Chapter 10
Benjamin held the letter in his hand, his mind in complete chaos.
Rachel had tactfully withdrawn, and now he was free to pursue Angelina. Everything seemed to be moving in the direction he had always wanted, yet he couldn’t feel even a trace of happiness. Instead, his heart felt as if it were being torn apart.
The letter drifted to the floor. William, seeing the devastated look on his face, suspiciously picked up the letter.
The moment he saw what was inside, his eyes widened in fury. Rage surged within him, and he raised his hand to slap the still–stunned Benjamin hard across the face.
“What kind of outrageous things have you done?!”
He remembered every one of the thirty–three times the wedding had been postponed. Each time, Rachel was hurt, and he had always regarded her as half a daughter, feeling deeply sorry for her. He never imagined that all of this was caused by his own son!
Benjamin’s head was knocked to the side by the slap, his ear buzzing. His father’s furious voice rang out beside him, as if muffled by a layer of
gauze.
“So that’s why Rachel suddenly wanted to leave–it was you who forced her! Are you even human? Wendy truly wanted to help us, and having you two marry was my idea. How did I raise you to use such disgusting means!”
He said nothing, lowering his head, admitting to himself that his father.
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was right–he really wasn’t much of a human being.
“Go back to your room and reflect on your actions. Without my
Η
permission, you are not allowed to come out!” William commanded with a wave of his hand.
Benjamin did not object. He stood up in a daze and walked upstairs.
The room was silent and dim, and his mind was in utter turmoil.
He himself despised the things he had done, but at the time, it was as if he had been possessed, constantly hurting Rachel, thinking she would never find out, and always telling himself it would be the last time.
Now she had truly found out, and left without hesitation. Only then did he begin to feel completely at a loss.
This kind of emotion felt foreign to him, because in his heart, he had only ever felt responsibility toward her. If that responsibility was gone, he shouldn’t have any feelings for her. Yet now that the responsibility was gone, his emotions surged up, threatening to drown him in their tide.
As time passed, countless images flashed through his mind, all of them about Rachel.
He remembered her as a child, softly calling him ‘brother,‘ and as she grew up, clinging to his side and laughing freely.
When she first came to the Garza’s residence, she was in low spirits from being separated from Wendy. William had told him to keep her company, and he had done everything he could to make her smile. That habit had lasted for a long time, but now, looking back, he suddenly realized she hadn’t smiled like that in a long while.
It felt as if a giant hand was gripping his heart, a dull pain spreading
Chapter 10
through him, forcing him to bend over in agony.
Why did it hurt so much to think of her? Had he always loved her all along?
To test this suspicion, he imagined what he would do if Angelina married someone else.
He might watch her from afar and offer his blessings. But if it were Rachel marrying someone else, just the thought of it made him feel as if he were about to die.
Everything was clear now–he had to find her and bring her back.
Benjamin got up and rushed outside, only to be stopped by the bodyguards at the door. Just as he was about to force his way through, William approached, looking at him sternly: “Are you trying to rebel?”
He looked at his father anxiously and said, “Dad, let me go. I have to find Rachel and bring her back. I know I was wrong. Please, let me atone for my mistakes. I’m begging you.”
William looked at him for a long moment. Seeing the determination in his eyes, he finally waved his hand to let the guards release him.
Benjamin was finally freed and hurried outside, pulling out his phone as he went.
“Benjamin,” William called after him, “once you find her, you must respect Rachel’s wishes. If she doesn’t want to come back, you cannot force her.”
His heart ached terribly, and he remained silent, unwilling to answer. But he knew that if he didn’t agree, his father would not let him leave today, so he could only comply.
