And so the Dutch billionaire forced himself to stay still as he watched his sister turn to her tormentor.
Their eyes met, and Marcus swallowed hard.Hate me. Love me. Hate me the way I hate my mother. Love me the way I don’t deserve to be loved.His thoughts were as chaotic as the rest of him was.
His fists clenched as he watched Anneke struggle to speak, her face pale, her lips trembling.
Hate me, Marcus thought rawly,so I know I did the right thing.
Hate me so I know you’re as weak as I am, and being with me would destroy you.
Hate me.
He willed her to say the words.
He needed her to say the words.
But she didn’t.
“I should hate you,” Anneke whispered tonelessly, “but I don’t.”
Instead, she gave him what he wanted – and would never deserve.
“Because I still love you.” A painful smile touched her lips. “I still love you, and I d-don’t know why.”
Marcus whitened.
“Goodbye, Marcus.”
He watched Anneke and Jaak walk away.
I still love you.
She should have hated him, but she didn’t.
I still love you.
And even if she didn’t hate him, why let him know?
Why take the kind of risk the way he could never take a risk with her?
I still love you.
I still love you.
I still love you.
He watched Jaak and Anneke step out of the front door.
I still love you.
And Marcus suddenly couldn’t stop moving fast enough.
“Anneke!”
Panic was burning in his throat, making his voice hoarse.
“Anneke, wait—-” And when she spun around, he said jerkily, “I’m sorry.”
Her already pale face whitened even more, and the sight of it killed him. He knew she was thinking he was being an asshole, playing fast and loose with her feelings, acting hot and cold with her like she had no heart to crush.