A Love Forgotten (Arianna and Elijah)

Chapter 124

Elijah heated before continuing, "We met briefly during your freshman orientation. You asked for my phone number and then got my WhatsApp. You reached out to me a few times Tinterrupted him, "Were you dating Jocelyn at the time

Elijah's paze sharpened. "All what are you trying to find out?"

Tupplied calmly. "I just want to get the facts straight forelyniclaims i broke up your relationship. I want to know the truth."

Though still suspicious, Elijah's tone softened as he explained, "We were arguing constantly at the time, nearly every two weeks."

I pressed, my voice neutral, "So, did I know you were seeing someone

This looked puzzled by my demeano

"No, you didn't," he admitted after a moment, "but I also wasn't dating you. We never went out back then

"Thank you. "I said, nodding

He frowned. "Thank you for what?"

Et at least knowing your boundaries back then."

I paused, then asked, "Did you breakup with her afterward?"

Elijah nodded. "Jocelyn started preparing to further her studies abroad that summer. We were practically done by then anyway.

"My family's company had hit a rough patch, so I couldn't focus on her, and you found out about my situation from somewhere and kept pursuing me."

Abitter laugh escaped me. Elijah seemed to see it, his expression wary

He'd always been smart, and I felt foolish for not seeing it sooner. A man as clever an him must have known all along what I wanted, so why did he keep telling me to "mop acting foolish"? Because he never intended to acknowledge his own faults. Elijah, sensing my chill, draped his coat over my shoulders, shrugs off, and finally lost patience

"Ariana, what are you trying to do? Did you really call me out here just to ask pointless questions?

I took out my phone and showed him the search page I'd been scrolling through earlier. My voice was cold. "And what about this?"

Shock flickered across his face, and then his expression turned furious. He snatched my phone, shutting it off quickly.

"Ariana, what are you trying to say?" he demanded. "You have the nerve to bring this up? 1 haven't even-

I began laughing, the sound bubbling up uncontrollably, tears streaming down my face. "So, you do know the truth, don't you? ** Elijah's anger grew. "What much? This was all because you didn't know how to behave -

He cut himself off as his throat had closed because he saw me standing on the edge of the seawall, just inches from the drop

Below us, these churned, waves crashing onto the rocks below, some 20 feet down. His expression shifted. "Ari, what are you doing?

I felt the cold sea breeze rush through me, an exhilarating sense of freedom surging in. Eyes half-closed, I let the moment take over, embracing the feeling of liberation.

Elijah's voice tiembled "Ari, get down, please."

The wand lifted my hair, and I gave him a faint smile. "Why should 17 Elijah, didn't you say I didn't know h how to behave? Maybe a woman as terrible as me disappearing would be better for

Tlaughed, the salty breeze mingling with my tea

Elijah? What's the truth here?"

with my tears. "Jocelyn said broke up your relationship, yet you just told me you'd already broken up when I came into the picture. What about this,

His mouth opened, but no word came out

*ya million dollars and your undying love for Jocelyn," I murmured

I started humming softly, my toes tracing the rough face of the seawall's ledge, inching toward the very end, swaying slightly as the wind gusted,

Elijah's voice shook uncontrollably, "Aul, come down! Crise down, and I'll tell you the truth."

But I looked past him, sepainting at the distant horizon

"It doesn't matter anymore, "I whispered "None of it matters at all."

I raised a hand in Tarewell. "Goodbye, Blijali. Thope we never ment again."

"No!, you did nothing. You were set upl=

I closed my eyes, teaning back into the old. The ion of free fall was exhilarating, lifting my spirit as th

The last sound I braidwana ford crea

as though my soul were finally susting free.

Goodbye to this ainted world Goodbye to everything I loved, hated, and never had the chance to cherish. None of it mattered anymore. Fädn't need to know the truth or hold onto any memories of the past. Maybe i was never meand 10 exist in this world