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They had loved each other a long time ago. Back when they were young and naive, Poppy met Soren–and she quickly learned just how sensitive he was, and what made his heart race. 

Now Soren’s dark eyes burned red with longing; under Poppy’s relentless advances, he could hardly catch his breath, his mouth dry with desire. 

His sharp, ragged breaths tore away the last of his composure. 

But even so, he forced himself to stop. 

Something was wrong. 

All those years, every time he was with Evangeline, he would purposely taunt her, saying that if only it were Poppy’s face before him, things would be different. 

Now, Poppy herself stood right in front of him. 

He only had to let go, and five years of aching desire would finally be satisfied. 

But the feeling wasn’t what he’d imagined. Not even close. 

A chill ran down his spine, a dreadful certainty that if he truly gave in to this moment with Poppy, something irreversible would happen–something he was 

afraid to even name. 

That creeping, suffocating sense of foreboding wrapped around him, freezing him in place. 

Just as he was about to lose all control, Soren wrestled back his sanity and gently pushed Poppy away. 

Poppy’s eyes were red, brimming with confusion and hurt as she stared at him, speechless. 

Soren couldn’t bear to look her in the eye. “What happened between us… that’s all in the past. You deserve better–someone who isn’t already married. I can’t let you ruin your dignity because of me.” 

Poppy bit her lip so hard she nearly drew blood, swallowing her humiliation and anger. “Is it because of Evangeline?” 

Soren said nothing. 

But in his mind, he saw Evangeline’s pale, tear–streaked face. 

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A tangled rush of emotion swamped him, impossible to untangle. 

When Soren stayed silent, Poppy took it as an answer. 

She already felt humiliated by his rejection, but to realize she had lost to Evangeline made the shame burn even deeper. 

Tears glimmered in her eyes as she forced out, “Soren, have you forgotten? That place beside you–that was supposed to be mine.” 

“If it weren’t for Evangeline, we would be together now.” 

Soren looked at her. 

He remembered how, at the beginning, he’d thought Evangeline had stolen what rightfully belonged to Poppy. Out of guilt, he’d tried every way he could to make Evangeline suffer. 

But now, he recalled what Evangeline had said to him at the old family estate. 

Maybe, just maybe, his feelings for Poppy had never been as deep as he’d convinced himself. Maybe, if they had been, he would have fought harder for her, 

no matter the cost. 

He couldn’t keep lying to himself. 

He stood up. “Our breakup had nothing to do with her.” 

Poppy’s eyes widened in shock. “What?” 

Soren went on, as if he hadn’t seen her reaction. “There’s no such thing as ‘what if‘ in this world. This is reality.” 

“The reality is, I’m married to Evangeline now. There’s no going back for us.” 

“Maybe we both made mistakes before, but we still have our own lives to live. We can’t let selfishness lead us into something even worse.” 

Poppy refused to accept it. 

She clenched her jaw, despérate to say something more, but Soren cut her off. “Put some ointment on your wounds. They’re pretty bad–you shouldn’t let your mind 

wander. Get some rest.” 

With that, he turned and walked out, not looking back. 

When his figure finally vanished through the doorway, Poppy’s anger exploded. She slamined her fist down on the bed with a muffled cry. 

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But more than anger, she felt a rising sense of panic. 

Why was Soren defending Evangeline? 

He’d never done that before. 

Was he… falling for Evangeline? 

The thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly shoved it away. 

Impossible. 

Aside from her background, what did Evangeline have? In every way–looks, talent–she came up short. 

If Soren truly loved Evangeline, he would never have let her be mocked and shamed for five years in Serenity City. 

Besides, when Poppy returned home, it was Soren who rescued her in that car accident–he’d chosen her, not Evangeline. 

The memory settled her nerves a little. 

Yes, before she’d returned, she’d learned from Liam that Evangeline was pregnant. That was the only reason she came back, and after getting her hands on Evangeline’s schedule, she’d staged that crash on purpose. 

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