?Chapter 297:
Dani managed a faint smile as she looked at him.
“Let’s just be friends for life, okay? Once the initial spark fades, what’s left is just the wreckage of routine and boredom. Why go through all that trouble?”
With that, she reached for the door handle and pushed it open. She stepped out of the car, but before leaving, she nced back at him. Her voice was gentle, almost kind.
“Go home, Cedric, and get some rest. Tomorrow morning, we’ll still be friends who can count on each other. That’s more than enough, isn’t it? I’ve always been distant, Cedric. Loving someone has nevere naturally to me. Alexander wasn’t wrong when he said that. If I had truly loved him during those ten years, I wouldn’t have walked away as easily as I did. That just proves my feelings were shallow. The truth is, I’ve always loved myself more than anyone else.”
Dani offered Cedric a faint smile, her voice gentle but firm.
“Choosing someone like me, Cedric, would only mean settling for less than you deserve. Why do that to yourself? You’re too smart for that, aren’t you?”
Then she stepped out of the car and shut the door behind her with a soft, decisive click.
The weight of her parting words snapped Cedric back to reality. He leaped out of the car and bolted after Dani.
At the building’s entrance, his hands trembled as he fumbled for his keycard. When he finally got inside, the elevator doors were already closing. He dashed up the stairs, taking them two at a time. But the second he arrived at Dani’s apartment, he heard the faint click of her door closing.
He knocked on the door, urgency in every pound. After a moment, Josie appeared, her eyes heavy with sleep.
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“Sir, what’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Cedric didn’t answer. His heart was racing, consumed by frustration and regret over his missed opportunity. He raced upstairs and pounded on Dani’s door with renewed desperation. But the door remained firmly shut.
Cedric leaned against the door, his voice breaking as he spoke.
“Dani, stop lying to me! You’re not Alexander—you’re not heartless! And I’m not like you. I won’t let misfortune dictate my life! You call me smart, but I’m not. I’m just a fool. When I set my heart on something, I don’t let it go! Ever!”
Even after he finished speaking, his breaths came heavy, yet he stood his ground, refusing to budge.
At the far end of the hallway, Lillian and Ryan froze, their eyes wide with surprise. After a moment of stunned silence, they exchanged nces and gave Cedric an encouraging thumbs-up. For the first time, he was taking a stand for himself.
That night, Cedric remained resolute. He sat quietly outside Dani’s door, his back against the wall, waiting patiently. He was determined toy bare every emotion that had been bottled up in his heart.
The following morning, Dani opened her door to find Cedric crouched outside, looking like he hadn’t moved all night. The moment she stepped into the hallway, Cedric sprang to his feet and brushed off his pants.
“Dani, I’m not scared,” Cedric blurted, his voice breaking the silence.
Dani didn’t need him to exin; she understood the weight behind his words. She gave him a brief nod and walked past, her expression calm and unreadable.
“You said yesterday that you and your mother went through it and things ended badly. But that doesn’t mean my story will turn out the same! Is that why you rejected me? I can’t ept that,” Cedric pressed, following her.
Dani made her way to the kitchen, her movements deliberate as she retrieved tes, knives, and forks from the cabs. She began arranging the table, setting a ce for Cedric as well. Just as she reached for the bread to slice it, Cedric’s hand moved faster, taking hold of it first.
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