Chapter 134
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Chapter 134
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When Marina put down her phone, she met Daron’s probing gaze. Her heart fluttered unexpectedly, and her face showed a hint of discomfort.
“Kara said she had to leave first for something. Let’s eat,” Marina said.
Daron just nodded, as if he’d expected it.
After dinner, Daron drove her back to the Finley house.
He pulled up in front of the Finley house. As Marina was about to get out, he grabbed her wrist.
“I’ll pick you up early tomorrow to go to the Clark family,” Daron said.
Marina was about to protest, but Daron released her wrist and added in a low, warning tone, “Before you refuse me again, just imagine what might happen if you piss me off.”
Marina caught the threat in his words and nodded, having no other choice. “See you tomorrow morning.”
Daron nodded, and the stern look in his eyes softened.
Marina got out of the car, closed the door, then turned back to him, her voice polite.
“Thanks for driving me home, Mr. Zamora. Drive safe,” she said.
Daron nodded, and before stepping on the gas, said casually, “I think I’ve figured out why the Finley Group ended up like this.”
Marina hurried a step closer to the car, asking anxiously, “What reason?”
Daron met her clear gaze, a smirk playing at his lips.
“Guess you used up all your brains on your new face,” he shot back.
With that, he hit the gas and sped off.
Marina was left standing there, teeth clenched, fuming and helpless as his car disappeared down the road.
“Miss Marina, you’re back?” Gauri’s voice came from behind her.
Marina took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together.
“Yeah, Gauri, I’m back,” she said, turning around with a bright smile.
She chose to take Daron’s words as a compliment about her looks. As for the dig at her brains, she just brushed it off.
When Marina stepped into the living room, she noticed the study light was still on. Elnora was obviously burning the midnight oil again. With a slight frown, Marina pushed open the door and walked in.
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Chapter 134
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Elnora glanced up at the noise, her expression totally unfazed. In a deadpan voice, she said, “You’re back.”
Marina blinked, a bit caught off guard. It was like Elnora had expected her all along. There wasn’t even a flicker of surprise in her eyes. Marina let out a quiet snort and strolled over.
“Elnora, how come you’re not even a little surprised?” Marina said.
She rested her arm on her sister’s chair and absentmindedly grabbed a file from the desk, flipping through it.
Elnora didn’t even pause her work, keeping her eyes on the document open on her computer.
“Of course you’re smart enough to get Daron to bring you home,” Elnora said.
A flicker of mixed emotion flashed in Marina’s eyes. Seeing how confident Elnora sounded, she bit her lip and muttered, “How are you so sure Daron would actually bring me back? He’s really not the easiest person to deal with.”
Elnora picked up on all the frustration in her voice and glanced over at her.
“He might be pretty distant with everyone else, but with you, I doubt he’s as cold as he pretends to be,” Elnora replied.
Marina fell silent for a few seconds, then leaned in close and whispered, “Elnora, I really don’t get it. How can you be so sure?”
“Elnora, I really don’t get it. How can you be so sure?”
She sounded so confident, like she could read Daron like an open book.
Seeing Marina shamelessly crowding in, Elnora nudged her away and refocused on her screen, scrolling through the documents with practiced calm as she replied, “Didn’t you ask me last time what exactly the Finley family owed Daron?”
Marina nodded.
Elnora paused her scrolling, her voice steady and almost indifferent as she gave the answer. “You’re the debt our family owes Daron.”
“Back when the Finley and Zamora families set up the engagement, it was all decided by the elders. Daron always knew he had a fiancée five years younger than him, and he was fine with it. But then the fiancée he thought was a sure thing just up and left. For a guy who’s used to everything going his way, that must’ve hit him pretty hard,” Elnora explained.
Marina remembered the first time Daron brought up the Finley family owing him something, that look in his eyes, all hurt and frustration. It hit her hard, like something had just punched her in the gut.
She lowered her gaze, pretending to be calm, but she was gripping the file so hard it was getting all crumpled.
Elnora glanced over, took the file from her, and put it back on the desk.
“So even though you broke off the engagement, he’s probably never stopped thinking of you as his fiancée,
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Chapter 134
even after all these years,” Elnora said.
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Marina was taken aback and quickly shook her head. “No way.”
“No way.”
She and Daron had never really interacted before she left Vrufield.
Most of the time, she just secretly watched him from afar.
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Since Daron was good friends with Kara’s brother, Jasper, Marina would sometimes spot him at the Gross family’s place.
Back then, she was just fifteen or sixteen, her heart starting to flutter for the first time.
Daron stood out from all the other rich kids. He had this air of nobility about him. And once she found out their families were engaged, she was hooked from the very first glance.
Kathy had always been against the Finley family using her as a pawn to please the Zamora family, and Marina herself was pretty resistant at first. But after seeing Daron in person, all that resistance faded, replaced by the kind of secret feelings only a teenage girl could have.
As Elnora sorted through the papers on her desk, she spoke to Marina in a low voice.
“Why not?” Elnora said.
“In Daron’s world, things are either his or not his. But when you broke off the engagement, you created a third possibility, something that almost belonged to him.”
“When someone’s used to everything going their way, and suddenly life throws them a curveball, it’s not so easy to just let it go,” Elnora added.
Elnora leaned back in her chair, looking up at Marina with a faint, almost teasing smile.
“Anything can happen. What we can’t let go of becomes special. That’s just human nature,” Elnora said.
A flicker of shock flashed in Marina’s eyes. She sat there in silence for a while, then, totally zoned out, wandered over to the sofa in the corner of the study and sank down.
Elnora’s gaze followed her every move.
Seeing Marina looking all defeated on the couch, Elnora didn’t hesitate to put her work aside and stand up.
Marina covered her face with her hands, burying her feelings in her palms, her voice coming out muffled.
“I’m not really the ideal match for him. That’s just wishful thinking. I’m nothing special. He knew from the start we weren’t equals, and now he’s even more clear about it. Guys are way more realistic than girls,” Marina said.
“I know I don’t mean that much to him,” she added.
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Chapter 134
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Elnora heard the tremble in her voice and pulled her into her arms.
“Why would you say that? You’re already good enough,” Elnora said softly.
Last time you came home, you weren’t like this at all.
Marina buried her face in Elnora’s arms and shook her head.
Elnora gently stroked her hand, murmuring softly.
“Are you still in love with him?” Elnora asked.
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Marina was stunned by the question. She blinked in surprise, looking up at Elnora, her eyes already rimmed red and shimmering with tears.
“Elnora, I…” Marina began, though she couldn’t help the instinct to deny it. But Elnora was too gentle to let her finish.
Elnora quietly cut her off, her voice tender.
“You don’t need to pretend with me,” Elnora said softly.
“We’re sisters, aren’t we? Of course I know how you feel about him.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
