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Chapter_216
Bryce’s smile softened as he reached over, placing a gentle hand over Whitney’s. “There’s no need to repay me, Whitney. You’ve been through enough. Right now, just focus on healing—on taking care of yourself and the baby. Everything else… it’ll fall into place.”
Whitney gave a small nod, her throat tight. His words were kind, and his presence grounding, but a quiet unease still fluttered in her chest. She didn’t doubt his sincerity—but she couldn’t help wondering if she was stepping into a promise she wasn’t ready to make. Their engagement was meant to be a safeguard, a shield to protect her child from Ludwik’s vindictive reach. And yet, there were moments—moments like this—that made her wonder if Bryce’s kindness was more than duty.
As they strolled through the apartment once more, the tension in her shoulders began to ease. There was something calming about the space: the minimalist design, the warm natural light filtering in through floor-to-ceiling windows, the stillness of the lake stretching beyond the glass. It was a place where one could start over. A place that offered hope.
Still, even as the environment soothed her, the past clung like smoke—thin but suffocating. “One step at a time,” she told herself. But the thought didn’t erase the gnawing doubt in her heart.
Later, as they drove in silence, the hum of the engine filling the void, Bryce glanced at her. His voice, when it came, was low and careful. “I know you’re doing this for the baby. But I want you to understand something, Whitney—I’m not here just because of that. I’m here for you. No matter what happens, I’m not going anywhere. If you need space, I’ll give it. If you need support, I’ll be there. I just want you to know… you’re not alone in this.”
His words washed over her like warmth she hadn’t realized she was craving. It wasn’t just what he said—it was how he said it. With no expectation, no pressure. Just quiet resolve.
Her heart thudded once, hard. But she couldn’t let herself fall. Not again. The cost of misplaced trust was too high.
“Thank you, Bryce,” she said, barely above a whisper, eyes locked on the road ahead. “I mean it. I just… I need time to figure out where I’m going.”
“I understand.” He nodded, his hands still steady on the wheel. “Take all the time you need. I’m not rushing anything.”
When they pulled up outside the temporary apartment, Whitney turned to him, something fierce and unyielding sparking in her gaze. “I need to find my own footing again. After the baby’s born, I have to go back to work. I need to rebuild my independence. I can’t afford to rely on anyone—not even someone as kind as you.”
There wasn’t a flicker of disappointment on Bryce’s face. Only respect.
“I respect that more than you know,” he said, meeting her gaze without hesitation. “You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. And when that time comes, I’ll be here—whatever you need.”
Whitney’s lips curved into a faint smile. Small. But real. Then she stepped out of the car, feeling the weight of their conversation settle inside her like a stone—but this time, it didn’t crush her. It grounded her.
The future was still murky. Ludwik’s engagement to Elaine loomed like a storm cloud. The tangled threads of Natalie’s surgery and the business entanglements with Skyfaith still dangled unresolved. But for the first time in a long while, Whitney felt a spark of clarity.
She was no longer the woman who had clung to a love that turned into betrayal. She was no longer the one who stood silently beside a man who saw her pain and looked away. Now, she had a child to protect. A life to reclaim. And whether her relationship with Bryce evolved into something lasting or remained a shield against the chaos, she would not falter.
Still, as she closed the apartment door behind her, she couldn’t stop the lingering thought that curled through her mind like smoke:
Was she truly free of Ludwik? Or was there still some part of her tethered to the man who had once held her heart and then shattered it without remorse?
The answers would come in time. Or they wouldn’t.
But one thing was certain—whatever the road ahead held, Whitney would walk it with her head high, her spine straight, and her heart guarded—but not closed.
