âDr. Larson is a renowned neurologist from Meridan. I brought him to Savrow to treat your sequela,â
said Bella.
âYou may leave now. I donât need treatment,â Justin responded curtly, his gaze lowered in rejection.
âDo you think Iâm seeking your approval, Justin?â Bellaâs eyes widened
with indignation.
âAnd did you think I would approve of it, Bella? My health is none of your concern. You need not
bother,â Justin retorted icily, his tone
devoid of emotion.
âYou!â
âIf you wish to continue attending the event, please proceed to the banquet hall. If your sole purpose
here was to discuss this matter with me, you can leave with your companion now.â
As Justin finished his sentence, he turned around expressionlessly
and walked away without hesitation.
âYou fool! Have you lost your mind?!â Bella yelled after him.
However, Justin continued walking.
âJustin! Stop right there! Justin Salvador!â
As he moved farther away, his imposing figure vanished into the night.
Bella stood still in place, allowing the cold wind to batter her slender frame. She felt the chill seeping
into her core, permeating every fiber
of her beingâ¦.
A profound sense of loss crept up her legs, winding its way through her and making it impossible to
evade.
âSomeone once offered me $1 billion to treat them, but I didnât agree to it. Now that Iâve personally
come to see Mr. Salvador, he wouldnât even spare me a glance. Heh.â
Arnold leaned against the tree trunk, chuckling playfully. âWell, should we call Mr. Salvador a tough guy,
or should we say that heâs just plain
dumb?â
âHeâs just plain dumb.â Bellaâs eyes welled up with tears.
âYeah, thatâs what I thought too. I just didnât want to say it.â
Arnold watched Bellaâs trembling figure quietly, then asked softly, Hey, do you still love him?â
Bella felt a sudden jab in her heart. She clasped her fingers tightly.
What did you just say?â
âIâm asking if you still love Justin.â
âDoes that have anything to do with you?â
âYou still love him.â Arnoldâs fox-like eyes narrowed. âYour lack of a
direct answer is an answer in itself.â
âArnold, now that youâve seen all this, Iâll just tell you about it.â
Bella turned to face Arnold, speaking each word carefully. âI once
loved him very, very much. I even thought my heart could beat a
lifetime for him. Even if he didnât love me, I was willing to be there for
him for a lifetime. But now, all I feel is guilt toward him. I donât want to owe him anything anymore.
Thatâs all.â
With a graceful smile and a casual wave, Bella strode forward
confidently. âLetâs leave the past behind.â
Arnoldâs heart skipped a beat, his smile fading slowly.
He was not one to believe in true love, but if he ever encountered it, he
would deeply respect it.
*
Meanwhile, in the underground parking lotâ¦