INSTALL Chapter 22 " Happy birthday , Riss , " Declan said softly , pulling her back to the She forced a small smile and murmured a thank - you . " Thanks . " present . A slice of cake appeared in front of her , and when she looked up , he was still watching her , his smile too wide , too hopeful . " I know it's all a bit last - minute , " he admitted . " Next year , I'll throw you the most perfect , extravagant birthday party you've ever had . Sound good ? " Marissa said nothing . She took a bite of the cake . It was rich , the cream smooth and not overly sweet - but somehow , it still tasted bland . Her fingers tightened around the bracelet . The faint clinking of crystal beads echoed against the silence . 1 None of these gifts mattered . What she really wanted … was to go home . To be with Adrian . God , she missed him . Was he still looking for her ? Still piecing together clues , desperate to find where she'd gone ? She hoped so . And once she was home , she'd never leave him again . Wherever he went , she'd follow . She'd tie him to her side if she had to . This - this was the first birthday she'd spent in years feeling absolutely nothing . That night , as she slipped back into her room , her eyes fell on the small glass star on her vanity . A lump rose in her throat . She and Adrian had a secret signal - a way to find each other if things went wrong . It had been days . Why hadn't he come ? But then she sighed . Maybe she was being unfair . The Carter family had focused on overseas expansion for years . Their reach in Crestfall could never compare to the influence the Hawthornes held here . Chapter 22 95.45 % R D P ReelShort In a divided village , a young man from the lower 4.6 FREE village falls for his childhood friend . Google Play INSTALL She'd wait a little longer . But if he let her miss their wedding , he'd be sleeping on the couch for a month . She'd thought Declan's worst offense was locking her away , trying to wear down her resolve . She was wrong . A week before the wedding , he blindfolded her and took her to a new location . When the cloth was finally removed , she found herself standing in a room blanketed in white roses , shaped into hearts . Behind them , butterfly orchids spelled out two glowing words : Marry Me . Declan stood in front of her , wearing a perfectly tailored black suit . Every strand of his hair was immaculate . The effort he'd put into this was written all over him . All around them , his friends - Tristan included - watched silently , stiff smiles frozen on their faces . Declan dropped to one knee . " Marissa , I love you , " he said , voice trembling . " Please … give me a chance to take care of you . Let me spend the rest of my life by your side . " Time seemed to stretch . His heart pounded so loud it drowned out the world . Then - chaos . A commotion at the door , shouts , and then the security line broke . Adrian burst in with a squad of police officers , pushing past the startled staff . " Don't move ! Police ! " " Riss ! " She hadn't heard his voice in a week . It took one second - less - for her to spin around , tears already welling in her eyes . She started to run , but Declan grabbed her wrist . Chapter 22 95.45 % ReelShort R 4.6 FREE In a divided village , a young man from the lower village falls for his childhood friend . Google Play INSTALL " Riss … don't go . " The moment Declan saw Adrian , he knew it was over . His stolen time had run out . But watching her move without hesitation - like he meant nothing - still felt like being gutted from the inside out . She looked down at his hand on her wrist , his fingers curled around it , a ring gleaming on one . The matching pair to the one he'd given her when she first arrived here . Adrian was tense , watching . Afraid . Afraid she'd choose the man who'd once meant everything to her . But she didn't hesitate for long . She gently uncurled Declan's fingers, one by one . " I'm sorry , Declan , " she said quietly . " I already have a new life now . And it doesn't include you . " She paused , then added , " You need to let go of the past . Stop clinging to what's already gone . Or you'll miss everything that's still ahead . " Chapter 22