Chapter 11
I looked into the stuffed bear’s eyes for a moment. Then, I pushed it away.
“I loved the one Carrie took from me. The one my dad gave me for my birthday.”
Lucas hesitated before saying, “He said Carrie ruined that bear’s eyes. He replaced them with new ones.”
I was too tired to say anything more.
“Lucas, please ask him to leave. Don’t let him come back. Maybe he really regrets everything. Maybe he wants to make it up to me. But I don’t need it anymore. And keep my illness a secret from them. I don’t want to see any of them before I die.”
Lucas stayed until I fell asleep, then left. I never knew what he said to Nick, but after that night, Nick never showed up again. Still, my old toys–the ones Carrie had stolen–began appearing around me. Beautiful dresses, gifts Nick had bought for me, all neatly arranged in my room.
I didn’t need them anymore.
I asked Lucas to donate everything to children who actually needed them.
Since I had blocked Josh, he couldn’t reach me. But I guessed Nick had gone back and told him where I was, because soon after, Josh called Lucas instead.
Lucas had once respected my choice and left me in Josh’s hands. Now, seeing me like this, battered and broken, I could feel the anger and pain radiating from him.
Josh didn’t escape his wrath.
If Lucas weren’t staying here to take care of me, with his temper, he’d probably be on the next flight over just to break Josh’s arms and legs.
Lucas handed me the phone, his expression cold. “If you don’t want to answer, I’ll hang up now.”
I took the call.
On the other end, Josh sounded exhausted, his voice hoarse.
“Grace, you still love me, don’t you? I was wrong before. Please, give me another chance.”
“Is Carrie dying? And now you want me as a backup?”
“It’s not like that. Grace, she keeps threatening me with death every day. I can’t take it anymore.”
“Josh,” I said. “I never loved you.”
Maybe, back then, choosing him was just my way of rejecting Lucas.
Chapter 11
I hung up and handed the phone back to Lucas.
His eyes lit up. “Grace, you really never loved him?”
