Chapter 22

With a flicker of clarity still in his eyes, Clifford instantly let go of her. He asked, "Tess, don't you recognize me? It's me, Clifford. The one you love most." Tessa wrapped her arms around herself, clearly still not fully conscious, but murmured, "Clifford? I don't know him. Where's my Edison?" Clifford stood frozen. For the first time, he knew what it truly felt like to have his heart break beyond repair. Before this, he could still lie to himself that Tessa was just angry, that she was pretending, that she couldn't possibly love someone else. But right now, the truth was clear as day. In Tessa's heart, he no longer mattered. She didn't love him anymore. "Tess." His hand reached out, but all he did was gently pull the jacket tighter around her. "I've already hurt you so badly before… How could I ever hurt you again?" He gave a bitter smile and slid back into the driver's seat. He looked at the woman he loved more than anything in the world through the rearview mirror, knowin