Chapter 30


    The meal  went smoothly. She now felt more at ease with hispany. Although Justin looked stoic


    and arrogant, deep down he’s a warm person. And gosh, thatugh. It hugged Serene’s heart and sent


    shivers down her spine. She has not felt this good in such a long time.


    After the meal, Justin drove her back to the hotel she was staying.


    “Do you have any ns for the weekend?” Justin gave her a quick nce.


    “This weekend? I’ll be in Coast City.”


    “I see.” Justin nodded.


    He stopped the car a few meters from the hotel’s entrance, which earned a confused look from Serene.


    He cleared his throat and looked at her. He scanned her face, not wanting to miss a single feature. His


    index finger gently traced her jawline, sending thousands of shivers down Serene’s back.


    She wanted to look away, but Justin’s gaze held her eyes in ce. He looked at her with so much


    longing and warmth it made Serene’s heart beat erratically in her chest.


    Different emotions yed in his eyes. He seemed to fight an internal battle. After a while, he cupped


    her face in his hand, still looking at her tenderly. Serene cannot help but lean on his hand and sniff its


    fragrance.


    “Serene…” His breath soundsbored.


    “Hmmm…” she lifted her eyes to look at him.


    The way Justin’s eyes looked at her simply took Serene’s breath away.


    “I like you.” His eyes bored into her. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed.


    Serene’s eyes rounded from his confession but said nothing and just continued to listen to him.


    “I know that things between us are crazy and messy, but I don’t care about them. I only know that I


    want to be with you.” Justin took his hand from her face only to hold her hand. He gave it a gentle


    squeeze before putting it to his mouth and gave it a peck.


    “Please Serene, give me a chance.” His pleading voice was knocking on Serene’s heart.


    Her head was a mess. She cannot believe what she just heard. Justin liked her? When did this


    happen? She felt a little giddy from his confession, but a heartbeat after the reality of their situation hit


    her. Come on, Justin is Bryan’s brother-inw. Her ex boyfriend’s brother-inw for crying out loud!


    “Justin…” She gathered all her courage and looked at him straight in the eyes. Her heart skipped a bit


    when he saw tendernessced with passion in them. She swallowed hard to steady herself.


    “We’re adults, and it is pointless for us to deny that there’s chemistry between us.” Justin smiled at her


    deration.


    “But you’re right, things between us are crazy and messy, I mean your brother and my ex.” She gave


    him a weak smile.


    She surveyed his face once more, tracing each feature with her eyes. She freed her hand from his,


    then touched his cheeks.


    “You’re a good man, Justin. The least I can do for you is to be honest.” She saw how emotions yed


    in his eyes. From tenderness, to passion, and now slight panic.


    “I don’t think I’m ready to be in a rtionship again. My past rtionship has wrecked me to pieces I


    don’t know if I’ll ever have the courage to be in another one.” She bit her lower lips as she tried so hard


    to not cry in front of him. “I’m sorry, Justin.”


    She felt her heart tighten and heat creeping up to her eyes. She did not want him to see her cry. So she


    gave him a pained smile, released the seatbelt, and bolted out of his car.


    Justin stared at her nkly as she walked her way towards her hotel. She was long gone, but he still


    kept his position. A sneer formed on his mouth.


    He released the breath that he did not know he was holding. Of all the people in the world, why did he


    fall for Serene? He asked himself as he ran his hand through his hair. Why do things between them


    have to beplicated?


    He felt so defeated. If only I knew her earlier.


    ****


    Serene plopped herself on the bed and stared nkly at the ceiling. She hugged the pillow beside her.


    She felt her tears rolling down her eyes.


    She knew  she liked Justin from the time she agreed to give him another chance. She never thought


    that Justin would like her. Now that they know they mutually liked each other, it would have been nice if


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    they can be together.


    But things just have to be fucked up between them. Serene let out a long sigh. After Bryan, this was the


    first time somebody made her feel good. It would have been a straightforward choice. Justin’s a good


    man and any girl would want to be with him. However, she got hurt pretty badly and rtionships


    scared the living daylights out of her. It was so bad that it frightened her to trust once more for the fear


    of getting hurt and broken again.


    Serene let out a painedugh. Of all the people she’d fall for, it had to be Justin, her ex’s brother-inw.


    “Justin…” She sighed as he said his name. A fresh batch of tears rolled down her face when she


    uttered his name. It’s a pity that she cannot be with such a man. Her heart ached for him and wanted


    nothing but to be held by him, but he spelled trouble.