Unforgettable Regret

Unforgettable Regret (part 4)

Shane’s eyes widened in shock the moment Marco suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the man.

“M-Marco—wait!”

But Marco did not stop.

His grip was firm as he dragged her straight back toward the car without even letting her say goodbye properly.

People nearby turned their heads because of the tension between them, but Marco no longer cared.

Right now, anger was the only thing consuming him.

The moment they entered the car, the atmosphere became suffocatingly cold.

Shane immediately pulled her arm away from him.

“What is wrong with you?!” she burst out angrily. “That was rude!”

Marco stayed silent.

“You’re going too far already, Marco!”

But it was as if he could not hear her at all.

His expression remained terrifyingly dark while staring straight ahead.

And somehow…

that silence scared Shane more than shouting would have.

The entire ride back to the mansion felt unbearable.

The moment they arrived, Marco immediately grabbed Shane’s wrist again and pulled her upstairs.

“Marco, let go of me!”

But he ignored her completely.

When they reached her room, Marco pushed the door open and practically forced her inside.

Then—

CLICK.

He locked the door from outside.

Shane’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Marco!”

She immediately ran toward the door and banged on it repeatedly.

“Open this door!”

Silence.

“You can’t just lock me in here!”

Still no answer.

Frustration and anger slowly turned into panic.

“Marco, please!”

But no matter how much she shouted or begged—

Marco never opened the door.

Night eventually came.

The mansion became quiet.

Shane sat on the edge of her bed feeling emotionally exhausted when suddenly—

the bedroom door opened.

Shane immediately stood up.

And her heart skipped at the sight of Marco entering the room.

He looked drunk.

Very drunk.

His black polo sleeves were rolled carelessly to his elbows, his hair slightly messy, and the strong scent of alcohol filled the room instantly.

But what frightened Shane most was the look in his eyes.

Anger.

Pain.

Jealousy.

Marco closed the door behind him slowly before looking directly at her.

“Did you tell him already?” he asked coldly.

Shane frowned in confusion.

“What?”

“Did you tell him where you are?” Marco repeated sharply. “Did you run to him the moment you got the chance?”

Realization finally hit Shane.

“You’re talking about earlier?”

Marco laughed bitterly.

“So you really missed him that much?”

Shane stared at him in disbelief.

“What are you even talking about?!”

Marco suddenly stepped closer.

“If you didn’t tell him anything,” he said darkly, “then what were you talking about?”

“I didn’t say anything to him!”

“Oh really?” Marco scoffed angrily. “Then what? Were you happy to see each other again? Did you miss him that badly?”

Shane became more confused by every word coming out of his mouth.

“Marco…” she whispered. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Marco’s eyes darkened painfully.

“You really have terrible taste in men.”

Shane froze.

Marco laughed bitterly again, but this time there was obvious hurt behind it.

“So this is the kind of man you wanted?” he asked quietly. “A married man?”

Shane’s expression immediately changed.

“You misunderstood—”

“No,” Marco interrupted harshly. “I was the one who misunderstood from the beginning.”

His jaw tightened as months of bottled emotions finally exploded out of him.

“I thought you were different,” he continued angrily. “I thought maybe you just couldn’t accept my feelings before.” His voice became lower and rougher. “But in the end… this is the kind of person you actually wanted.”

Shane stared at him speechlessly.

Pain flashed across Marco’s face.

“I really made a fool out of myself loving you this much.”

The words hit Shane harder than she expected.

Because beneath all his anger…

she could hear how deeply wounded he truly was.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Shane said desperately. “You misunderstood everything!”

Marco laughed bitterly.

“Enough.”

His eyes were filled with anger and hurt at the same time.

“I was wrong,” he said coldly. “I really made a mistake loving you this much.”

Shane’s chest tightened painfully.

“Marco—”

“What is so special about him?” Marco suddenly asked, his voice becoming lower and more dangerous as he slowly stepped closer to her. “Tell me.”

Shane instinctively stepped backward.

But Marco kept walking toward her.

At that moment, Shane felt genuine fear in her chest.

The man standing before her no longer looked like the awkward boy who used to follow her around with innocent eyes.

