Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

136. The Curse Has Broken

“You made me fall in love with you,” she continued, her voice trembling as her emotions spilled over. “I wasn’t even interested in you that way at first. I didn’t care about love, or any of those feelings. But you made me see you differently, you made me want something more. And then you said it was just a game... That you were only playing with my heart.”

She wiped a tear from her face, her pain, it pierced through me. I stood there, speechless.

She pushed me back slightly, her eyes blazing. “You really want to know how your presence affects me?” she said, her voice trembling with pent-up emotion. “It shakes me to my core, Ryan. Just the sight of you... it sends shivers down my spine. Do you even realize what your words do to me?”

Her voice cracked as she continued, “The day you proposed to me, I laughed at myself. I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection, asking myself over and over—what did Ryan see in me? Why would he propose to someone like me? I didn’t want to ruin our friendship, so I tried to follow your lead, to listen to your side. And little by little, you made my heart flutter. Slowly, your words started to mean something. Some felt sweet, others... others started to hurt. I didn’t even realize what was happening to me.”

She turned away, her voice thick with emotion. “Then, right here, on this rooftop... you told Vicky you could never like me. Those words -- they shattered everything. That’s when I realized the mistake I had made. You succeeded in your plan, and I was the fool who fell for it.”

She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, but I could see the tears glistening in her eyes, the weight of years of suppressed pain threatening to spill over. "You want to know why I didn't try for medical again? Why I chose a general degree instead?" Her voice grew quieter, more vulnerable. "Because I couldn't do it, Ryan. I couldn't even hold a pen. My hand trembled every single time I tried to hold. I couldn't solve a single math problem. I couldn't memorize anything... I was terrified of failing. Every time I tried to study, I felt like I was suffocating. Books became my enemy. Just the thought of picking one up made me freeze in fear."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she wiped them away quickly. "I don't want to cry. I don't want to cry in front of you," she whispered, her body trembling.

I couldn't stand it any longer. I stepped toward her, wrapping my arms around her gently, pulling her into a tight embrace. Her head rested against my chest, and for a moment, she didn't resist. She melted into my arms, the sobs she had been holding back for years finally escaping in quiet, broken gasps.

Her voice trembled as she spoke. "Do you know how many times I wanted to cry? How many nights I lay awake, suffocating under the weight of it all? But I never did. Not once in these eight years. I couldn't cry in front of you. I didn't want to show you my weakness. I didn't want to worry my parents. But it's been so... suffocating."

Her words broke me. I held her tighter, trying to offer her some sense of comfort, though I knew I was the one who had caused this pain.

I murmured softly, "Finally, you've broken the curse. Finally, you've let go of the tears you've been hiding from me all these years." My voice trembled with emotion.

Still crying, she whispered through her sobs, "I didn't want you to see me like this. I just couldn't... couldn't hold back anymore."

"This isn't the first time, Sarah. It's the third." She looked up at me, her eyes wide with confusion. "It's the third time I've seen you break down," I continued softly.

I pressed her head gently back against my chest, wrapping my arms around her tighter. "You don't need to hold it in anymore. You don't need to keep building walls around yourself. Let them crumble, Sarah. You can fall apart in my arms, and I'll be here to shield you from the world, no matter what."

She cried hard in my arms. As I wiped a tear from my own eye, I held her tightly and murmured, "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry for everything. I had no idea I hurt you this deeply. I never wanted that."

Pulling away, she wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I don't blame you," she replied, her voice steady but soft. "I never held a grudge against you. I was just... frustrated. It was my mistake to let myself fall for you. I wasn't committed to my goals; I let myself get swayed. I chose this path, even if I was absent-minded about it. So you don't need to apologize for it."

Her gaze locked onto mine, an intensity in her expression that made my heart race. "But now, I've made a choice. I want to dedicate myself to my dreams. I truly believe it's not possible for me to focus on my career if you're in the picture."

A deep sigh escaped my lips as I processed her words, the reality of her decision hitting me hard. "Okay. If you need time, take it. But just know this -- I won't agree to a divorce. I'll be waiting for you in the car."