Chapter 21

Stefan's nervousness became increasingly apparent, with cold sweat forming in his palms. However, no one came to open the door even after he waited for a long time. Feeling panicked, he instinctively tried to push it. To his surprise, the door was securely locked. It wouldn't budge at all. A small blackboard nearby read, "We're closed today." At first, he thought the blackboard was a sign that Alyssa was waiting to meet him, having put up the notice to avoid other visitors. But now, he realized it was a message of rejection. She had no intention of meeting him at all. At that moment, everything became clear to Stefan—Alyssa had played him. All of this was her way of telling him, "Sorry, but I don't plan on forgiving you." Stefan stared at the guesthouse in disbelief. He couldn't forget how, back when they were together, they had talked about opening a guesthouse by the sea. Simply enjoying the ocean breeze and holding each other was their idea of happiness. Knowing how much sh