Chapter 52: Lose you to love me
Song recommendation for this Chapter: Lose You To Love Me by Selena Gomez.
Silence lingered for a moment before Quinn finally spoke, his voice low but resolute. "I cannot explain why I was so convinced you deserved pain, but now I am certain you are the only one for me. Belle, give us another chance." His plea hung in the air, but Belle only scoffed, her disbelief cutting through his words.
Tears streaked down her cheeks as she responded, her voice trembling with anguish. "Another chance? I did everything to make us work, Quinn! I ran errands while carrying your child. I loved you more than anyone should ever love their partner. I never ran away from our misunderstandings butyou did! I tried to understand you, but you never cared to understand me. I tried to make us one, but all you ever did was destroy that dream!" Her voice cracked, and her fists struck his chest with every accusation.
The torrent of emotions overwhelmed her, and she felt as though her body was ablaze, her heart writhing in pain.
"I know," Quinn murmured, his gaze filled with remorse. "And I am sorry. Please, Belle, let me fix my mistakes. I need you." There was no defense, no justification he could offer, only the desperation of a man begging for forgiveness. He knew he didn’t deserve it, but if she granted him a second chance, he vowed never to hurt her again, even at the cost of his life.
"You are sorry?" She repeated, her tone bitter, wiping away her tears. "Do you have any idea what I sacrificed to keep our child alive, even while my health crumbled? I wanted to risk my life for that child, hoping you would love the child, care for the child while I was gone! And what did I get in return? You came home and looked at me with disgust, a result of your mother’s torture!" She struck her chest as if to drive the pain outward.
Quinn flinched, her words cutting deeper than any blade. He could feel the intensity of her anguish, the weight of every sacrifice she had borne alone. How had he allowed himself to be so blind, so easily manipulated? How had he never sought the truth?
"I..." he began, his voice faltering.
"Don’t!" She snapped, cutting him off. "I needed to lose you to learn how to love myself, Quinn. There is no second chance for us. Leave." She turned her back on him, her body trembling with emotion. She didn’t want him to see how broken she still was, how she shed tears for a man who had already shattered her heart.
Thinking he had left, Belle turned slightly, only to be caught off guard as Quinn embraced her from behind, his arms wrapping tightly around her.
"Let me go, or I will scream for help!" She shouted, struggling against his hold.
But he didn’t loosen his grip. Instead, his voice dropped to a pained whisper. "I was a fool, Belle, but one thing I could never truly do was let you go. As long as our bond remains, I will never let you go—not even in death."