This Marco was different.

Colder.

More intense.

More broken.

“What does he have that I don’t?” Marco asked bitterly. “I can give you everything too.” His jaw tightened painfully. “Or is he really that good?”

Shane stared at him in complete shock.

“What are you saying?!” she cried. “I don’t even know what you’re imagining right now!”

Marco laughed humorlessly.

“You expect me to believe there’s nothing between you two?”

“There’s not!”

“You met him secretly.”

“It wasn’t planned!”

“Stop lying!”

Shane’s frustration finally exploded.

“You’re the one refusing to listen!”

For a moment, silence filled the room except for their heavy breathing.

Shane could feel her heart pounding wildly as Marco continued staring at her with dark, emotional eyes.

Then she shook her head angrily.

“Fine,” she whispered painfully. “Believe whatever you want.”

She immediately tried to walk past him, desperate to escape the suffocating tension between them.

But before she could reach the door—

Marco suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

Shane gasped in surprise as her body collided against his chest.

Then without warning—

Marco kissed her.

Her eyes widened instantly.

At first, Shane struggled against him in shock, trying to push him away.

“Marco—!”

But Marco only held her tighter, kissing her with all the jealousy, anger, longing, and heartbreak he had buried inside himself for months.

It was not a gentle kiss.

It was desperate.

Emotional.

Almost painful.

As if he was trying to prove something through it.

Shane’s breathing became uneven as Marco continued kissing her deeply, refusing to let her escape.

Step by step, they moved backward until the back of Shane’s knees lightly touched the edge of the bed.

Marco finally pulled away slightly, both of them breathing heavily.

His forehead rested against hers while his hand trembled slightly against her waist.

“You drive me insane,” he whispered hoarsely.

And for the first time, Shane realized something terrifying—

Marco’s anger existed because he loved her far too much.

Shane could no longer understand the emotions overwhelming her heart.

Marco’s kiss was warm, intense, and painfully full of emotion.

Every second his lips touched hers made her chest tighten uncontrollably.

She knew she should stop him.

She knew she should push him away.

But somehow…

she couldn’t.

Not when Marco was holding her like he was afraid of losing her again.

Not when she could feel how much pain, jealousy, and love were hidden behind every touch.

Marco slowly pulled away just enough to look at her.

His breathing was uneven, his eyes dark with emotions he could no longer hide.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered hoarsely, though the way he held her made it seem like he desperately hoped she wouldn’t.

Shane looked at him silently.

Her heart was trembling so hard she thought he could hear it.

And instead of pushing him away…

her fingers slowly held onto the front of his shirt.

That small movement completely destroyed the remaining control Marco had left.

He kissed her again—this time slower, deeper, more desperate.

The tension between them that had been building for months finally overflowed all at once.

The anger.

The longing.

The sleepless nights thinking about each other.

Everything disappeared the moment their walls finally broke down.

Marco gently held her face like she was something precious despite all the chaos between them.

And for the first time since he brought her into the mansion, Shane no longer saw hatred in his eyes.

Only love.

Raw and overwhelming.

Outside, the rain quietly poured against the windows while the cold night wrapped around the mansion.

But inside that room, neither of them cared anymore.

Because after running away from their feelings for so long…

they finally stopped pretending they did not belong to each other.

The next morning, Shane slowly opened her eyes as soft sunlight entered through the curtains of the room.

For a few seconds, she remained still, feeling strangely weak and exhausted.

Then reality slowly returned to her.

Her eyes widened slightly.

She realized she was only wrapped in a blanket… with no clothes left on her body.

Her cheeks immediately turned red.

And little by little, memories from last night came rushing back into her mind—

Marco’s kisses.

His trembling voice.

The way he held her close like he never wanted to let go.

Shane quickly buried half of her face into the blanket in embarrassment.

It was her first time.

And despite everything that happened between them…

she allowed herself to completely fall into Marco’s arms.

Her heart started beating faster.

But when she slowly turned her head beside her—

the space next to her was already empty.

Marco was gone.

A strange feeling suddenly filled her chest.

