JOURNEY OF LOVE - CHAPTER 20: A HEART LEFT WAITING

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Chapter 20

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A Heart Left Waiting

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The night after Daniel discovered he and his loved ones were being watched changed something inside him.

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He had always believed that love could overcome fear.

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Now he understood that love also required sacrifice.

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As dawn broke over the city, Daniel stood alone on the balcony of his apartment. The cool morning breeze brushed against his face, but it did little to calm the storm in his heart.

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His phone vibrated.

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It was Inspector Harris.

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"We found fingerprints on the package," the inspector said.

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Daniel's heart quickened.

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"Did they match anyone?"

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"No."

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"They belong to someone who has never been in our system."

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Daniel sighed.

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"So we're still chasing a ghost."

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"For now."

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---

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Across town, Amara woke with an uneasy feeling.

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She had dreamed of Daniel walking away from her without saying a word.

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The dream felt so real that tears filled her eyes before she even got out of bed.

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She quickly called him.

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The phone rang.

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No answer.

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She tried again.

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Still nothing.

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"He must be busy," she whispered, trying to reassure herself.

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But her heart refused to believe it.

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---

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Daniel was sitting inside the police station, meeting with Inspector Harris and two detectives.

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Photographs covered the conference table.

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Pictures of Ethan.

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Victor.

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The mysterious mansion.

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The black SUV.

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The anonymous packages.

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Inspector Harris folded his hands.

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"We believe this is bigger than harassment."

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"How much bigger?" Daniel asked.

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"We think Victor is connected to an organized financial crime network."

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Daniel looked stunned.

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"And Amara?"

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The inspector nodded.

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"She may have become a target because of the documents she unknowingly signed years ago."

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Daniel clenched his fists.

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"So she was never the real target."

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"No."

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"You were."

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---

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Daniel frowned.

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"Me?"

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The inspector slid another file across the table.

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Inside was an old newspaper article.

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Years ago, Daniel's father had exposed a corrupt business syndicate responsible for stealing millions from investors.

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Several members of the organization had gone to prison.

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Others disappeared.

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Victor's name appeared among those who escaped.

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Inspector Harris looked directly at Daniel.

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"This isn't about Ethan anymore."

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"It's revenge."

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Daniel finally understood.

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Everything had been carefully planned.

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Meeting Amara.

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The debt.

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The threats.

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The photographs.

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Nothing had been random.

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Someone had spent years waiting for the perfect moment.

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---

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That afternoon, Daniel made the hardest decision of his life.

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He met Amara in the small park where they had shared ice cream on one of their first dates.

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She smiled the moment she saw him.

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"I've missed you."

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Daniel forced a smile.

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"I've missed you too."

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They sat together beneath the old oak tree.

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For several minutes, neither spoke.

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Finally...

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Daniel took a deep breath.

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"I need to ask something of you."

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She looked at him.

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"Anything."

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"I want you to stay away from me."

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Her smile disappeared.

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"...What?"

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"Just for a little while."

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She stared at him in disbelief.

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"Daniel..."

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"Please."

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"No."

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Tears immediately filled her eyes.

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"Why would you say that?"

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"Because you're in danger."

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"We're both in danger."

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"I know."

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"Then why should we face it apart?"

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Daniel lowered his head.

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"Because if they can't reach me..."

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"They'll use you."

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Amara reached for his hand.

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"We promised we'd face everything together."

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"I remember."

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"Then don't break that promise."

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Daniel closed his eyes.

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"If anything happened to you..."

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"I could never forgive myself."

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---

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Amara stood up, her voice trembling.

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"So your solution is to leave me?"

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"I'm trying to protect you."

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She shook her head.

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"No."

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"You're trying to carry everything alone again."

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Daniel remained silent.

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She looked into his eyes.

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"Do you know what hurts the most?"

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He couldn't answer.

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"I finally found someone who promised never to walk away."

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A tear rolled down her cheek.

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"And now you're asking me to watch you do exactly that."

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---

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Daniel felt his heart breaking.

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Every instinct told him to hold her.

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To tell her everything would be fine.

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But the images from the flash drive flashed through his mind.

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His mother.

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His sister.

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Amara.

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He couldn't risk losing any of them.

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"I'm sorry," he whispered.

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Amara stepped backward.

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"No."

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She shook her head.

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"I'm the one who's sorry."

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"For believing love meant we never had to face pain alone."

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She turned away before he could see the tears streaming down her face.

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Daniel wanted to run after her.

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Instead...

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He stood frozen.

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Watching the woman he loved walk away.

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---

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For the next several days, Amara waited.

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She kept her phone beside her at work.

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No message.

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She sat by the café where they first met.

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No Daniel.

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She visited the hill beneath the stars.

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Only silence greeted her.

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Every evening she looked at the silver compass pendant around her neck.

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She whispered,

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"You promised."

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Yet she refused to take it off.

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Because somewhere deep inside, she believed Daniel hadn't stopped loving her.

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He was simply fighting a battle she couldn't yet see.

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---

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Daniel suffered just as much.

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He ignored every message he wanted to answer.

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He drove past Amara's apartment more than once but never stopped.

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He carried the bracelet receipt in his wallet.

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He reread her old text messages every night.

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His heart longed to return.

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But fear kept him away.

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---

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One rainy evening, Sophia found Amara sitting alone in the café.

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"You've been here for hours."

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Amara nodded.

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"I'm waiting."

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"For Daniel?"

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She smiled sadly.

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"He always kept his promises."

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Sophia gently squeezed her shoulder.

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"Then maybe he's keeping one now."

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"What do you mean?"

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"Maybe staying away is the only way he believes he can protect you."

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Amara looked down at her untouched cup of coffee.

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"I don't want protection."

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"I just want him."

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---

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Far away, inside the hidden estate, Victor watched security footage of Amara sitting alone.

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He smiled with satisfaction.

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"A lonely heart makes desperate choices."

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Ethan stood beside him.

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"She looks broken."

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Victor nodded.

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"Exactly as planned."

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Then he looked at Daniel's file.

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"But now..."

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"It's time to make him choose."

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"Between saving the woman he loves..."

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"...or saving his family."

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Outside, thunder rolled across the night sky.

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A new storm was coming.

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And somewhere in the city, two hearts still beat for each other.

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One was waiting.

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The other was sacrificing everything to keep that waiting heart alive.

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Neither knew how much longer they could endure the distance between them.

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Quote:

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"The hardest goodbyes are not spoken with anger. They are whispered by hearts that still love each other but believe letting go is the only way to protect the one they cherish."

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End of Chapter 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBEyrVPwd2

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