Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 22608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
"And I guess he's also the reason you said no to us meeting in my room."
All I can do is look at him, but pain still flashes in his gaze.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
His face whitens, and it's like seeing someone collapse as he sinks into the armchair behind him.
"What the hell happened to us?"
I sit down as well, and I feel like crying at the way he's staring at me.
"I'm sorry."
"Is that really all you can say to me?"
I nod.
"I still love you, Lys."
I know he's lying, but I'm just not up to explaining why I'm sure of it.
"Don't you love me anymore?"
Lying isn't even an option, but because I also know that telling him the truth would only make things worse—-
"I hope we can be friends again," I say haltingly.
"Friends..."
The way he says it makes me realize I still ended up hurting him.
"I should've expected you'd still want to be friends with me."
I look at him blankly, and his lips twist in a humorless smile.
"You're obviously still too nice to tell me the truth, but I get it now. You never loved me, Lys. That's why you can still be friends with me."
Tears sting my eyes.
Because what he's saying is absolutely and heartbreakingly true.
"I'm sorry," I choke out.
"What a fucking mess."
"I'm so sorry."
A weary smile touches his lips. "I hope you mean that..."
"I..."
"Because I'm about to do something..."
He leans forward, and my mind starts to scream.
No, no, no.
Hell will break loose for sure.
So don't let him do it.
But it's too late.
"For old times' sake."
Jamieson grabs my shoulders before I can pull away, and the last thing I see is Zafir entering the library and jerking to a stop at the sight of Jamieson planting his lips over mine.
Oh God.
I shove him away, but it's too late.
I run out of the library.
And look for him everywhere.
I'm crying and crying his name out.
But he's gone.
Chapter Eleven
JAMIESON AND REBECCA are now officially a couple, and they've just announced they're having a baby. So much for him still being in love with me, but honestly?
I don't mind at all.
Because Zahir was right.
Jamieson and I should never have been a couple in the first place, and while I genuinely wish him and Rebecca happiness—-it's just so hard to make myself forget the look on her face when they were having sex.
In any case, people have been extra nice to me since our, um, uncoupling, and while it's true that my heart remains in pieces, this has nothing to do with Jamieson at all...and everything to do with the man who now seems to have vanished without a trace.
I've begged Hotel Aehrenthal for any information about Zahir, but they've cited privacy laws when rejecting my every request. The Kivran embassy is even worse; not only have they blocked my number, but they've also flagged my email address as spam.
There are times when I find myself wondering if it's possible that I've completely lost my mind, and Zahir doesn't actually exist. There are times when my memories of him are so vivid, but there are times when all I can do is cry.
Please, God.
I only leave my room when I have classes. Otherwise, I just want to be alone, either to cry or pray.
Please help me.
Please.
I don't know who else to turn to.
And that's when He finally answers me.
I'm seated next to my bedroom window, watching the foot traffic outside my dorm, and I'm writing in my journal when I catch sight of a crowd outside one of the university gates. It almost seems like a group of fans waiting for a celebrity to step out of the limousine, and...oh.
How could I have forgotten about her?
PROFESSOR MAIRI TANNER-Leventis gives me a surprised smile when I walk inside her office. She's a dark-eyed brunette in her thirties, and while just about every student in Christopoulos University adores her...
Internet trolls also love to bash her as the world's most notorious gold-digger.
But I digress.
She looks at me expectantly as I take a seat. "What I can do for you?"
"I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time..."
"Not at all."
"It's just I really need your help—-"
"Of course—-"
"—-as a billionaire's wife?"
"Not."
"Please, professor."
"Are you in debt?" the professor asks soberly.
I quickly shake my head. "It's not that."
"Oh, then..."
"There's someone you might know. Or someone who's a friend of a friend."
Her brows furrow. "Aren't you dating the reality star—-"
"We broke up."
The confusion in her eyes instantly into sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Alysse." Her genuine concern catches me off guard, and it's only when she hands me a box of tissues that I realize I've already started crying.
"I'm s-so sorry..."
"Do you want to tell me what happened?"
Her gentle tone destroys whatever self-control I have left, and everything comes tumbling out.
"It's a-all just a mess, P-Professor...and it's a-all m-my f-fault..."
It's as if a heavy burden has been lifted off my shoulders by the time I leave her office, and with the professor playing my fairy godmother, she's also arranged for her own chauffeur-driven limousine to take me to where my heart is.