Marked By the Pureblood Alpha (Deanna and Luis) novel Chapter 226

**Chapter 226 I’ll Visit You Next Time, Okay?**

**Luis’s POV:**

I sat there, my gaze locked onto the moonstone bracelet lying forlornly on the table, its surface catching the dim light in a way that almost seemed to mock me. The chill that seeped into my heart felt like a vise, squeezing tighter with each passing moment. This bracelet—once a cherished emblem of our bond—now lay abandoned, a stark reminder of the love that had slipped through our fingers like sand. Just days ago, Deanna had worn it, clinging to it as if it were the last thread tethering her to me amidst the chaos of our lives. Now, it was a ghost of what once was.

When she returned it, her face was a blank canvas, devoid of any warmth or affection. The weight of her decision hung thick in the air, and I could feel my throat constricting, a bitter ache rising within me.

“Deanna,” I managed to croak out, my voice barely rising above the oppressive silence, “it seems you’ve really honed your skills in breakups. Each time, it’s like you’ve perfected the art, haven’t you?”

A flicker of a smile danced across her lips, but it never reached her eyes—those eyes that once sparkled with life and laughter.

“Well, it’s all about practicality, isn’t it? After all, Mr. Eaton is already engaged. I can’t very well linger around and impede your progress, can I?”

Her words struck me like a slap, cold and stinging. I narrowed my eyes, a tempest of longing and frustration swirling inside me. I knew she was merely using me as a pawn in her game with Ruth, yet here I was, willing to comply with her wishes.

If that was what she truly wanted, I would give her anything—everything. The Mistbane Group was a mere trifle compared to the turmoil that churned within my heart. What gnawed at me the most was the fact that she had uttered those words: she didn’t love me.

Jealousy, a feeling I had never known before, clawed at my insides like a feral beast. The mere thought of Deanna still harboring feelings for Jake twisted my stomach into knots of despair.

“Well, I appreciate your concern,” I replied, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “But perhaps you’re really just doing this for yourself and Jake.”

**Deanna’s POV:**

In that moment, clarity washed over me, illuminating the futility of trying to convince him otherwise. Even if I declared that Jake and I were finished, that my heart no longer belonged to him, it would change nothing. It was far easier to put on a mask of indifference, to pretend that I was unaffected by the pain that coursed through me.

My throat constricted painfully as I bit down on my lip, desperately fighting back the rising tide of emotion that threatened to overwhelm me.

“It’s nothing. I really should be going now. From this point forward, we owe each other nothing.”

No sooner had I spoken those words than the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the corner of the living room. A moment later, Puddy burst into view, his bright eyes searching mine, as if he could sense the weight of my impending departure.

The sight of him shattered my fragile composure. I knelt down, my fingers brushing through his soft fur, feeling the warmth radiating from his small body.

“Puddy, you have to promise to be a good boy. Eat your meals, go for your walks, and… please behave yourself, alright?”

Puddy tilted his head, his innocent gaze piercing through the fog of my sorrow. He playfully tugged at my pant leg, as if trying to anchor me to this moment, unwilling to let me go.

My affection for him was boundless, and in that instant, I was reminded of the life growing within me—the life that was now intertwined with the weight of my decisions.

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