Chapter 61

will you " Come with me to Usna , will you ? " Zachary looked at Giselle with genuine sincerity . " Huh ? " Giselle was caught off guard . " You … What do you mean ? " " My Uncle Don , for some reason , decided to send me to the Usna branch to gain experience for a few years , Once his mind is made up , my parents and grandma will back him up without question . I can't really do anything about it . " Zachary let out a sigh , sounding a bit helpless .

" The thing is , I don't want to make things ugly with him . He's done a lot for me over the years . I'm grateful , and I don't want to go against him So … " He looked at Giselle again , his gaze steady . " I want you to come to Usna too . That way , we can still see each other . Otherwise , we'll be stuck in a long - distance relationship . " Giselle didn't say anything . He continued , " You grew up abroad . You're used to life outside . As for your career , don't worry .

I'll invest in a bigger pet shop for you overseas . If you want to try something else , I'll support you financially . You'll also be away from all the drama with the Holt family . We can just live our own life together. " say . Hearing all this so - called beautiful planning made Giselle's mind go blank .

She felt awkward , unsure of what to sa After a long silence , she finally said , " Zach , thank you for caring about me so much , but I've thought a lot about it , and I still think we're not right for each other . I've always seen you as a very good friend . Being in a relationship wouldn't be fair . I don't want to lie to you . " Zachary's eyes dimmed . He stared at her intensely . " What exactly are you worried about ? Can't you see how much I like you ?

I've never felt this way about any other woman . Whatever you want , I can give it to you . " Giselle felt heavy inside under the weight of his unwavering gaze . She'd spent years dritting through life without much care , rejecting countless confessions without a shred of guilt . But this man - he was the only one who made her feel sorry . Because only around him did she feel normal . She didn't need to wear a mask . She didn't need to be on guard .

For a brief moment , she even wanted to tell him the truth about her and Donovan But considering how much Donovan valued Zachary , she didn't dare . Some consequences were simply too big for her to risk . Η " You should go to Usna . " Gselle's voice was low and calm . " Maybe someday we'll ride mountain bikes again and hang out together . There's no need to make things so awkward . You know my situation . We come from different worlds . Forcing this won't lead anywhere .

" Zachary's expression shifted from tender to somber . He stared at her with sadness in his eyes . " Alright , I get it . " That was all he said . There was no impassioned confession , no anger at rejection - only a quiet sorrow lingering in his voice . The light in his usually bright and clear eyes had dimmed , replaced by a hint of something broken .