine deafening.
I instinctively tightened my seatbelt and turned to explain, "Blaise is lying. He's trying to drive a wedge between us. Honey, please don't listen to him."
"I... maybe I really did have something with him before, but it was all because of our fight, to get back at you." I was in a panic, rambling, "But now I don't feel anything for him! I don't even know him! Husband, I was wrong!"
What was I saying? Why did it get worse the more I explained?
Camryn's suffocating silence made my heart race. I was afraid of losing him again. I was afraid of making a mistake and losing the chance to fix things.
The speeding car reminded me of the tragic car accident that had happened before.
Tears almost burst out as I cried, "Camryn! Please slow down! I'm scared!"
The sudden brake sent me lurching forward, and when I was thrown back, dizziness overtook me.
"He was right."
I looked up to see Camryn's eyes bloodshot. "Before you lost your memory, you were willing to give up everything for him. You didn't want to be engaged to me, you didn't want me."
"Ashley, maybe I was wrong. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you."
"I can't accept being abandoned by you again."
"No, no, I'm not like that," I cried, shaking my head, reaching out to embrace him, but he avoided me, his eyes cold enough to freeze me.
I almost wailed in the car, "I don't like him! He's talking nonsense. From start to finish, I only like you. You were the one who pushed me away!"
My mind was in a mess, and I didn't even know what I was saying anymore.
"It's you! You treated me like a backup! I love you so much, I was wrong, honey, please hold me."
"I've only loved you, only you! I know I was wrong!"
Camryn coldly lifted his eyelids. "Is that so? How can I believe you?"
I froze, tears running down my face as I sniffled.
Camryn handed me a tissue to wipe my face, and I grabbed his hand as if it were a lifeline. "Really, I swear. If you don't believe me, come home with me."
I dragged Camryn back to the apartment I used to live in, hurriedly punching in the password.
"I told you Blaise said we were living together, but he's lying," I said as I showed Camryn around. I pointed to the things around the room. "Here, here. These are all my things, and the clothes are mine too. He's never been here."
Camryn nodded nonchalantly, pointing to the wardrobe that was taller than me. "What's this?"
I froze and quickly blocked his hand before he could open it.
Camryn raised an eyebrow. "What, you don't want me to look?"
"No," I gasped for air. "It's not that, it's just nothing important."
"Then forget it." He withdrew his hand, as though deeply disappointed. My heart tightened, and I took his hand and opened it myself.
Inside were a variety of unopened gift boxes, all neatly categorized from top to bottom: clothes, accessories, dazzling in their arrangement. But everything was for men.
Camryn stared at me. "Who are these for?"
A shameful feeling washed over me, as if a long-hidden secret was being exposed in front of everyone. I kept silent, but Camryn pretended to understand. "Oh, these are for Blaise, right?"
"No!" I screamed, this time truly angry and aggrieved, tears streaming down my face. "They're not for him!"
At that moment, Camryn pulled out a stack of envelopes from the wardrobe and began reading aloud: "Camryn, although we've gone our separate ways, I still want to ask you: Did you really never like me?...
"You jerk, Camryn, I hate you...
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have been so willful, I shouldn't have run away from our wedding, I shouldn't have made you angry (strike that). Let's sit down and talk, about who you really love. I promise I won't pester you again…"
Each letter, each word, I clung to his hand, begging him not to read, as my humiliation and tears made me faint.
"Camryn, please," I sobbed, my emotions collapsing in a flood of shame. "Stop reading, you can't treat me like this."
The gifts were what I had bought for Camryn before our engagement, each item was a token of my love.
The letters, on the other hand, were my confessions of inner turmoil, regret, and pain after that. Every word was a plea.
I cried until I was drained, then was pulled into a warm, familiar embrace.
The faint scent of Camryn enveloped me like a blanket. He stroked my back, calming me, just like he did after our arguments in the past.
A soft touch brushed against my head, and Camryn whispered, "Don't cry, darling. I know."
"You don't know," I choked out. "You don't know anything."
He smiled softly. "Mm, you're right."
After a long pause, he said, "I'm sorry, I realized too late."
"In the future, I won't make the same mistakes, Ashley."
