hapter 25 Breaking Points

“Come down.”

“Nope.”

bThen /bI’ming up.”

Eliza stayed quiet, took a deep bbreath/b, and then hung up on Zayden.

Zayden’s words bwere /balmostughable to her. Does he really think that’ll scare me?

Honestly, she still couldn’t understand how bshe /bever fell for him.

A few minutes passed. The shlight outside her window finally disappeared.

She thought he’d finally left… until she heard heavy footsteps outside her door.

Then BAM! The door flew open.

Eliza froze

Zayden walked right in without saying a word and dropped himself onto the bed she had just finished making.

“Zayden! That’s my bed!” she snapped, face darkening

He didn’t move. Didn’t say a word.

“Keep this up, and I’ll call the dorm supervisor.”

+8 Pearls

Eliza figured someone like Zayden–a straight–A, rule–following type–would care about his reputation bwith /bthe teachers.

But still, he didn’t budge

Fed up, she walked over and tried to pull him off the bed.

But he grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.

Eliza gasped, stunned.

His chest was warm–probably from running all the way up here. His breathing was heavy, his grip tighter than she expected.

“Zayden, what the hell is wrong with you? Let me go!b” /b

She pushed against him, trying to break free, but he wouldn’t let go.

He held her tightly. His voice bwas /blow, almost broken. “Do you really hate me that much?”

The question made her freeze.

Hate him? Not even close. In her previous life, she’d poured every bit of herself into Joving Zayden.

The day she chose to marry bhim/b, she stood up to her parents for the first time in her life.

It took all the courage she had

bAnd /bwhat did she get in return? Betrayal.

Thinking of how things ended between them, her voice turned cold, detached. “Zayden, I’m saying this onest time. Let me

Maybe he finally heard the distance in her voice, because this time, he let her gob. /b

The silence between them stretched before he finally spoke again. “I told my mom I wanted to call off the engagement. She

said bno/b.

Chapter 25 Breaking Points

Eliza gave a dryugh.

+8 Pearls

Of course. He wouldn’t havee to her for no reason. He must’ve lost it after hearing she was with Nn and went straight to bGrace/b, asking for the engagement to be broken off–only to get shut down.

Otherwise, Zayden wouldn’t be showing up at this hour.

“So what is this? You came here just to vent? Or are you hoping I’ll step in and talk to your mom about breaking off the engagement for byou/bb?/b”

bThat’s /bhow it always was in her past life. The only person he ever treated gently was Naomi.

Whenever he was upset, he wouldn’t bother bNaomi/b. Instead, he’d wander off balone /band vent to the trees behind the school, venting about how Grace always controlled his life.

And back then, she would hide nearby, listening quietly as he let it all out.

Eventually, she learned to read/Zayden without him saying a word.

Whenever he seemed upset, she’d quietly head over to those trees, hiding nearby just to listen–like somehow, by being there, she could carry a little of the weight for him.

But looking back now? She realized she’d only been fooling herself.

It was pathetic, really.

Zayden didn’t respond to her cold words right away. After a long pause, he said quietly,

“This isn’t something I can fix overnight. When the time’s right, I’ll btalk /bto her again.”

Eliza raised an eyebrow. “Naomi’s obsessed with you. If you told bMadam /bGrace you wanted to marry her instead, she’d be thrilled.”

That’s how it went in herst life btoo/b. After breaking off their engagement, Zayden chose Naomi, and bGrace /bfully approved.

In the endb, /bit was balways /babout bwhat /bworked for them.

If Zayden found someone better to marry, Grace would agree to the breakup.

Zayden’s gaze was deep–unreadable.

His eyes settled on Eliza, and after a long pause, he finally spoke. “Eliza… You’ve changed.”

She used to bfollow /bbhim /baround, anxious and hopeful, just waiting for him to finally see her.

Whenever she looked at him, her eyes would light up.

Eliza bhad /balways been shy, and she was never good at hiding how she felt–especially when she liked someone.

And Zayden had known. He’d known all along.

He’d gotten used to having bher /bin his bshadow/bb, /bbalways /bthere, always chasing after him.

But on his birthday, something shifted.

That blook /bin her eyes was gone.

Now, all he saw was distance–cold, quiet distance.

And he didn’t bknow /bbwhy/b,

How could someone change sopletely, all at once?

“People change, Eliza said simply, taking a seat in the chair across from the bed. She still wouldn’t look bat /bhim.

It was the first btime /bthey’d ever bhad /ba calm, honest conversation.

Chapter 25 Breaking Points

The truth was, they’d grown up together.

They shared more than just a typical friendship.

But it was never really equal between them.

bSend /bGifts

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