Pearl froze.
Tanner hugged her tightly and lowered his head.He pressed his lips on the top of her head and said in a soft voice, "You’ve become thinner."
Before coming to her, he had imagined many different kinds of reunion scenarios.
Would he go crazy and express his longing for her? Or would he try to stop at nothing to trap her by his side again? Countless thoughts flitted across his mind, but he was scared when he saw her.
He was afraid of her rejection.He was afraid that she would hate him.
Pearl stayed frozen stiff in his arms for a long while.She pressed her lips thin and pulled his arms away.
"Tanner," she said without turning her head back, "What are you doing here? There's no way we can return to how things were."
His heart skipped a beat, and he froze.
"Do you still hate me?"
"Not anymore." Pearl turned around to look at him.
She forced herself to stay calm and said, "I’ve already let go of everything between us."
Tanner walked up to her and said, "But I can’t."
She was stunned for a moment, but she swiftly regained herself.
"That's impossible, Tanner.For you, I'm a blemish in your relationship.You and Sandy would have had a happy life without that marriage contract, so you hate me."
"I've never hated you." Tanner stopped in front of her.
He gazed into her eyes and continued.
"Hate is nothing but an excuse."
He pulled her into his arms and stroked her cheek with his palm.
His breathing was becoming heavier as he said, "Pearl, I’m a jack*ss.By the time I realized how wrong I was, I had lost you.I've been living in guilt for the past three years, and there hasn't been a day that goes by without me thinking about you."
Pearl turned her head sideways and added, "I have a kid."
"But you aren't married yet."
Tanner’s finger stopped on her lips.
"You haven't been seeing any men for the past three years, and if you got pregnant that year, your kid should be this big already, right?"
Pearl’s heart skipped a beat, and she pushed him away.
"Tanner!"
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