Disappointment.

Shane quietly sat up before carefully wearing the clothes left beside the bed.

After fixing herself, she slowly stepped outside the room.

One of the maids immediately bowed respectfully.

“Good morning, Miss Shane.”

Shane hesitated for a moment before asking quietly,

“Where’s Marco?”

The maid smiled politely.

“Sir Marco left early this morning for the office.”

Shane froze slightly.

“He already left?”

“Yes, miss.”

For some reason, that answer made her chest feel heavier.

She slowly returned to her room and sat quietly on the edge of the bed.

The room still carried traces of last night, making her heart even more restless.

Shane lowered her gaze.

“So… that’s it?” she whispered softly to herself.

After everything that happened between them…

after all those emotions…

Marco simply left for work like nothing changed.

A painful thought suddenly entered her mind.

Did he regret it?

Was last night only because he was drunk and angry?

Shane hugged the blanket tighter around herself.

And for the first time since arriving at the mansion—

she felt truly vulnerable.

Meanwhile, inside his office, Marco could not focus on work at all.

Documents remained untouched on his desk while his mind kept replaying everything that happened between him and Shane the night before.

The warmth of her skin.

The way she held onto him.

The way she looked at him with trembling eyes.

Marco closed his eyes tightly and leaned back against his chair in frustration.

Even though he had been drunk…

he remembered everything clearly.

Every single detail.

But that was not the only thing bothering him.

There was something else making his thoughts even more chaotic.

Ever since Shane rejected and humiliated him before, Marco changed completely.

He stopped believing in sincere love.

Women came and went from his life easily, and almost every night he drowned himself in temporary relationships just to forget the pain she caused him.

And because of that lifestyle…

Marco became experienced enough to know certain things.

Which was exactly why he could not stop thinking about last night.

Because no matter how much he tried to deny it—

everything about Shane felt unfamiliar, innocent, and genuine.

It did not feel like she had ever belonged to another man before.

But how was that possible?

Marco’s jaw tightened.

If Shane truly loved that married man…

if she was really involved with him…

then why did it feel like Marco was the first man to ever touch her that way?

The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

Then suddenly—

his office door opened.

Adrian casually walked inside while loosening his necktie.

“Why do you look like you’re about to lose your mind?” he asked lazily.

Marco frowned slightly.

Adrian had already left the mansion earlier that morning while everyone was still asleep, so they never got the chance to talk again after last night.

Without waiting for permission, Adrian sat across from him.

“What happened now?” he asked curiously.

Marco stayed silent for a moment.

Then finally—

he spoke.

Adrian’s playful expression slowly disappeared while listening to him.

“So let me get this straight,” Adrian said carefully after hearing everything. “You think she was involved with that married guy… but at the same time, you feel like she had no experience at all?”

Marco looked irritated.

“That’s exactly why this is driving me crazy.”

Adrian became unusually serious this time.

“Did you ever actually ask her directly?”

Marco scoffed bitterly.

“She keeps denying it.”

“And you?” Adrian asked quietly. “Do you want to believe her?”

Marco suddenly fell silent.

That question hit harder than expected.

Because deep inside…

he did want to believe Shane.

More than anything.

But the fear of being made a fool again kept stopping him.

Adrian studied his friend carefully before sighing.

“You know what your real problem is?” he said calmly.

Marco frowned.

“You’re already too in love with her to think rationally anymore.”

Marco immediately looked away.

But his silence alone was already enough of an answer.

It was already late at night when Marco finally returned to the mansion.

The entire house was quiet, the only sound coming from the soft rain outside.

Exhaustion was visible on his face as he loosened his necktie while walking toward the kitchen to get a drink.

But the moment he entered—

he froze.

Shane was there.

She had just opened the refrigerator, wearing oversized sleep clothes while holding a glass of water.

The moment their eyes met, silence instantly filled the kitchen.

Neither of them spoke.

But both of them remembered the same thing—

the intense night they shared together.

Shane quickly lowered her gaze, her heart beating uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Marco could not stop staring at her.

The memory of her in his arms last night returned so vividly that it almost made him lose composure again.

