With the vast university campus spread out before her, Stella never expected to run into Justin again.
Her first instinct was to lower her head, pretend she hadn’t seen him, and walk past without a word.
But Justin had other plans. He approached her directly and said, “Ella, can I talk to you for a moment?”
She froze in place. “Mr. Hall, what do you want to talk about?”
He pressed his lips together. “It’s about Weston. I think you deserve to know.”
After dropping Bryce off at the office, Justin had managed to carve out a few moments to come see her. It had been a long time since they last spoke, and though he knew he should stay out of matters concerning Weston, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was something she needed to hear.
Though he’d convinced himself that he was over her, seeing her again stirred something inside him.
As they sat in the gazebo, the thought of having a calm, composed conversation with her seemed impossible.
“What exactly is it, Mr. Hall?” Stella asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Noticing her impatience, Justin decided to get straight to the point. “Are you with Weston now?”
Stella didn’t immediately respond, but her silence spoke volumes. Justin removed his glasses and closed his eyes for a moment, the tension in his shoulders unmistakable. His hand clenched into a fist, resting on the marble table.
After a long pause, he finally spoke. “I know it’s inappropriate for me to say this, but he’s not a good man.”
“Is that all you wanted to say?” Stella’s voice was cold as she tried to push him away. “If that’s it, then—”
“He’s not just with you,” Justin interrupted, his voice sharp. “He’s seeing other women behind Guinevere’s back.”
Stella looked down, unable to meet his gaze.
He continued, his eyes locking with hers, intense as a hawk’s. “You know about Lowe Garden, right? You met him there. After you left, he went to another woman. He’s been secretly supporting her. Guinevere’s been searching for her everywhere.”
Stella kept her eyes lowered, hiding the emotions that threatened to surface. Justin could feel the weight of her silence.
“Don’t you have anything you want to say?” he asked, his voice softer now, as if hoping for some reaction.
“What’s there to say?” Stella’s bitter smile barely reached her eyes as she met his gaze. “What is my relationship with Weston? What could I possibly say about what he does?”
“You don’t have to put yourself in such a low position,” he said, his voice tightening with frustration. A sudden pang of pain shot through his chest. He had disapproved of her choices for so long. She had a chance to be with him openly, yet she had chosen to be Weston’s hidden lover.
He had warned himself not to keep in contact with her, but now, seeing her in front of him, those thoughts seemed distant.
“Ella, it’s not too late to turn back,” he said, his voice almost pleading.
“Turn back?” She scoffed, her voice bitter. “Don’t kid me. If I had the chance, I wouldn’t have chosen this path in the first place.”
He looked down, the words sticking in his throat. “I’m sorry. I was too weak.”
He remembered how reluctant she had been at first. He should have been the one to protect her.
“It’s not your fault,” she said softly, standing up. She didn’t want to linger on this topic any longer.
“I’m sorry for nearly getting Bryce into trouble earlier,” she continued, her voice genuine. “Let’s not see each other again, Mr. Hall. I’m afraid you might get implicated in my mess.”
Justin could hear the sincerity in her voice, and he knew she wasn’t just saying it to get rid of him. She truly meant it.
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