Avenging Love

Chapter Thirty-six

Jennifer's POV....

We sat there quietly for a while. He hesitated for a moment before trying to place his hand on mine, but I instantly pulled my hand away.

He looked into my eyes, searching for something maybe understanding or forgiveness, but I kept staring straight ahead, I didn't have the courage to meet his gaze.

"I..." he whispered softly before hesitating, the words dying on his lips.

I shifted my gaze to his face. As soon as our eyes met, he quickly looked down, avoiding my stare.

"Promise me that you'll listen," he said softly, almost pleading.

"I'm listening right now, if you could even see," I replied, my voice edged with frustration.

"Let me finish. Don't go before I've finished," he insisted.

"Listening," my voice stern and cold.

"I went to live with my parents, but I needed to return for some documentation. I couldn't leave without meeting you, so I was on my way to your home when Olivia told me you weren't there. Do you remember Olivia? She's one of my good friends, you met her once or twice, though you might have forgotten.

And Jake, he mentioned he told you everything about himself."

"Yeah, he told us everything, when he said his name, then Daisy and I became suspicious about him."

He nodded his head, acknowledging my words.

"So, Olivia told me that you were in the park with that nerd, Alex. The same park where we always met. When I arrived, I saw him holding a rose, declaring his love for you. I couldn't believe my eyes. I half-expected you to slap him, to laugh it off, but instead, you said, 'I love you too.'

When those words reached my ears, my mind went numb, and everything else faded away. I felt that someone had pulled the rug out from under my feet. In that moment, I turned to leave, unable to process what I had just witnessed."

I was just staring at his face, trying to make sense of it all. I attempted to stand, but he grabbed my hand and yanked me back, pulling me down onto the couch with a soft thud.

"You promised that you would listen," his eyes roaming all over my face.

I didn't reply, just watched him with widened eyes and a shocked expression.

He lowered his gaze and started fidgeting with his fingers,as if gathering a courage to speak. After a long pause, he finally began,

"I decided that I would leave this country and never come back. Then, the accident caused by Jake happened."

His eyes darkened and hands stilled, the memory clearly haunting him.

"I sent him abroad, I had to wait for the inquiries. When they couldn't find the suspect, they resorted to checking the CCTV footage. We had hidden our faces and fled in a panic, thinking we might get away unnoticed. But somehow, they managed to track me down. I was caught before I could leave the country, and they refused to let me go.

After two long years, I had an accident that caused me to lose my memory completely. It was a disorienting experience, waking up in a strange place with no recollection of who I was or what had happened. Olivia, somehow managed to reach me.

She believed it was for the best, that I didn't remember anything, my past, my friends, not even my own name, because that way the cops would leave me. She also changed my name to Anton, she wanted a fresh start for me and I trusted her.

Then, one fateful day, I saw you in the mall. The sight of your face struck me like a bolt of lightning, a familiar warmth washing over me. It felt like my world was colliding with my fragmented memories. I was drawn to you, ready to rush over and reclaim the connection I felt, but Olivia stopped me. She said I shouldn't meet anyone until my memory returned fully.

When I finally regained my memories, everything flooded back, the laughter we shared, the dreams we built together. But with that flood of recollection came a dark realization. I thought you had betrayed me. The hurt was too raw, and I tried to push you out of my mind. Yet, every second spent trying to forget you felt like torture, a relentless ache in my chest that wouldn't subside. Your face haunted me, a bittersweet reminder of what I had lost and desperately wanted to reclaim.

I thought it would be better if I never remembered anything at all, including you. I spent countless sleepless nights, and my health worsened day by day.

Olivia insisted that I should focus on my career, and I did. Then, I became well-known Anton Vinson, yet the promise I made to Olivia haunted me: I would forget you. Olivia was always by my side, she never left me.

Despite my efforts, I couldn't shake the memories of you. When I saw you again, everything changed. I thought that if you were in front of me, I would be reminded of your betrayal every time I looked at your face. Perhaps that pain would help me to start hating you. So, I sent Jake to hire you, and soon you were in my office, right before my eyes.

Instead of feeling hatred, my love for you only grew stronger. I became colder towards you, struggling to control the feelings that overwhelmed me. Olivia warned me to stay away from you for my own health, but I couldn't resist. I planned your birthday party, hoping to finally tell you everything I had kept buried inside me. But when the moment came, I found myself unable to speak."

I narrowed my eyes,

"Then what makes you believe that I don't love Alex? Why are you here?" I asked, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

His eyes locked onto mine,

"your eyes, they say everything, they say you love me."

"I don't," I replied.

A slight smirk stretched across his face,

"I know you don't."

"This is just your delusion, nothing else," I shot back.

He stood from the couch and crouched down in front of me, holding both of my hands in his.

"I know I don't deserve you, and I don't deserve your forgiveness. I know I have hurt you a lot, but please, forgive me. I'm sorry. I... I can't live without you, you mean the world to me." His eyes bore into mine, glistening with unshed tears that threatened to spill over.

Without breaking eye contact, I yanked my hands back, I stood up from the couch, my heart racing, and turned to leave.

"Jenny, please don't leave me. Don't do this to me, I can't live without you," he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation.

"It's over," I said, my voice firm yet trembling as I walked away. Each step felt like a stab of pain but I knew I had to be strong. I forced myself to keep moving forward despite the ache in my heart.

I couldn't glance back. If I turned, I knew I wouldn't be able to control myself. I couldn't bear to see him like this, vulnerable and broken, because deep down, a part of me still loved him.

Until then....