Chapter 19 Just like when she'd fallen for Declan years ago - how she'd rushed to his side the moment she heard he was paralyzed in the crash . Even though he was volatile , cruel , and lashed out at her constantly , she never once thought about walking away . And later , Adrian had treated her the same way . No matter how many times she pushed him away , no matter how hard she tried to draw that line , he stayed - persistent , unwavering - until eventually , his sincerity cracked the walls she'd built . But it had never been like that with Declan . Even in the final stages of his recovery , when his attitude toward her softened slightly , that warmth was never real comfort . It wasn't care - it was just less cruelty . " What about Celeste ? " Marissa asked , her tone calm as she lowered her gaze , burying every last ripple of emotion in her eyes . He didn't seem hurt by her indifference - on the contrary , her question lit a spark of hope in his expression . " Marissa , I swear to you , I don't love Celeste . " " The moment I found out she faked the fall - poisoned herself just to frame you - I made sure she paid for it . Her family's been blacklisted across Westbridge Heights . You won't hear the Whitmore name again . " " I know I messed up before . I was obsessed with punishing her for abandoning me when I was at rock bottom . She was my first love , and I was so used to winning - school , business , everything . She was the one decision I couldn't accept being wrong about . I kept trying to prove something … that she hadn't really left me . That I hadn't chosen the wrong person . ' " But Marissa - after you left , I realized … I didn't care about that anymore. I only wanted you . I know I broke your heart , but I'm not that same man anymore . Please … just one more chance ? " His eyes were full of grief and pleading , searching her face for even a flicker of hope - begging her to nod , or at least not say no . But Marissa simply looked at him and slowly shook her head . " I want to tell you a story , Declan , " she said quietly . " There was a little boy with a bad temper . He used to scream at his friends and lash out at his family . One day , his father gave him a bag of nails and told him : ' Every time you lose your temper , Chapter 19 81.82 % ReelShort R 4.6 FREE D In a divided village , a young man from the lower village falls for his childhood friend . Google Play INSTALL drive a nail into the fence . " " " The boy did as he was told . Over time , he learned to control himself . And when he finally stopped lashing out , his father took him to the fence and said , ' Now , pull them all out . ' So he did . " " But even when every nail was gone , the holes were still there . " She turned to him , voice soft but steady . " Declan , you and I - we're like that boy and the fence . Some things , once done , can't be undone . The marks stay , no matter how much time passes . " The story ended , and silence settled between them once again . Declan knew she was right . Deep down , he knew it all along . But he couldn't bring himself to give up . Not yet . Not when there was still the tiniest chance she'd change her mind . " Can I have my phone back ? " Marissa broke the silence after a long pause . Her words made him panic . He jumped up , hastily clearing the half - eaten dinner from the table . " You're done eating , yeah ? I'll leave you be . If you're feeling antsy , head downstairs or take a stroll in the garden . No one's stopping you . " Without waiting for a reply , he gathered the dishes and left - his retreat so clumsy it almost looked like he was fleeing . Marissa didn't stay in the room much longer . Like he said , after dinner , she wandered around the garden , getting a sense of her surroundings , testing her boundaries . It wasn't hard to guess why the mention of her phone had sent Declan scrambling . He didn't want to return it because he was afraid . He'd hidden it on purpose . Afraid that once she had it , she'd reach out for help and disappear again . So , he let her feel free within the estate - wandering the halls , lounging in the garden , poking around the rooms - but made sure she had no way to contact the outside world . She ended up by the greenhouse , sitting on a bench while the setting sun painted the sky in a wash of gold and orange . Her eyes occasionally flicked up to the second - floor study . Declan hadn't come out once since she left the room . Chapter 19 81.82 % ReelShort R In a divided village , a young man from the lower village falls for his childhood friend .