Chapter 83

"Ariella, if you keep treating me like some outsider, it's really gonna hurt me. Honestly, nothing in this world matters more to me than you. No joke, when I found you in that dark room... my heart just broke. It doesn't matter if you love me or not-I still love you. Everything I do for you, I do it willingly. "But if you push me away and let him get his hands on you again, that's what would really kill me. These past few days you were gone, I couldn't sleep, couldn't think straight-I've been worried sick. Just come with me, please. Don't think of it as owing me anything. If you really want to make me suffer, rejecting me would be the way. Remember last time you left? I didn't stop you. I just stayed back, watching over you from afar. But clearly, staying away from me didn't keep him away. I can't let that happen again." His words were raw, real-from the heart. Ariella could feel it; she wasn't numb to his sincerity. Sure, she used to hope she could reason with Lucian, maybe convince h