Renee''s gaze became unreadable as mixed feelings overwhelmed her. Her guess was right-the person


    who had saved her was Stefan. His body, embrace, and scent were so familiar to her that she wouldn’t


    have got it wrong. "What happened after that?" Renee took a deep breath and asked slowly.


    "Then, he told US he was a very bad guy, and all he did was make you sad. So, he asked US to lie and


    tell you that I''d saved you and that we''d never met him," Jeffrey said honestly. "I didn''t want to lie to


    you, Renee, but that man sounded very sincere. He said he''d hurt you so much, and didn''t want to


    keep hurting you. He wants to stay away from you, and I... I also didn''t want to see you get hurt, so I


    chose to lie to you. I''m sorry!" Jeffrey kept his head bowed like a child who had done something wrong,


    his eyes watery.


    Justin stared at him, then tugged at Renee''s arm, urging, "Hurry up and forgive him. He''s heartbroken."


    "I never med him, so there''s nothing to forgive." Renee scowled. "All I can say is that he''s very good


    at brainwashing people. He''s a coward and doesn''t dare to face me, but what a lousy excuse he


    chose!"


    "Or... maybe he did something that hurt you, and now he''s too ashamed to face you. Maybe he just


    doesn''t want to hurt you even more?" Justin suggested carefully, trying to make Renee understand the


    situation. Jeffrey was already almost in tears, and he didn''t want Renee to join him!


    "Yeah, you''re right." Renee smiled bitterly. "He knows he hurt me. In fact, I should thank him for his


    self-awareness and decision to not keep on hurting me." Stefan''s actions were a clear confirmation that


    what he''d


    done with Briar was real. There was no coincidence or misunderstanding, and Briar hadn''t been


    exaggerating. Maybe Renee was just too naive, and didn''t understand human nature.


    "I don''t think that man is as bad as you say he is." Jeffrey boldly defended Stefan. "He risked his life to


    save you in the sea, which means that you''re very important to him.”


    "I never doubted that. He''s risked his life to save me many times now, and it''s because of him that I''m


    still alive and kicking..." Renee never forgot Stefan''s sacrifices for her or ever doubted that he would


    risk his life to


    save her. However, she couldn''t deny that he had hurt her. Despite being willing to risk his life for


    Renee, he had still chosen to get entangled with Briar. His guilt towards Renee made him reluctant to


    face her, and he''d cruelly left her world.


    "People are veryplicated. I''m only now realizing that maybe I never truly knew him,” Renee said


    vaguely, her tone mncholic.


    "What do you n to do then?" Justin asked carefully.


    "Nothing." Renee looked into the distance and smiled sadly. "It''s enough that he''s alive. And I... I''m


    done making a scene. I should get back to my normal life."N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.