Chapter 244


    ra felt Ian''s firm grip as he guided her out of the college''s back gate, passing the very alley that


    had been the scene of a traumatic event three years ago.


    The alley remained a picture of neglect, with its pothole-riddled path and walls crying out for a fresh


    coat of paint. The asional yowl of a stray cat pierced the silence, and the flickering streetlights


    stretched their shadows long and distorted across the ground.


    A shiver ran down ra''s spine as she clung to Ian''s arm, her voice betraying her anxiety. "Ian, why


    are we here?"


    Ian''s handsome face was entuated by the dim light, casting sharp contrasts across his features.


    His eyes, deep pools of mystery, shimmered with a soft light, and his lips curved into a half-smile as


    he gazed at ra with a look as tender as moonlight on water.


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    "ra," Ian''s voice was warm, maic, "I never knew what it was to feel a heartbeat until I met


    you. I used to think my fondness for you was just physical attraction, but after you left, I realized it


    was more profound. The moment I saw you here, I fell for you. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have agreed to


    let you stay and take care of me.”


    “I never imagined myself capable of evesting love; my parents'' rocky rtionship had left a


    lasting impression on me. So, I kept my true feelings for you hidden deep within. The harsher my


    words were to you, the deeper the pain in my heart. You taught me what love is and showed me


    how blissful it is to love and be loved.


    “It took me three years to learn how to love someone, and because I didn''t know how to express it, I


    ended up hurting you. If I could turn back time, I''d rewrite our story starting from this alley, and this


    time, I''d be the one to fall for you first. I wouldn''t let you get hurt or lose our child.


    “ra, can we start over?"


    His fingers, long and elegant, traced her cheek, then lingered at her earlobe, sending a shiver down


    her spine. His touch was provocative, stirring a tremor in her body and causing her heart to skip a


    beat.


    Lifting her eyes to his, ra felt the heat of his breath, the intensity of his gaze. This sudden


    revtion left her floundering, unsure of how to respond to this passionate version of Ian. She knew


    how to handle cold, indifferent Ian, even the sly, domineering Ian, but she was at a loss with this


    tender and alluring man before her.


    Seeing the panic in her eyes, Ian leaned in and kissed her gently. "Don''t be afraid. This time, I''ll take


    the lead. Just rx and let yourself feel my love."


    His lips captured the ones he''d longed for in a gentle, initiating a kiss that gradually melted away


    ra''s resistance. Her hands instinctively wrapped around his neck as they both lost themselves in


    the moment, their breaths merging into soft, urgent whispers.


    In the midst of their embrace, Ian''s phone rang, shattering the moment. ra, suddenly brought


    back to reality, pushed him away, breathing heavily.


    Ian''s eyes shed with irritation as he nced at the caller ID. Gritting his teeth, he answered the


    call. "If this isn''t critical, you''re booking yourself a one-way ticket to Antarctica tomorrow!" he barked.


    On the other end, Dawson hesitated, realizing he might have interrupted something important. "My


    apologies, Mr. Hayes. It''s urgent. We''ve just received word from the prison that Victoria has


    attempted suicide. She''s been taken to the hospital."


    Ian''s expression darkened. "Ensure the hospital does everything to save her. She must be kept


    alive," he ordered, his voice cold as steel.