Chapter 16

"Jules, getting a tattoo really hurts," Dylan said. His voice carried a trace of humility. Along with the slight trembling of his body and the redness around his eyes, he was a picture of sorrow and vulnerability that tugged at the heart. "I've always loved you. I know you blame me for not protecting you back then, for being hesitant when I chose you. Look, I've even had this tattoo redone for our sake." However, Julia was completely unmoved by his pleading. "It hurts, does it?" Her gaze fell on the tattoo. The slight concern in her words lit a flicker of hope in Dylan's heart. Unfortunately, the next sentence that followed crushed that hope completely. "But what does that have to do with me? Dylan, I didn't ask you to get that tattoo. I don't need you to prove your so-called love." The indifference in her eyes was like a sharp blade that ran straight through his heart. In that moment, Dylan felt as though there was an insurmountable chasm between them. He instinctively stepped