Chapter 523
When I heard Ronan''s cocky voice on the line, I could detect his regret over the words he had blurted
to me in the hospital previously. Consequently, he was now embarrassed by it.
“I can''t be at the hospital because I''m tied down with something. Jte is having some trouble,” I
simply exined, not wanting the awkwardness between us to worsen.
“What happened to her?” Ronan''s curious voice rang out at the mention of Jte''s name.
“I''m not at liberty to say, but it certainly isn''t something good.”
I didn''t tell him about the rape, for I was cognizant that the lesser people who knew about it, the better.
“Sheesh, despite being friends for such a long time, you actually refuse to tell me. You know, I couldn''t
be any more disappointed.”
Much to his dismay, Ronan didn''t expect me to refrain from telling him about it.
“It''s just inappropriate as it rtes to ady''s reputation. Besides, it''s not like you''re interested in her, so
why are you being such a busybody? Unless, of course, you intend to pursue her?”
Worried that Ronan would press on with his questions, I quickly changed the topic.
Upon hearing my usation, Ronan anxiously denied it. “Of course not. I''m sure you''re well aware that
I only have feelings for you. Moreover, why would I fall for such a rude brat like Jte?”
His words rendered me speechless. Even though I''ve long known of his feelings for me, I had been
avoiding the matter ever since. Consequently, I was caught off guard by his sudden confession.
At that moment, the atmosphere began to grow awkward.
“Ronan, you know full well that it''s impossible between us. So, don''t ever bring this up again.”
After a momentary silence, I admonished him sternly, for he had always been one to speak without any
discretion.
In the past, I would only feel awkward and not be angered at all. But now that I was considered the wife
of his cousin, it was no longer appropriate for him to make such suggestivements.
When my scathing words silenced Ronan, I knew that I had hurt him. Nheless, I had to draw the
line to avoid any unnecessary awkwardness in the future.
When I heard Ronan''s cocky voice on the line, I could detect his regret over the words he had blurted
to me in the hospital previously. Consequently, he was now embarrassed by it.
Whan I haard Ronan''s cocky voica on tha lina, I could datact his ragrat ovar tha words ha had blurtad
to ma in tha hospital praviously. Consaquantly, ha was now ambarrassad by it.
“I can''t ba at tha hospital bacausa I''m tiad down with somathing. Janatta is having soma trou,” I
simply axinad, not wanting tha awkwardnass batwaan us to worsan.
“What happanad to har?” Ronan''s curious voica rang out at tha mantion of Janatta''s nama.
“I''m not at libarty to say, but it cartainly isn''t somathing good.”
I didn''t tall him about tha rapa, for I was cognizant that thassar pao who knaw about it, tha battar.
“Shaash, daspita baing friands for such a long tima, you actually rafusa to tall ma. You know, I couldn''t
ba any mora disappointad.”
Much to his dismay, Ronan didn''t axpact ma to rafrain from talling him about it.
“It''s just inappropriata as it rtas to ady''s raputation. Basidas, it''s not lika you''ra intarastad in har, so
why ara you baing such a busybody? Uss, of coursa, you intand to pursua har?”
Worriad that Ronan would prass on with his quastions, I quickly changad tha topic.
Upon haaring my usation, Ronan anxiously daniad it. “Of coursa not. I''m sura you''ra wall awara that
I only hava faalings for you. Moraovar, why would I fall for such a ruda brat lika Janatta?”
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His words randarad ma spaacss. Evan though I''va long known of his faalings for ma, I had baan
avoiding tha mattar avar sinca. Consaquantly, I was caught off guard by his suddan confassion.
At that momant, tha atmosphara bagan to grow awkward.
“Ronan, you know full wall that it''s impossi batwaan us. So, don''t avar bring this up again.”
Aftar a momantary snca, I admonishad him starnly, for ha had always baan ona to spaak without any
discration.
In tha past, I would only faal awkward and not ba angarad at all. But now that I was considarad tha wifa
of his cousin, it was no longar appropriata for him to maka such suggastivamants.
Whan my scathing words sncad Ronan, I knaw that I had hurt him. Nonathss, I had to draw tha
lina to avoid any unnacassary awkwardnass in tha futura.
“I understand. I was just pulling your leg. There''s no need to take it so seriously. Besides, I didn''t make
any moves over thest two years. So there''s nothing for you to worry about at all.”
When Ronan spoke, his tone was tinged with a rare sense of solemnness. I had almost never heard
him talk to me in such a serious manner before.
Feeling guilty upon detecting the disappointment in his voice, I had no idea how tofort him.
Meanwhile, silence continued to fill the line. Given how talkative he usually was, it was an indication of
how devastated he felt.
“Ronan, no matter what, I still thank you for liking me. To me, you truly are an indispensable friend!”
Even though we could never be lovers, he was still someone extremely important to me. Furthermore, I
would never forget how much help he had extended to me in the past.
The very next second, Ronan gloated over the line, “I''m well aware of how important I am to you. So,
you should show me a better attitude when you speak to me instead of sounding cold all the time.”
Even though his tone sounded casual, it didn''t escape my notice that he was just trying to ease the
tension in the air.
“Okay,” I inly agreed with a curl of my lips.
“All right, if there''s nothing else, I''m ending the call now. Anyway, I''m going out on a date with some
pretty girls who have been calling me up non-stop, so I''ll talk to you again. Bye!”
Just as he finished, Ronan ended the call without giving me time to react.
Listening to the call end tone over the line, I sighed in resignation. Obviously, I didn''t believe Ronan
when he imed to be going out to pick up girls.
All this while, he never had a girl by his side, just like Michael. In fact, those not in the know even
spected that he was gay. A phndering yboy of old had now be a paragon of abstinence.
After returning home, I felt the tension within me being released as Iy on my bed and fell asleep.
Despite howplicated Jte''s situation was, it was still necessary to get it resolved.
Over the next few days, there was no change in Jte''s condition. She continued to behave just like
a puppet. Whenever I brought food over, she would finish it without saying a word to me. Furthermore,
she had no intention of returning home still.
At the rate she was going, her family would definitely begin to worry, which was something that
concerned me.
I had nned to persuade Jte to go home over the next two days. Unfortunately, Alicia called
before I could get to it.
When I saw her name on the caller ID, I was reluctant to pick up, for I had no idea what to say even if I
did.
In the end, I still chose to answer on the ount that I had already decided to try and forgive her.
“Hello?”
As of then, I had no idea how to address her yet, for I couldn''t bring myself to call her Mom.
“Anna, am I disturbing you by calling?”
Assuming that I would still show her a frosty attitude, she sounded visibly tense.
“No, what is it?” I answered in an indifferent tone.
“I just wanted to ask you if you know where Jte is. I''m beginning to worry since she isn''t picking up
my calls. After all, it has been a few days since thest time you found her, but there''s no sign of her
yet.”
I could hear the concern in her tone when she mentioned Jte.
“Something happened to her that I hadn''t managed to tell you yet. She might need some time to ept
it, hence the refusal to take your calls.”
Given that it was inevitable for Alicia to find out about the rape, I decided to reveal it considering how
worried she was.
“Jte is in trouble? What happened to her?” Alicia asked anxiously upon hearing my answer. She
clearly cared a lot about Jte.
After rting Jte''s gang-rape incident and how I subsequently found her, Alicia fell into a deathly
silence.
When I didn''t hear anything for a long time, I began to worry that she couldn''t take the shock.
“Hello, are you still there?”