Chapter 9 She Doesn't Love You

Elizabeth's eyelashes fluttered, like the wings of a butterfly dipped in water, looking pitiful. She grasped Ronan's sleeve tightly, her fingers whitening, "Ronan..."

Ronan didn't look at her again. His gaze fixed on Alice, not giving her a chance to refuse, pulling her to the table where he had been sitting earlier.

Elizabeth watched helplessly as the sleeve slipped from her grasp, her fingers futilely grabbing at air-nothing to hold onto, just like she could never hold onto Ronan.

It had been the same back then. She watched him walk toward Alice, while she herself could only hide in the shadows, watching their sweet moments from afar, like self-inflicted torture.

Elizabeth closed her eyes in despair, took a deep breath, and left the restaurant.

She didn't get into a car; she stood by the roadside, holding the handles of her bag in front of her, looking through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows at the two figures seated opposite each other. She couldn't tell what they were talking about, but it was enough just to watch.

Inside the restaurant, Alice was expressionless, "What do you want to talk about?"

The things that needed to be said had already been made clear last time in the hotel.

Ronan didn't speak, his gaze shifting across her face.

Gradually, Alice started to feel uneasy. His gaze seemed to turn into something tangible, inching across her skin.

"Ronan, what exactly do you want to say?" Alice looked directly into his eyes.

Ronan smiled slightly, "Aren't you going to call me Mr. Brown anymore?"

Alice was speechless.

To be honest, it was quite embarrassing to have him witness her awkwardness today.

She, too, had pride. It was one thing to be observed by others, and she wouldn't feel any extra emotion, but when it came to Ronan, she hated showing him her most vulnerable side.

Ronan spoke slowly, "Divorced, with two kids, what does that mean?"

The last time in the hotel, he only saw the little girl. Did she have another child?

Alice knew she couldn't avoid the topic of the children. Her tone was calm, "It means exactly what it says."

Ronan's eyes darkened, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "With the way you're acting, it's as if I owe you something. Was I bad to you when we were together, Alice?"

The words "Was I bad to you" made Alice's eyes sting with tears. She clenched the flesh of her palm, forcing herself to stay calm, not wanting to show weakness in front of him.

He had treated her too well, so well that everyone at school knew how he favored her.

On the contrary, it was she who had wronged him, abandoned him.

She owed him.

Alice felt she couldn't stay there any longer. She wasn't as strong as she had thought and would eventually break down. She stood up, pressing back the lump in her throat, speaking calmly, "I have things to do. I'll leave now."

She didn't say goodbye, hoping never to meet again.

She hurried out, almost colliding with the glass of the revolving door, and once outside, a gust of wind blew by. Her eyes inevitably welled up. Turning her head, she saw Elizabeth standing not far away, her long hair blowing gently in the wind. Her small face and slender figure seemed fragile and pitiful.

Elizabeth was also watching her. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but her eyes couldn't conceal the resentment.

Alice had known back then that Elizabeth liked Ronan. That look in her eyes was accusing, as if blaming Alice for showing up in front of Ronan again.

Elizabeth waited a long time before Ronan finally came out of the restaurant.

He held a lit cigarette between his fingers, the ember flickering as the wind blew. His gaze was dark and unreadable, always leaving people wondering what he was thinking.

Since he hadn't forgotten Alice, did he love her more, or hate her more?

Elizabeth dared not think too deeply about it. She walked up to him, "Ronan."

Ronan gave her a quick glance, tapped his cigarette, and the ash fell. He frowned slightly, "Why haven't you left?"

Elizabeth forced a smile, her voice still gentle, "I had nothing to do, so I waited for you."

As they walked toward the parking area, Elizabeth casually mentioned Alice, trying to probe Ronan's attitude towards her, "What a coincidence, I didn't expect to run into Alice here. She seemed to be... on a blind date?"

Ronan didn't respond. He walked past a trash can and flicked his cigarette butt into the ashtray.

His steps were large and quick, and Elizabeth, wearing high heels, struggled to keep up, looking as if she were jogging after him, her breathing growing heavier. She steeled herself, taking a bold move, "Wasn't she with Carl?"

Mentioning Carl made Ronan stop abruptly, like a sudden brake on a highway. Elizabeth was startled by the drop in pressure, her foot twisted awkwardly, and a sharp pain shot through her.

Ronan looked at her coldly, "What do you want to say?"

He could mention Carl, but no one else was allowed to bring him up in front of him.

Elizabeth bit her lip, enduring the pain and feeling helpless. She finally gave up on probing, and just laid it out, "Ronan, I'm worried you'll be fooled by her again. She treated you that way back then; she was just playing with you. She doesn't love you."

Ronan suddenly let out a cold laugh, his smile not reaching his eyes.

Elizabeth was confused, her heart pounding.

What was he laughing at?

"I'm an adult and have my own judgment. I'm not a three-year-old who needs others to tell me what I can and can't do." Ronan's gaze was devoid of warmth. "Understand?"

Elizabeth's eyes finally turned red, "And what about you? Do you still love her? Even though she betrayed you, slept with another man, and you saw it with your own eyes, do you still love her?!"

She nearly shouted those words.

She wanted to tear open Ronan's old wounds and pour salt into them so that he wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Unfortunately, she didn't get an answer.

Alice, feeling emotionally drained, couldn't drive for a while. She rested her eyes, lying on the steering wheel.

Her phone rang once, but she didn't move. It rang again, and she slowly sat up and took out her phone.

It was a message from her mother.

She asked how her chat with Daniel had gone, and if she liked him.

Alice felt exhausted and didn't reply.

There were only a few friends on her WeChat, and her finger hovered over the screen, scrolling up and down until she found a name. She tapped it.

She typed a few words, "What are you up to?"

Sunny replied quickly, "Just got off work, on the subway home. What's up?"

Sunny was Alice's childhood friend. Neither of them was from New York City but from a neighboring province. Now Sunny worked in a luxury store in New York City.

Alice, "My mom tricked me into a blind date, and I met a weird guy."

She didn't mention Ronan.

Sunny perked up, "Big sis, a beauty like you still needs to go on blind dates? What's your mom thinking? Tell me all about it, what happened?"

Alice didn't feel like typing, so she sent a voice message telling her friend about what had happened that evening.

Sunny had just gotten off the subway and also sent a voice message, her tone excited, "What?! That's so shameless? Did you meet a typical 'average guy plus'?! Not only average but also sleazy!"

Alice didn't understand at first, so she asked, "What kind of guy?"

"An 'average guy'!" Sunny explained, sighing, "You've been out of the loop for too long, you don't even know this term."

The two chatted back and forth, and Alice's mood lifted. She started driving home.

When she entered the house, Jane immediately grabbed her, "So, how did it go? Do you think you can get along? Jane has only good things to say about that guy, says he's close to me and only introduced him to my daughter, didn't introduce him to anyone else. It must be because we're destined."

Alice patted her mother's shoulder, "That Jane..."

Jane eagerly asked, "What's wrong?"

Alice continued, "You should stop contacting him."

Jane, "?"