“The hospital called me. That’s when I found out you were pregnant. And that… you lost the baby.”
His voice was full of guilt. He reached out to touch her cheek, but she turned away from him.
She gripped the sheets so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Be honest,” she asked, her voice low but firm. “You still have feelings for Chesca, don’t you?”
Rockwell was silent. After a few seconds, he sighed and gave a bitter smile.
“I’m sorry, Solenne. You’re right. I admit it. She was my first love—my first real love. I still… care about her.
“But I swear to you, the one I love now is you. I promised you I’d be with you, and I won’t go back on that. Please, just believe me.”
Solenne stared into his deep, tender eyes and whispered, “Then… are you going to run away with me in five days?”
In five days, she was supposed to leave Brooklyn to find Luther.
If Rockwell would come with her that day—if he’d give up his revenge against Luther—then maybe, just maybe, she could give him one last chance.
But once again, Rockwell let her down.
He hesitated. And in that pause, she already knew his answer.
Still, when he finally said it out loud, it cut her like a blade.
“I’m sorry, Solenne. Five days is too rushed. I can’t guarantee we’d get away clean. Someone will notice.”
From the moment she saw his hesitation, she knew he wouldn’t choose her.
But hearing him say it—confirm it—it still hurt like hell.
She let out a dry, bitter laugh. “Got it.”
He noticed her mood shift, and tried to comfort her, gently ruffling her hair. “Don’t overthink it. I love you. Trust me.”
Just then, a nurse’s voice rang out from the hallway.
“Ma’am, are you here to visit the patient? You’ve been standing outside this room for so long.”
The door creaked open.
When Solenne looked up, she saw Chesca standing there, pale as a ghost, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears. Her beautiful face, full of sorrow.
Instinctively, Solenne turned her head to check Rockwell’s reaction.
He, too, had looked toward the door the moment the voice rang out—and when he saw Chesca standing there, panic immediately flickered across his eyes. His expression turned frantic in an instant.
Chesca looked like she’d been struck hard. Her legs seemed to give out beneath her, and she swayed like she might collapse.
She didn’t say a word. But somehow, it felt like she had already said everything.
She gave Rockwell a single look—just one—and then turned and ran.