NovelBarHe couldn’t tell if it was from lack of sleep or the melancholy of parting ways with Thomas. Although he yearned to know, it wasn’t his place to ask. After a pause, he ventured, “You and he…”
“Wie broke up,” interjected Cecilia, her tone casual.
She then strolled over to the window, reaching for her coffee cup.
Mark’s eyes followed her, noting a touch of solitude in her posture.
She was still in her early 30s, he thought, surely she yearned for companionship. He’d encountered Thomas a few times, and the man seemed to mesh well with Cecilia. Love aside, Mark believed they could have had a fulfilling life post-marriage.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtHis emotions were a tangle.
It was a blend of relief and self-reproach.
Olivia, in her playful zest, scampered toward Mark, intending to Leap into his embrace, but the treadmill stood in her path.
She stamped her little feet, craning her neck to look up at him.
In response, Mark scooped her up.
Olivia’s arms found their way around Mark’s neck. Admiring how handsome her father was, she planted kisses on his face, leaving a trail of drool on his chin.
Mark didn’t mind.
He ambled slowly behind Cecilia, Olivia secure in his hold.
After what felt like an eternity, he managed to ask, “Did you care for him?”
Eyes downcast, Cecilia offered a smile.
“If I admit I did, would you cease to appear before me, or stop visiting my house?”
A pang of pain shot through Mark’s heart.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmThey were both acutely aware of her split with Thomas.
Yet, Mark couldn’t make that promise.
He accepted his own selfishness, understanding that when someone craves something deeply, they might just do anything to obtain it.
Cecilia’s demeanor remained even.
“Mark, there’s no hidden message here. I’m simply stating that Edwin and Olivia hold more space in my heart than anyone else… It’s not about you.”
Her words, stark and grounded in reality, stung.
But they were Mark’s to bear.
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