Betrayed and Dumped She Rose Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 563

Stephen finally realized they were still in the restaurant. He let go of her, only to grab her right hand the next second, holding tight like he was scared she’d slip away. “Let’s head out first,” he said.

As they left, Rebecca glanced across the table. Shawn was already gone.

Stephen didn’t let go of her hand the whole way. Their fingers were laced so tightly, Rebecca had to laugh. “Why are you holding on so hard? I’m not going anywhere.”

He eased up a little at her words, but didn’t let go. He licked his dry lips. “I just… I’m scared I’ll lose you again.”

Stephen’s hotel was close by, so they went straight there. Once inside, he finally released her hand and poured her a glass of water.

Rebecca reached over, brushing his lips with her fingertips. “You need this more than me. Your lips are so chapped.”

The touch of her soft fingers made Stephen shiver. He caught her hand and pressed a gentle kiss to it.

Rebecca looked away, cheeks flushed. “Drink some water.”

She sat on the sofa and watched him quietly. Up close, he really was ridiculously good-looking. Perfect face, perfect build, and an air about him that just screamed confidence. She couldn’t help but wonder, was he secretly rich or something?

“What are you thinking about?” Stephen had somehow ended up right beside her, pulling her back from her thoughts.

Seeing him so close, Rebecca cleared her throat. “What exactly are we?”

She wasn’t going to mess this up again. Even if Shawn had said Stephen was her boyfriend, she needed to hear it for herself.

Stephen’s lips curled into a smile. “Shawn didn’t tell you?”

“He did. But I want to hear it from you.”

He reached out and ruffled her hair, voice relaxed. “We’re together, but it’s a secret.”

Rebecca froze, eyes wide. She swallowed. “A secret? Why?”

“First, because I just stole you from someone else. I don’t want anyone coming after you.”

That one sentence made Rebecca’s mind spin. Did that mean she’d cheated to be with him? Was she really that kind of person?

She took a deep breath. “And the other reason?”

He smiled at her. “Because some people don’t want us together.”

“Who?”

“Your mom. And my uncle.”

Rebecca went quiet. If her mom didn’t approve, she probably had her reasons. Maybe she was traditional, cared about morals… or maybe it was something else.

When Stephen tried to touch her cheek, Rebecca scooted away. “So… why did I jump in the sea? Were we running away together and you bailed, so I tried to prove my love or something?”

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