Old Dreams No Return (Serena) novel Chapter 158

Chapter136.

Midnight struck, and Leland, exhausted from his relentless pursuit, stood amidst the chaotic peaks and valleys of life, utterly adrift.

His earlier pride had evaporated along the way. His eyes, once bright, now held only emptiness; his face bore the deep lines of weariness, and the brilliance he once possessed had faded to nothing.

Were I to seize the Leslie Group, leveraging their breach of contract with my Zenith Group, neither Leland nor Caitlyn could intervene to save the Leslie Group.

But only through this ruthless measure could the company my parents toiled to build escape the brink of bankruptcy. Leland, was I truly being too harsh?

For you, discussing the past felt like airing grievances, the future like indulging in fantasies, and the present like confessing bewilderment. You fell silent for a long while, each word that followed heavy with sorrow.

I knew you had faced countless trials, concealing them from the world. To outsiders, it seemed remarkable that you, barely a teenager, had come to the Perez family to care for me and uphold the group. They saw only your dazzling facade, but only you knew the truth of your feelings.

Yet, in my eyes, some wounds run too deep to ever heal, such as the pain of betrayal. It was not a matter of lack of forgiveness, but the hurt cut too deep, a wound that would never fully close.

There were those who squandered their youth, only to suffer the consequences as they matured. Their lives became a mess of regrets and unfulfilled desires, never quite knowing what fate might justify the struggles they had endured.

This resonated deeply within me.

The cool evening breeze stirred, a gentle nudge to the soul, as all thoughts remained locked within. Slowly, whether we chose to embrace it or not, acceptance became our only path forward.

Reflecting on the early days of our love felt undeniably bitter. Observing where we stood then, every step seemed a betrayal of the joy and steadfast devotion we had once shared.

Honestly, I despised myself. I projected an image of carefree ease, yet beneath it lay a tempest of emotion and a heart far too soft. You wounded me repeatedly, and only that day did I find the strength to walk away.

And you, Leland, were no different. Once, you were always attuned to my feelings, yet neglected your own well-being. You played the part of being fine, constantly insisting that family didn’t matter, all while shedding silent tears behind closed doors. To the world, you projected the image of an imperious CEO, untouchable and commanding.

But only you knew it had all been a carefully constructed facade. A fleeting outburst, a momentary lapse in composure-it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Did you know that after your betrayal, I spent countless sleepless nights questioning myself, wondering what I could have done to become someone I utterly detested?