Chapter 1383: Chapter 1383

Chapter 1383:

“Have you ever reached out to me proactively over the years?” Harlee asked.

This left Coulson speechless for a moment. He had indeed never initiated contact with Harlee or revisited past acquaintances. Instead, he had opted to steer clear of his own family, building a wall around his emotions—a barrier so strong that no one could reach him, and he couldn’t escape from it either.

Upon recognizing this, Harlee stood and fixed him with a sincere gaze.

“If I truly believed you had harmed my parents, do you think we’d be sitting here so calmly? I would have dealt with you long before you could judge me!”

Coulson looked up slowly, his posture rigid.

Harlee continued, “I always thought you were a smart guy, Coulson. With enough hard work, I believed you could reach any position you wanted. But I didn’t realize the weight of your burdens was so heavy that it completely crushed you.”

Had she foreseen the intense pressures of the National Aerospace Agency, she might have spared Coulson, knowing his capabilities were better matched to roles within his family’s enterprise. In that case, he would have remained the same impressive Coulson that everyone admired and liked.

Looking down in embarrassment, Coulson muttered, “I… I didn’t mean…”

His defense was weak, but he refused to accept that the person he despised the most was, in fact, himself.

Harlee extended her hand to retrieve the necklace from him, her expression marked by concern.

“Coulson, do you know why I gave you this necklace back then?”

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A puzzled look crossed Coulson’s face as he instinctively shook his head.

Harlee produced a key necklace from her pocket and inserted it into the lock necklace. With a satisfying click, the lock opened, revealing a heart shape.

“This is your answer. I promised you could always come to me, and I meant every word. I designed these necklaces myself. The key and lock symbolize my commitment to helping you with your troubles, and the heart symbolizes the genuine feelings we share.”

Before Sebrina entered the National Aerospace Agency, she had sought Harlee’s counsel on numerous challenging issues. Similarly, other students frequently sought Harlee’s help during hard times.

With a wistful smile, Harlee examined the two necklaces in her grasp.

“Out of everyone, you were the only one who dismissed this gift as trivial, Coulson. Why didn’t you trust me more?”

“Harlee, I—”

“Why would you associate with someone who detests me?” Harlee’s voice softened as she rolled up her sleeves, revealing the fatigue in her.

“You know what? Today, Adelina burned me with boiling water. She taunted me too, suggesting that even those closest to me intend to harm me.”

Coulson remained seated, using his flashlight to inspect the burns on Harlee’s arm. His breath shook, and panic filled his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to harm you, Harlee. I truly didn’t intend anything from the start.”

“I once believed wholeheartedly that those close to me would never harm me. Even when I recognized a figure in the security footage, I refused to believe it was you!” Harlee said, a bitter twist to her lips.

“But now, I’m the butt of the joke. I’m sure Nola is having a good laugh, thinking she’s manipulated me completely!”

“The relationships and emotions that mean so much to me have turned into mere jokes in Nola’s mouth!” Harlee exclaimed, hurling the lock necklace off the rooftop.

The necklace vanished silently into the night, seemingly leaving Harlee clueless about its whereabouts.

Coulson attempted to rise, but Harlee held him back firmly.

“You still haven’t answered my question. Why did you cooperate with Nola?”

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