Justin knew that Ryanâs family matters were his sensitive spot. Though Justin cared, he rarely inquired
about it.
Bella said, âMrs. Hoffman is a very conservative person. Her husband passed away early, and Ryan is
her only son. She placed almost all her hopes on him. She canât even stand Bethany, so how can she
possibly favor Carrie?â
She continued, âRyan is a devoted son and has always respected and loved his mother deeply. Do you
think he will go against his mother for Carrie? And what about that scheming Zoe? She has always
treated Bethany as a puppet, pulling strings from behind the scenes. She inherently looks down on
Shannonâs daughters. Do you think she will treat Carrie well? If Carrie ends up with Ryan in the future,
there will be turmoil and endless struggles. Itâll only mean suffering and hardship for Carrie. Do you
think Carrie can be happy like this? Even if Ryan loves her, that love will be gradually exhausted by all
the conflicts and schemes. Moreover, Carrie is so innocent and naive⦠How can she possibly compete
with them?â
As Bella spoke, her eyes teared up and reddened. Her exquisitely fair face made her look like a fairy,
breathtakingly beautiful.
âWas she judging Carrieâs situation based on her experiences?â Justin
thought.
Essentially, she was recounting the hardships and grievances she endured during their three years of
marriage.
There was no freedom or relief, just bitter tears and broken hearts.
Bella had nothing more to say to this man. She had said what n
to be said.
If he insisted on having his own way, she would have to use her o iron fist to solve the problem and
protect the people that mattered to
her.
Watching Bella decisively turn to leave, Justin was unable to restrain his intense emotions any longer.
He embraced her cool and delicate body tightly from behind.
âYouâ¦â Bella instantly forgot to breathe. Her heart was pounding hard.
âIâm sorry. Itâs all my fault. I didnât think it through. If you donât like it, I wonât bring it up again. Iâll never
bring it up again.â Justin wrapped his left arm around her soft waist, and his right hand held her slender
shoulders. His arm encircled her collarbone.
All the strength in his body seemed to gather in those arms as he hugged her tightly.
He wished that he could merge her into his body.
Bellaâs body was tense. Justinâs sultry voice flowed into her ears,
captivating her.
âJustin, let goâ¦â She was rejecting him, but her voice was gentle, making her rejection seem
contradictory
âI wonât.â Justinâs sharp jaw rested against the hollow of her neck. rubbing against it. âBella, I have
never been a greedy person. But when it comes to you I can never seem to get enough itâs never
enough, even when I hug or kiss you.â
He was a man of few words and was not good at expressing himself,
so even his sweet talk was succinct. Yet, they caused ripples in
Bellaâs heart.
This striking couple were like magnets, irresistibly drawn to each other under the streetlight.
âBella.â
Suddenly, a gentle yet icy voice rang out from behind them.