Chapter 428



Jake dodged her hand, flustered. “It’s not a pretty sight,” he mumbled. “I’ll just put my mask back on.” Just as he was about to put the mask back on, Kallie stopped him. Her gaze locked onto his, serious and searching. “Does it still hurt?” she asked.

Jake’s heart throbbed, his eyes stinging. He shook his head. “Not really,” he said, his voice thick. “The worst of it’s passed.”

Kallie nodded, a flicker of understanding in her eyes. She gestured for him to keep reading.

Jake sat back down, the silence broken only by the rustle of pages as he continued reading. It wasn’t until he reached the second half that he realized the entire diary revolved around him.

The early entries were just everyday stuff, nothing about anyone else, not even the Reeves family. But then, Jake’s name started appearing.

One entry read, “Today, Roderick took me to meet his grandson. He said his grandson was handsome and kind and that we’d get along great. But Roderick was wrong. Jake doesn’t like me at all. He was annoyed the moment he saw me and told me to go away. He said I was taking attention away from him. He called me a bad kid. I’m so sad.”

Jake felt a pang of guilt mixed with strange amusement as he read those last words. It was his fault, all right. Back then, with Shirley whispering poison in his ear, Jake had been convinced Kallie was nothing but trouble, trying to steal his grandfather’s love.

At their first encounter, Jake frowned at Kallie’s presence. Yet, as they spent more time together, she became like a sister to him. Over time, deeper feelings emerged—feelings Jake hesitated to express, wrestling with the notion that they were inappropriate.

Unbeknownst to Jake, their feelings were mutual; Kallie had a crush on him. Yet, their common sensitivities and egos kept them from expressing their feelings, leading to much misunderstanding.

Jake wished to continue reading the diary. However, Kallie grasped his hand, signaling him to pause. It appeared she simply wanted him to read this page. Perplexed, Jake glanced at Kallie. Her gaze was intense, fixed upon him, her eyes silently urging him to clarify his feelings.

Jake didn’t expect her to still harbor bitterness from their past interactions. “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely, his voice laden with remorse.

gⱯlnσν𝒆𝓁s․com delivers what you seek “I never intended to be distant. Perhaps I should have been more forthright from the start, but my stubbornness got in the way. Can you forgive me now?” Kallie offered no reply, merely releasing his hand.

Respecting her silence, Jake continued reading. The following pages detailed mundane daily life, void of the deep thoughts the younger Kallie concealed. Perhaps she too viewed her unspoken feelings as inappropriate, choosing not to document them even privately.

A twinge of sadness struck Jake. He turned to Kallie, taking her hand once more, his tone earnest. “Will you believe me if I say I fell in love with you long ago?”

Kallie remained silent, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. They sat in silence for a lingering half-hour. Jake remained by her side. Fatigue eventually overcame Kallie, and she dozed off against the chair. With gentle care, Jake lifted her into his arms and laid her on the bed. He tucked her in carefully, preparing to leave.

Unexpectedly, Kallie’s hand reached out in a half-sleep state, gripping his. “Jake, don’t go,” she whispered faintly, her voice a soft plea.

A surge of emotion swelled within Jake, his heart stirring. He assured her softly, “I’m here. I won’t leave. I’ll stay right by your side.” Jake settled at the bed’s edge. Gradually, Kallie drifted back into a peaceful sleep.

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