Chapter 354:
âBack then, there were conflicting opinions about the Sanderson familyâs newly discovered daughter, but none of them matched what I knew about you, so I failed to make the connection.â He added sincerely, âWhen Miss⦠you were caught in the storm of public opinion, I was in Claelia. I only saw brief mentions online and didnât look into it further.
Also, there were no photos of you online, so Iâ¦â
A shade of regret flickered in Rhysâ intense eyes. If he had been more attentive back then, he wouldnât have been making such a mistake now.
Harlee raised an eyebrow, her expression one of detachment. She gave Rhys a casual look.
âAlright, I understand.â
Rhys observed Harleeâs indifferent nod, interpreting it as her not forgiving him for the hurt he had caused, and felt a profound sadness.
He knew of the publicâs harsh views on his ex-fiancée and had endured the pressure from the Sanderson Group willingly.
However, their connection was deeper than he had realized. The woman he had turned away was actually the one he had been longing for all along!
Suddenly, the sound of a ringing phone broke the tense and unusual silence in the private room. Rhys looked down at the caller ID. It was Patrick. Remembering Hamilton, Rhys glanced at Harlee, seeking her nod before answering the call.
Hamiltonâs weak but familiar voice came through.
âGreen, before the shootout, I noticed the daughter of the Sanderson family⦠she looks a bit like Harlee⦠You⦠Youâ¦â
New adventures await at gⱯlnÏνð®âsï¹ðoð
Ahemâ¦
Hamilton had just regained consciousness and struggled to speak at length in one go before passing out again.
Patrick secured Hamilton, pressed the nurse call button, quickly updated the medical staff on Hamiltonâs condition, and after a brief word with Rhys, ended the call. Rhys hadnât moved away from Harlee during the call, so Harlee overheard Hamiltonâs partial revelation.
A flicker of awkwardness crossed Harleeâs eyes. She then picked up her bag from the chair beside her, stood up, her eyes reflecting a mix of coolness and distance.
âI need to take care of something, so Iâm leaving now.â The situation had turned out more melodramatically than sheâd anticipated.
She had imagined many reasons Rhys might have chosen to call off their engagement, but she never guessed it would be because he hadnât realized who she truly was. It was a profound and bizarre twist of fate.
With a wave of her hand, Harlee didnât give Rhys a chance to stop her and quickly left. Rhys smiled wryly as he watched Harlee move at a pace that seemed almost like she was fleeing.
Should he let go of their relationship that easily? Clearly, the answer was no. Rhys decided to personally make amends and hoped to preserve the alliance between the Green and Sanderson families.
He spent the evening preparing gifts for a proposal and an apology to the Sanderson family.
.
.
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