He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 4

Juniper desperately wanted to argue back, but all her anger was extinguished the second the word 'Oakley' hung in the air.

That was supposed to be her and Nelson's secret. They had promised never to tell anyone.-

It turned out he had blabbed to Lydia from the very beginning.

Facing his actual wife, she felt utterly humiliated.

After four years, she finally had to confront the ugly truth.

She had been played by a rich boy looking for a distraction.

She had given up her body and her heart, yet she still stubbornly demanded an answer.

And it was all because she was honest, a sheltered good girl who had never seen how cruel the world could be.

A wave of despair washed over her, only for her to hear Lydia add, "It's fine if you don't want to forgive him. Just don't see him again. He's always like this. Who knows when he might suddenly find you interesting again? I just don't want him to hurt you a second time."

Juniper felt a crushing sense of embarrassment, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.

Having delivered her piece, Lydia tossed the expensive handkerchief into the trash bin and walked out.

The air felt agonizingly thin. Juniper turned back and kept splashing freezing water on her face. Whether it was water or tears clinging to her cheeks, she didn't know. She washed her face numbly for a full minute, until every last trace of warmth swirled down the drain.

She snatched a paper towel from the dispenser, wiped her face rapidly, and stared at her reflection.

Delicate features, a stubborn aura, and large, expressive eyes. Her friend was right—she looked exactly like the fragile, innocent type those rich playboys loved to ruin.

She rubbed her cheeks and walked out. When she returned to the private room, she realized everyone had already left.

Only Nelson was still there, sitting right next to her purse, his eyes lowered as if lost in thought.

Thirteen-year-old Juniper truly despised sixteen-year-old Nelson.

But sixteen-year-old Nelson was the one who tracked down a generous benefactor to pay for her schooling.

Juniper aggressively yanked her purse back. Nelson clearly hadn't anticipated the move; the heavy corner of the bag smacked hard against his collarbone, ripping one of the buttons off his shirt.

The fabric fell open, revealing the full, sharp line of his collarbone.

Juniper's eyes instinctively dropped to the spot right beneath it. When she had finally decided to give him her first time, she had been terrified he was only messing around. Annoyed, Nelson had dragged her to a tattoo parlor, where they got each other's initials inked.

Right there, beneath his collarbone, he had tattooed 'JL.'

He had pointed at the angry red skin and promised, "As long as this is here, my love isn't going anywhere."

But now, that stretch of skin was completely bare.