He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 174

But she probably didn't realize that her eyes gave everything away. They held an innocence that easily made a person's heart soften.

After school, she would run up the mountain to pick wild herbs. She had heard that someone came to the village every month to buy them dried.

So, every evening as the sun began to set, she would carry a burlap sack up the mountain, stubbornly refusing to ask her parents for money.

Her mother didn't even know she had lost that week's allowance.

Nelson had stayed right by her side, lounging on a nearby rock and watching her diligently pick the herbs. He hadn't realized she was desperate for cash; he just assumed her family needed them for something.

That was Juniper. She was an expert at swallowing her own bitterness and suffering in absolute silence, never breathing a word of it to anyone.

The truth was, he would have accepted all of her flaws—if only she hadn't lied to him back then.

He would have accepted every single one of her twisted insecurities.

Nelson's thoughts were a tangled mess when his phone suddenly rang. It was Julian Sterling.

Julian had just gotten married, and Zara Zimmer had reportedly moved into his mansion. Now, he was calling Nelson out for drinks.

Having nothing better to do, Nelson headed to the club.

"That woman is a spectacular actress. Claiming she doesn't want anything from me."

Julian let out a mocking laugh. "She expects me to believe she wants absolutely nothing? That she just genuinely wants to marry a guy with a reputation as trashed as mine? Just so she can eventually be known as a divorcée? Do any of you buy that?"

The VIP booth was packed with their usual social circle.

Julian found it hilarious and let out a heavy sigh. "Whenever you hang out with us, you always act so cold and untouchable. But Juniper is the only one who actually makes you act human. Haven't you realized that? You can't hide your emotions when it comes to her. Nelson, you've been holding onto this anger for years."

Nelson remained silent. The image of her kissing Alistair flashed through his mind, and the rage he had been trying to suppress instantly flared back to life.

He refused to go looking for her.

A chilling, predatory glint swept through his eyes. She would come crawling back to beg him.

Seeing that look on his face, Julian had a bad feeling and tried to offer some advice. "Out of all of us, you've always been the most ruthless. But I'm warning you—leave yourself an out. Don't push her too far. Juniper is actually a decent person. Are you sure there wasn't some kind of misunderstanding about what happened back then?"

Nelson couldn't be bothered to entertain him. He stood up and headed straight for the door.

Julian cursed under his breath. The guy truly never gave anyone the time of day.