Chapter 7: The One He Lost Forever

Three days later, I officially moved into a small apartment Andrew had helped me rent near the city center.

I refused his offer to stay at the Grant villa any longer.

"You've already helped me enough," I told him.

Andrew smiled.

"Helping you wasn't a burden."

"Still, I should learn to stand on my own."

"I know," he replied. "And I believe you will."

As I unpacked my luggage, my phone suddenly rang.

It was Hendrix.

I stared at the screen before rejecting the call.

A second later, it rang again.

Then a third time.

Finally, I answered.

"What do you want?"

"Yvonne, we need to talk."

"There's nothing left to discuss."

"Please. Just five minutes."

His voice sounded unusually exhausted.

Against my better judgment, I agreed to meet him at a nearby café.

When I arrived, Hendrix was already waiting.

His eyes were bloodshot, and several documents lay on the table.

"I investigated the yacht accident," he said immediately.

"Someone sabotaged it."

"I know," I answered calmly.

He looked surprised.

"You're... not shocked?"

"After surviving death once, very little surprises me anymore."

Hendrix lowered his head.

"Yvonne... I owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"For doubting you."

"For always assuming the worst about you."

"For... everything."

I quietly stirred my coffee.

"Apologies don't erase what happened."

"I know."

Silence settled between us.

After a long moment, Hendrix finally spoke again.

"Can we start over?"

I looked at him for several seconds before smiling faintly.

"Hendrix, do you know what's different this time?"

He frowned.

"In the past, I loved you enough to forgive anything."

"Now... I simply don't love you anymore."

Those words hit him harder than any accusation.

His face instantly turned pale.

"Impossible."

"You loved me for years."

"People change."

"Especially after dying once."

Before Hendrix could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Yvonne."

Andrew walked into the café carrying a file.

"Sorry I'm late."

He naturally pulled out the chair beside me.

"Ready to go?"

"Yes."

I stood up without another glance at Hendrix.

As Andrew and I walked toward the exit together, Hendrix remained frozen in his seat.

For the first time in his life, he realized something terrifying.

The woman who had always waited for him...

Had finally stopped looking back.