Chapter 0451
Chapter 0451
+25 BONUS
“Marcus, I’m not blaming you for marrying her. I understand perfectly. You both thought I was dead, and I can’t blame you for making her happy. In my current condition, couldn’t do that. Life decided it this way–don’t blame yourself for it.”
Peter’s words made Marcus feel a lump in his throat. The guilt weighed heavily on him, and he finally broke down, tears welling in his dark eyes. When Peter saw him like that, he approached and hugged him, just as one would comfort a child. Marcus clung to him, releasing a cry filled with pain and regret. Peter tried to console him, patting his back and running a hand through his hair. It worked with Ethan, but he wasn’t sure it would with his friend.
“Marcus, my friend, life goes on. Just like you, I’ve moved on with mine. I could never blame you for what happened. I would never fault you for marrying Mary. All these years, you’ve made her very happy. Just one look at how she gazes at you, and it’s clear how important you are to her.
“But now, I need you to understand something and promise me one thing. I have no reason to appear in her life. She must never know I’m alive. I don’t want to come back and turn her life upside down. She has a place to bring flowers now, a place to go when she wants to remember me. If she finds out I’m alive, she won’t like what she sees. I think that would be more painful than losing me all those years ago. Promise me you won’t tell her. On my
part,
I’ll be careful to make sure she never finds out about me.”
“You know this is going to blow up in your face sooner or later, right?”
“When that happens, I’ll be the one to deal with it–not you, my old friend.”
“Peter, please… Let me…
“It’s a resounding no! You’re not going to change my mind. If you insist, I’ll leave today, and you’ll never hear from me again.”
Peter’s calm demeanor shifted completely. His gaze showed an unyielding determination not to let the truth come out. That determination meant he was capable of acting rashly. Marcus knew this side of him from their past life and understood what Peter could do. So, he didn’t press the matter further.
“Now, old friend, I think you’ll understand that we can’t keep seeing each other. Think of this as the goodbye we never got to have. Be happy with that woman. Live your life. Share with her what you couldn’t with Valentina and little Peter. Life gave you another chance. Don’t waste it by holding onto fears of the past. Let it go–it’s time to live.”
Marcus stood up from his chair and hugged his friend–a tight, sincere embrace. Marcus looked at him and, in Peter’s eyes, caught a glimpse of the man he used to know, the one who had become his friend. He remembered why they had been so close. Peter bore the same name as his grandfather and his unborn son. Marcus’s heart broke, but he knew this man without memories would cause more pain than joy if he stayed. With a heavy heart, he accepted the decision of the person who, in the past, had been his best friend.
