But I shook my head, stepping back.
“No need,” I said, my voice firm. “I’m going home.”
“Okay, let me take you home.”
Raphael still behaved as if nothing had changed. He opened the door for me, helped me with my seatbelt, and drove at a steady pace, as if we were not on the verge of destruction.
But I was not in the mood to be coddled.
I turned to him, my voice cold, sharp. "Why are you still being sweet to me even though you're going to marry Colette soon?"
His hands tightened around the steering wheel. His face darkened, jaw clenching as if the question alone was enough to enrage him.
"Who said that?" he demanded. "Is it Colette? Is that why you two were fighting earlier?"
I let out a humorless laugh. "Did it look like a fight to you?" I shot back instead of answering his question.
Raphael exhaled sharply, running a frustrated hand through his dark hair, his usual composure slipping. "Listen, whatever you hear, it's not true. I will not engage with Colette, let alone marry her. I only love you, Nadine. I want to be with you forever.
"As for my parents' plan," he continued, "that was just their plan. I never agreed to it. Then…."
I cut him off, my voice colder than ever. "But you were always aware of Colette's unrequited love, right?"
He choked out, his grip on the wheel tightened.
"Then what’s the connection, Nadine? You know enough that I love you. That should be enough, right?"
His voice rose, frustration lacing every word.
It was not our first fight, but it was the first time I felt something break inside me.
I turned to him, my chest tightening with a pain I could no longer ignore. "It’s not enough, never enough.
"The truth is, you don’t really love me. You love me because I’m a Delaunay."
His head snapped toward me, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"What do you mean? I don’t care who your family is!" he said fiercely. "I would be happier if you weren’t a Delaunay. Our relationship would be smoother if you weren’t tied to that name!"
"Yes, that’s right," I murmured. "You always think of me like that. A nuisance. A problem you need to overcome. A complication that shouldn't exist."
I took a shaky breath before delivering the final blow.
"So just get rid of me, Raphael. From now on, don’t worry about me. Don’t look for me. Just let me go."
And with that, I unbuckled my seatbelt, my fingers reaching for the door handle.