“It felt like you didn’t care,” he murmured, his brow furrowing in confusion.
“I hated you for years,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I thought you lied to me. You said you loved me, but then you kissed someone else. How could I believe you after that?”
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat making it almost impossible to continue. “I ran, Silas. From you, from myself, because I couldn’t handle the pain. All that was left was hate. And I hated myself just as much as I hated you, for loving you despite everything.”
His expression shifted like I had struck him, the raw pain in his eyes making my chest tighten. He closed the distance between us in an instant, his face so close to mine that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my lips.
“I love you,” I whispered, barely audible.
