He had just walked to the door when the cup hit his frame. Glass shards flew upon contact and missed his face by a hair.
“Kendrick!” Nevaeh exclaimed in shock, the blood draining from her face.
Niamh immediately leaned toward Kendrick in shock. “You’re here, Kendrick. I almost thought I wouldn’t have survived to see you again.”
She called his name intimately, her tone a newfound degree of delicate as she lifted her alluring orbs to meet the man’s slightly shocked gaze.
In contrast to Kendrick, Nevaeh’s eyes were blown wide in shock. “Vera Quinn! What did you just call my fiancé? Why are you looking at my fiancé like that?”
“Kendrick told me to call him that.” Niamh smiled innocently.
“What?” Stunned, Nevaeh’s eyes widened.
Niamh curled her arm around Kendrick’s shoulder mirthfully, her eyes sparkling. “Perhaps you should explain it to Miss Delgado over here, Kendrick. Everything I said is the truth. Oh, and how you also said that you’re willing to have me as your wife should I say yes, right?”
A smile bloomed on Niamh’s face as she looked at Kendrick, her words infuriating Nevaeh to the point that veins had begun to pop on her forehead.
“Don’t you dare think of coming between me and Kendrick, Vera Quinn! I’m the only woman Kendrick loves, so why would he get married to you?”
With that, Nevaeh got off the bed while feeling distressed and ran toward Kendrick, tears pooling in her eyes in a show of how delicate she was.
“She’s lying, right, Kendrick? Tell me she’s lying.”
“She’s not.” Kendrick did not hesitate to answer and it left Nevaeh gaping with wide eyes.
Niamh curled her lips in satisfaction. “Who knows what would’ve happened had you not saved me, Kendrick. Are you free today? I’d like to thank you.”
“I’m free,” he replied gently, turning to Niamh. “Have you fully recovered?”
“Yeah.” Niamh broke into a smile before turning to look meaningfully at Nevaeh. “I’ll have to thank you, Miss Delgado. I would have never known just how much Kendrick cares for me had it not been for the distressing situation you put me in.”
Nevaeh flushed in shame. Seeing Kendrick’s brows furrowing, she began to cry and change the subject. “Why? Why must all of you hurt me? What did I do? Do I have to die before you’re willing to stop?”
Wailing, she reached out to push Niamh away before running out.
Kendrick reached out to hold Niamh by the waist as she appeared to have lost her footing.
Niamh found herself inadvertently falling into Kendrick’s embrace. His cool cologne tickled her nose, disturbing the steady pattern of her heartbeat and breathing.
Quickly steadying herself, she pulled herself out of Kendrick’s hold and stared in the direction where Nevaeh had run to. “Aren’t you going chase after her? What if she jumps off the building again…”
Kendrick interrupted with a light scoff before Niamh was done speaking. “If she’s truly suicidal, something would’ve occurred the last time she tried to jump.”
Niamh was shocked by his reply.
Was he implying that he had seen through Nevaeh’s act?
“I thought you said you wanted to thank me? Let’s go.” Kendrick turned around.
Niamh stayed deep in thought for a few more seconds before following after.
Niamh treated Kendrick to a meal at one of Glendale’s most luxurious restaurants.
Then, he sent her to the lobby of her apartment when they were done.
Kendrick grabbed Niamh’s wrist as he watched her unclasp the seatbelt, ready to alight.
“Mr. Waldburg?” Niamh turned around and watched the man confusedly.
“Wasn’t it Kendrick? Since when did we go back to Mr. Waldburg?” His thin lips parted to whisper alluringly by her ear. His casual smile was tinged with a smudge of mirth that graced his attractive features.
Niamh broke into a kind smile. “Very well then, Kendrick. Is there anything else?”
“Do you know what you were implying with the words you told Nevaeh Delgado?” he asked, an indescribable look swimming in his eyes.
Niamh blinked softly. “I was merely telling the truth, but I apologize if I’ve made you and your lover uncomfortable, Mr. Waldburg.”
“I don’t want your apology.” Kendrick tugged, pulling Niamh before him.
Caught off guard, Niamh found herself mere inches from Kendrick’s deep eyes. Their breaths were mingling.
“I want you to marry me, Vera.”
“…”
Niamh felt her heart skip a beat at his words.
She never expected herself to fall for his words.
Perhaps to hate a person, you had to feel for them too.
The corner of Niamh’s lips tugged into an ironic smile as she rejected the man. “Blame fate, Mr. Waldburg. You already have your dear Nevaeh, while I am to be Felipe’s bride,” she replied faintly, furrowing her defined brows. Her expression was tinged with loss.
“I’m grateful that my parents have gifted me with such an appearance, or you would never have given me the light of day, Mr. Waldburg. Even if you hate this appearance with all your heart.”
Staring into Kendrick’s deep and complex eyes, Niamh pulled her arm back before alighting the car decisively.
Her lips were tugged upward in a carefree manner when she sensed Kendrick’s eyes following her out.
‘Have you finally seen Nevaeh’s true and ugly nature now, Kendrick?
‘Alas, it’s too late now.
‘So late that the wounds I bear may never properly heal. You may wish to use the person I am now to comfort the guilt in your heart, so allow me to push you to your demise.’
…
Kendrick turned his car around after he watched Niamh’s retreating figure slowly vanish from sight.
He bought a bouquet of 88 roses and made his way to the cemetery.
There was so much he wanted to say, but now that he was standing in front of Niamh’s tombstone, he swallowed them all back.
After a long while, he only muttered, “Perhaps I‘ll bring her to meet you should the opportunity arrive. I’m sure you’ll be surprised to find that there’s someone who looks just like you on earth.”
His gaze was meaningful as he stared at the name on the stone. The warm rays of the autumn sun enveloped him, yet it could never chase away the shadows over one specific corner of his heart.
After returning, Kendrick was determined to find out the truth behind Vera’s kidnapping.
The four thugs held nothing back and they all admitted that Nevaeh was the true culprit behind the incident.
They also admitted that they each had their fun with Nevaeh. The four of them stated that Nevaeh had volunteered.
Another strong physical sense of disgust and nausea rose when Kendrick heard the confession.
She had volunteered?
He found it difficult to believe or accept the results of his investigation.
Nevaeh had been the first girl he fell for and the only one he kept deep within his heart as if she was a secret.
Now that truth after truth was exposed about how horrible Nevaeh was, Kendrick was flabbergasted and found it impossible to believe her any longer.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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