Chapter<b>378</b>
“I’llberightdown.”Uponhearingthat,myheartskippedabeat,andIagreedquickly.
Seeingmytroubledexpression,Christineasked,“Whathappenedonhisend?*IwashastilypackingmythingsasIreplied,“Myaunt’scriticallyill.IneedtorushbacktoRiverCity.”
ThinkingaboutDorothy’stactics,Ievenstartedtodoubtwhetheritwastheillnessthatworsenedoritwasbecauseofmygettinginvolved.
“Criticallyill?”Christinedecidedonthespot.“Bryant’ingtopickyouup,right? Stoppacking.Justleaveittome.I’llwrapthingsupherethisafternoon.Yougobackfirst,andwhenIreturn,I’llbringyourstuffwithme.”
Inmydesperation,Ididn’thesitate.“Okay,Chris,Ioweyouone.*
Christinehandedmemy powerbankandphone,pushingmeoutthedoor.“Don’tmentionit.ItispartofmyjobastheHeadoftheMarketingDepartment.Besides,I’mashareholder.I’messentiallyhelpingmyself.”
IhadbroughtChristineintothepartnership,givingherashareofthebusiness.Inodded.“ThenI’moff!”
WhileIwasgoingdownstairs,Bryant’scargracefullypulleduptothecurb.Thedrivercameouttoopenthedoorforme.AsIsettledintothebackseat,Isawhimrestingwithhiseyesclosed.Iwasmorethan happy tokeeptomyself,turningto lookoutthewindow<i>.</i>Thesilenceinthecarwaseerie.
Asmythoughtsbegantodrift,Bryant’svoicebrokethesilence.“StayoutofthemessinVistaTown.”
“Youcan’ttellmewhattodo.”Ididn’teventurnmyhead,mytonefrosty.
Annoyed,Bryantcontinued,“Youthinkjustbecauseofapaternitytest,youcanbewithGregoryandbepartoftheFordfamily?”
*Howdoyouknowaboutit?”Ispunaround,facinghimwithsurpriseand
suspicioninmyeyes.
Thathadonlyhappenedthismorning,andveryfewpeopleknewaboutit.Gregorywouldn’ttalk,andtheMyersfamily,morethananyone,wouldwantitburied,fearingImightreturntotheirfamily.
Bryantlookedatme,hislipsbarelymoving.“Ialsoknowthatyouandhestandnochance.”
Iclenchedmyfists,withdrawingmygaze.“Istandevenlessofachancewithyou.”
“Jane…”Hesuddenlysoftenedhistone.“We’vehadourmomentsinthepastthreeyears,haven’twe?”
“Ifyousayso.”Ilookeddownwithafaintsmile.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.
Ididn’tfeellikearguingifBryantsawmyunrequitedfeelingsandhislukewarmgesturesasourspecialmoments.
For thefirsttime,Irealizedhowexhaustingitcould bewhentoargueaftepletelygivinguponsomeone.
Bryantgaveacolugh.“Gregory’sthatgood,huh?”
Withouthesitation,Ianswered,“Yes.”
Ihadn’tspentmuchtimethinkingaboutmyfuturewithGregoryoverthepastfewdays.My<i>focus</i>hadbeenonunravelingmypast.Butnomatterwhatthefuturemightholdforus,hewasgoodtome.Heprotectedandrespected memorethananyoneelse.
IfIhadtodescribeit,inBryant’seyes,Iwasonceaweed,neglectedandexposedtothestorms.Later,hetreatedmelike aroseinagreenhouse,seeminglydoingeverythingformysakebututterlydisregarding mywishesandthoughts.
ButwithGregory,Iwasasunflower.Hethoughtfullyconsideredmyneeds,respectedmydesires,analyzedtheprosandcons,andallowedmetogrowtowardthesunwithallmymight.
ThatwaswhatIalwayswantedtobe,notaweedorarose.
Uponhearingmystraightforwardand definiteanswer,Bryant’sgazedimmedabit.Hislipsformedastraightline,andafteramomentofsilence,hespoke
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softly,“IfIbecamelikehim,would westandachance?”