I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 302

I blinked, then nodded.

Was she offering to call the police for me? What a dedicated doctor.

Her brow smoothed out slightly. “You need to tell your partner to be more mindful of positioning, to learn what works. He needs to be gentler, not so rough. A woman’s body is delicate; it can’t handle that kind of force. If he can’t do that, you push him away. Don’t enable him, or he’ll just keep pushing the boundaries.”

Feeling a little awkward, I nodded obediently, the tips of my ears turning red. It wasn’t from embarrassment, but from the sheer cringe of it all. I never imagined a gynecologist would be so blunt. My mother had died when I was young, and my mother-in-law only cared about me getting pregnant. I had no one to discuss these things with. Steven was always just focused on the act itself; he never talked to me about any of it.

The doctor wrote me a prescription and then added, “Also, if you’re only experiencing pain, besides a lack of compatibility or your partner’s technique, it’s possible the issue lies with you. You might be experiencing a lack of arousal due to psychological reasons. I’d recommend seeing a therapist. It might help.”

A lack of arousal?

A slow sense of understanding dawned on my face. No wonder it hurt so much more than it used to. In my past life, I had wanted him. This time, I was resisting him from the bottom of my heart. My body was instinctively rejecting him, and that’s why I tore.

Steven… I had truly and completely given up on him, inside and out.

After thanking the doctor, I paid for the prescription and waited for it to be filled. I scrolled through the trending topics on my phone and saw that Horace Spencer’s car accident and his withdrawal from the music competition were both blowing up online. My brow furrowed, and I immediately called Rachel to get the details.

Rachel was quiet for a moment before saying, “It’s true. Horace’s leg is badly injured. He won’t be able to stand for a while, he can barely even get out of bed. Unless the show’s producers are willing to postpone filming and let him compete with his injury, he’ll have to drop out.”

Just a few days ago, Horace and I were encouraging each other. He was so confident about making it to the big stage, and with his popularity and talent, he had a real shot at winning. Now, just like that, everything had changed. And it was all because of me.

I felt a lump in my throat, my chest tight as if stuffed with cotton.

“Is there anything we can do? What can I do?”

“Without a major investor stepping in, our only hope is public opinion. Otherwise…”

I pressed my lips together. “Okay, I understand. Rachel, Steven and I are divorced. There are… some other things happening, I’ll tell you when we see each other. I’m free and clear now, and I’m going to do everything I can to help him get back on that stage.”

Rachel’s voice was clear and unwavering. “Zephyra, I sincerely hope you can finally see Horace’s feelings for you. It isn’t friendship. It’s love.”

“Zephyra, you were in love with Steven for a year. But Horace has been in love with you for nine.”

I was so surprised I laughed. “Rachel, what are you talking about? Horace likes someone else, he…”

Rachel cut me off without mercy. “The girl he likes is you. Don’t just take his word for it, think about it. Pay attention to how special you are to him. If he didn’t love you, why would he have risked his own leg to save you?”

“Why would he rush back to the country the moment he heard you were unhappy, before he was even fully recovered? Why did he drop everything—his entire future—and rush to find you just because you hung up the phone abruptly, thinking you were in danger? Zephyra, wake up. Do you really think that’s just friendship?”

“And don’t tell me you’re just ‘best friends.’ Sure, I’d do a lot for you, I’d drop everything to help you, but I wouldn’t risk my life. And you can’t fake the way he looks at you. His feelings for you crossed the line from friendship a long, long time ago.”

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