?


    Ruby shook her head. "No need. I live close to thepany and the main road, so there are still plenty of people around at this hour. I''ll be fine." N didn''t insist, nodding. "Alright, message me when you get home."


    "Will do," Ruby replied.


    After that, N and Damon quickly got into the car and left, while Ruby turned to head home. Just as she neared her house, she suddenly received a call from Sullivan.


    "Aren''t you home yet?" Sullivan asked.


    Ruby, not used to his overly familiar tone, frowned. "I''m on my way home. Thanks for your concern, Sullivan, but is there something else you need?" Sullivan, unfazed by her cold tone, kept his voice gentle as always. "Be careful on the road. Let me know when you get home."


    Ruby took a deep breath before replying, "Sullivan, I thought I made myself clearst time. I really appreciate you saving me twice, but my feelings for you are nothing more than gratitude."


    Sullivan had heard this rejection so many times that he didn''t take offense. "Ruby, why not give us a chance? If, in the end, you can''t develop feelings for me, I''ll let you go."


    "There''s no point in trying something that won''t work," Ruby replied.


    Besides, he wasn''t the type of person she liked.


    They both grew up in families that didn''t offer much love, like two hedgehogs bristling at the slightest threat. Being together would only cause them to hurt each other, and she didn''t want to waste time on that.


    "You don''t know it won''t work," Sullivan said, his voice persistent.


    Ruby lowered her eyes, speaking slowly. "Sullivan, people who grow up without love don''t have extra love to give. Loving themselves is already difficult enough.


    "I don''t want us to hurt each other, and you came close to me for other reasons at first, didn''t you?"


    In theb, Tina and Demi were more attractive and lively than she was. Why would Sullivan notice someone like her, with no shining qualities?


    There was silence on the other end of the line.


    Ruby was about to hang up when Sullivan''s voice suddenly came through again. "Ruby, I won''t deny it, when I first approached you, I did have other motives. But after learning that you''ve had simr


    experiences, I became drawn to your


    resilience.


    "I can promise you now, I really like you. It''s not for any other reason, but because I truly care for you."


    His tone was sincere, and for a moment, Ruby imagined him standing before her, looking at her as he said those words. She clenched her phone tightly.


    After a long pause, she replied slowly, "But I don''t like you. Please stop liking me."


    With that, she hung up. Turning it to silent, she tucked it into her bag and began walking.


    She had long gotten used to being


    alone. She wasn''t afraid of


    loneliness. In fact, she had be ustomed to it. But when she heard Sullivan''s words, they still moved her, and her heart skipped a beat.


    It was only a momentary flutter.


    She and Sullivan were too alike-simr childhoods, simr experiences, which had shaped simr stubborn personalities. Two people so alike could never work together.


    In the hospital room...


    Sullivan slowly put down his phone and stared out the window. After being rejected time and time again by Ruby, his patience was running thin.


    Just then, his phone rang. He looked at the screen with anticipation, but his expression darkened when he saw who was calling.