But unlike before…

there was now uncertainty in Shane’s eyes.

Pain.

Confusion.

And something that bothered Marco deeply.

Shane suddenly looked away first.

Without saying a single word, she turned around and quietly walked out of the kitchen.

Marco watched her disappear down the hallway.

Something about her expression felt wrong.

Upstairs, Shane quickly entered her room and leaned against the door after closing it.

Her chest felt tight.

Her mind was a complete mess.

“Is this his revenge?” she whispered bitterly to herself.

Maybe this was Marco’s way of hurting her back.

Maybe after everything, she was simply another woman to him now.

The thought alone hurt more than she expected.

Shane closed her eyes tightly.

Then suddenly—

the door moved.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

Before she could react, Marco’s hand firmly stopped the door from closing completely.

Shane’s breath caught.

And before she realized it—

Marco had already stepped inside her room.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Shane unconsciously stepped backward while Marco quietly closed the door behind him.

Her heartbeat became louder with every step he took closer to her.

Because once again…

they were alone inside her room.

And the memory of what happened between them there last night still lingered heavily in the air.

Shane’s heart was pounding so hard she could barely breathe.

Marco stood only a few steps away from her inside the dimly lit room, his presence alone enough to make her nervous.

“What do you want?” Shane asked softly, trying to sound calm despite the trembling in her voice. “Why are you here?”

Marco looked at her quietly for a moment before answering.

“We need to talk.”

Shane laughed bitterly, though her eyes were already starting to become watery.

“Do we still have something to talk about?”

Marco frowned slightly.

But Shane continued before he could speak.

“I understand now,” she whispered painfully. “That was your revenge.”

Marco’s expression immediately changed.

“You wanted me to feel hurt the same way you did before.” Shane lowered her gaze, trying to hide the tears forming in her eyes. “That’s why after everything that happened… you just left me like nothing mattered.”

“Shane—”

“So congratulations,” she interrupted weakly. “You got your revenge already.”

Marco stared at her silently.

And for the first time that night, he realized how deeply she misunderstood everything.

“You’re wrong,” he said quietly.

Shane slowly looked up at him.

Marco ran one hand through his hair in frustration before speaking again.

“If all I wanted was revenge…” he said in a low voice, “I would’ve stopped caring about you a long time ago.”

Shane’s chest tightened.

Marco slowly stepped closer.

“You think last night meant nothing to me?”

His voice sounded almost hurt.

“Then why did you leave?” Shane asked softly, finally unable to hide the pain in her eyes. “Why did you act like nothing changed?”

Marco froze for a second.

Because the truth was…

he left that morning because he was afraid.

Afraid of how much power Shane still had over him.

Afraid because despite all the anger he carried for months, one night with her was enough to completely weaken him again.

Marco lowered his gaze briefly before speaking honestly for the first time.

“Because I didn’t know how to face you after that.”

Shane looked stunned.

Marco laughed bitterly at himself.

“I spent months trying to hate you,” he admitted quietly. “Then one night was enough to make me feel everything all over again.”

The room fell silent.

Shane could see exhaustion in his eyes now instead of anger.

“You really think I touched you just to hurt you?” Marco asked softly. “Do you know how hard I tried to stop myself?”

Shane’s breathing became uneven.

Marco stepped even closer until only a small distance separated them.

“When I woke up beside you this morning…” he whispered, “…I wanted to stay.”

Shane’s eyes slowly widened.

“But I was scared,” Marco admitted honestly. “Because no matter how much I try not to…” his voice became quieter, “…I still love you too much.”

Shane could not answer immediately after hearing Marco’s confession.

“I still love you too much.”

The words echoed inside her mind repeatedly, making her chest tighten painfully.

But instead of feeling relieved…

she only became more confused.

After everything that happened between them, Shane no longer knew which feelings were real and which were driven by anger, revenge, or guilt.

She lowered her gaze and stepped back slightly.

“I want to rest now,” she whispered softly. “Can you please leave?”

Marco’s expression darkened.

For a few seconds, he remained silent before suddenly asking in a sharper voice:

“Is it because of that man, Shane?”

