Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 84

**Healing Slowly But Surely**

**By R. Joseph**

—

Jarek’s twisted plans.

Leilani.

—

1

After what felt like an eternity of probing and failing, I finally managed to extract the truth from her—Gavin and Maya were destined to be mates. It took every ounce of persistence I had, as she was incredibly hesitant to divulge that information. When she finally confessed, her eyes sparkled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place; she had felt the mate bond the moment she laid eyes on him. It made sense, I suppose, why she’d been acting so peculiarly around him.

Yet, as soon as the revelation slipped from her lips, she quickly declared that she would reject him. The weight of her words hung in the air, and I could almost hear the echo of my own heartbreak. She was fully aware of everything Gavin had done to me in the past, and while that knowledge should have brought me some comfort, it only deepened my sense of despair.

I felt absolutely wretched.

10:17

1/9

The last thing I wanted was for her to forfeit that precious connection that many of us yearned for, all because of me. I didn’t want to be that selfish friend, the one who stood by and watched her drown in regret, only to find herself grappling with the same gaping emptiness that consumed me half the time.

Maya stayed for a while, but eventually left for another blind date, promising me that this one would be an improvement over the last. She kissed me goodbye, and as she walked away, I was left alone, surrounded by an avalanche of conflicting thoughts swirling in my mind.

The following day, I resolved that I could no longer remain at home, paralyzed by my emotions. I needed to take action, so I dressed with purpose and headed to work.

As I stepped outside, however, I noticed something unsettling—the bouquet of roses that had graced my doorstep was gone. That realization gnawed at me for a moment, but I shook it off, climbed into my car, and drove away, determined to focus on the day ahead.

10:17

2/9

When I arrived at Frostclaw Inc., Jarek’s face registered pure shock as he spotted me emerging from my vehicle. His eyes widened, and he exclaimed in a hushed tone, “What the hell are you doing here?!”

“Good morning to you too, Frostclaw,” I replied with a smile, positioning myself beside him.

His familiar warmth enveloped me like a comforting cloak, a sensation I usually leaned into. But today was different. Instead, I maintained a polite smile, my voice steady as I teased, “You might want to close your mouth and stop staring.”

“Leilani, you’re not fully healed,” he countered, his voice edged with concern. “You were just discharged yesterday. Why are you at work today?”

“Because staying home won’t help me heal,” I answered as we stepped into the elevator, the curious stares of passersby weighing heavily on us. “Besides, I already feel better, so you should worry less.”

10:17

3/9

“And how am I supposed to not worry—”

“If you’re so concerned, then take care of me!” I snapped, cutting him off. “Give me something to do. Let me work. It’s the only way I can keep those self-sabotaging thoughts at bay.”

At that, his mouth snapped shut. He turned to me, his hands gripping my shoulders as he leaned down, bringing our eyes to the same level. “What self-sabotaging thoughts are you having?” he asked, his voice low and earnest.

“I don’t know…” I shrugged, the honesty of my response hanging in the air. “So much has been happening lately. Also, I need someone from the company to enhance the security around my house. I want to find out who keeps leaving those flowers. My camera hasn’t caught anything useful.”

“Did something happen?” His voice was soft—too soft—and for a fleeting moment, I imagined how different life would be if he were mine, if I didn’t have the weight of my family and my mates hanging over me… But that was a fantasy, wasn’t it? He had a mate too.

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