Shane froze.

Marco’s jaw tightened.

“Is that why you still can’t love me?”

The sudden pain and jealousy in his voice startled her.

But Shane herself was already emotionally overwhelmed.

Confused.

Hurt.

Scared of her own feelings.

And without fully understanding why—

she answered recklessly.

“Yes,” she said quietly. “Because of him. What else could it be?”

The moment the words left her mouth—

she immediately regretted them.

Marco froze completely.

The room suddenly became suffocatingly silent.

For the first time that night, the emotion in Marco’s eyes disappeared entirely.

As if something inside him had finally broken.

Because until now…

a part of him still hoped he was wrong about everything.

He wanted to believe Shane.

Wanted to believe there was no other man in her heart.

But hearing those words directly from her own mouth destroyed whatever hope he had left.

Marco laughed softly to himself.

But it sounded empty.

Painfully empty.

“I see,” he whispered.

Shane’s heart tightened after seeing his expression.

“Marco, I—”

But he slowly stepped back before she could continue.

For the first time since entering her room, Marco looked completely defeated.

Not angry.

Not jealous.

Just… hurt.

As if the world he had desperately tried to rebuild around Shane collapsed all over again.

And somehow, seeing him like that hurt Shane more than she expected.

Marco looked at her one last time.

Then without another word—

he quietly turned around and walked out of the room.

The soft sound of the closing door echoed heavily inside Shane’s chest.

And only after he was gone did she finally realize something terrifying—

The pain she saw in Marco’s eyes was real.

And the worst part?

She was the one who caused it again.

The next morning, Marco once again left the mansion early for work.

But unlike before, his mind was completely restless.

No matter how hard he tried to focus, Shane’s painful words kept replaying inside his head.

“Yes… because of him.”

Marco gripped the steering wheel tighter.

So in the end…

there really was another man in her heart.

The thought alone felt like something crushing his chest from the inside.

Then unexpectedly, while stopping near a café before heading to the company, Marco suddenly noticed a familiar face nearby.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

It was the man from yesterday.

The same man he believed Shane secretly loved.

Before Marco could even react, the young man suddenly recognized him too.

“Hey!” the man called while walking toward him. “You’re Ate Shane’s friend, right?”

Marco froze.

Ate?

The young man smiled casually.

“Yes, Ate Shane,” he repeated naturally. “She told me before that she was with a friend.”

Marco stared at him carefully.

Then slowly asked:

“Wait… who are you exactly?”

The man blinked in confusion before laughing lightly.

“I’m Lucas,” he introduced himself. “Shane’s cousin.”

Marco’s entire body froze.

“…Cousin?”

Lucas nodded.

“We’re really close, actually. She treats me like her younger brother.”

For a few seconds, Marco could not speak at all.

It felt like the world suddenly stopped around him.

Then slowly—

he asked the question again just to make sure he heard correctly.

“You’re not… her boyfriend?”

Lucas burst into laughter.

“What?!” he said between laughs. “Of course not!”

Marco stared at him silently while Lucas continued smiling.

“I’ve never even seen Ate Shane date anyone before.” Then suddenly, Lucas narrowed his eyes curiously. “Wait… aren’t you her boyfriend?”

Marco’s chest tightened instantly.

Before he could answer, Lucas continued talking innocently.

“I always tell my cousin to finally find a good man who can take care of her.” He sighed dramatically. “She works too hard for everyone.”

Marco remained completely silent.

“She barely thinks about herself,” Lucas continued. “Even my child misses her already.” He laughed softly. “But she told us she’s currently on vacation.”

Every word felt like another hit to Marco’s chest.

Vacation.

Shane really protected him.

Even after being kidnapped…

she still lied to her family so they would not worry.

Marco suddenly remembered every moment Shane denied having a relationship with that man.

And he remembered something even worse—

the cruel things he said to her.

His stomach twisted painfully.

Lucas tilted his head curiously.

“Did something happen?”

But Marco could barely hear him anymore.

Because at that moment, one terrifying realization finally crashed into him completely.

Shane had been telling the truth the entire time.

And once again…

he was the one who hurt her.