로그인My gaze lingered on her tear-streaked face. Every tear that rolled down her soft cheeks carved itself into my soul.I hate the sight of it. Slowly..I lifted my hand and brushed my thumb across her cheek, catching a tear before it could fall. The warmth of her skin against my fingertips made my heart ache. I gently slipped her hands from my face before rising to my feet. She remained kneeling for a heartbeat, looking up at me with those wide, vulnerable eyes before slowly standing with me. "Lena..." I cupped her cheek again, unable to stop touching her, as though reassuring myself she was truly here. "Yes?" she whispered, sniffling softly. Her lips were slightly parted. My eyes drifted to them. The world around us disappeared, even my own heartbeat faded beneath the magnetic pull between us. I traced my thumb over her damp cheek, my fingers lingering just beneath her jaw. Every instinct inside me begged to close the tiny distance separating us. My voice came
Everything inside me shattered. The walls I had spent years fortifying—brick by brick, scar by scar—crumbled in a single, breathless moment. My legs buckled beneath me, and I crashed to my knees on the cold pavement. Not because I was weak. But because my heart had finally collapsed under the weight of everything I had buried so deep I thought I'd never find it again. The pain in my chest was so sharp, so visceral, it drowned out the world. My vision swam and my lungs stuttered, refusing to draw air. After years of forcing myself to stand, to fight, to survive—I simply couldn't anymore. "Tarzan!" Lena's face went white. She dropped to her knees in front of me, her hands gripping my shoulders with a desperate, trembling force. "Tarzan! What happened? Talk to me—please! You're scaring me." I wanted to answer. I wanted to tell her that hearing those words should have made me the happiest man alive. Instead, they broke me open. Because I finally knew the truth. "I hear
Soon, she turned her head in my direction. Our eyes met, and the smile on her face vanished.Did I frighten her?Was there something in my expression that made her smile drop?I couldn’t look away, no matter how hard I tried. My eyes refused to leave her.She glanced at me several times while continuing her conversation, her smile growing increasingly forced. I hated being the reason it had disappeared.I had reached my limit.I couldn’t keep pretending anymore. I couldn’t keep swallowing words that were slowly destroying me.“Sir…”My driver’s voice cut through the chaos in my mind.“Should I drive Ms. Lena home first?”I slowly turned toward him. “The keys?"He hesitated. “But, sir… the after-party. Mr. Eric said your presence is important.”I looked at him. One look was enough. His words died instantly. Without another sound, he handed me the keys.My gaze returned to Lena. She had finished speaking with the others and was carefully lifting the hem of her gown as she walked towar
TARZAN’S POVThe one moment I thought I would finally have a chance to talk to her alone slipped through my fingers like smoke.My phone buzzed with an urgent message from one of my insiders.The Best Dressed results. Someone had rigged the votes.The award that should have gone to Lena was about to be handed to some model who’d paid for the privilege.I saw red.Not because I gave a damn about the award, but because the thought of anyone stealing *anything* from her made my blood boil.I had no choice but to intervene.I pulled strings, issued threats, and cleaned up the mess. By the time everything was straightened out, the night had already stolen every opportunity I had to be alone with her.Now I stood a few feet away, suit jacket slung loosely over one arm, watching her laugh politely with Jean Pierre’s team. The sound of her joy twisted like a knife between my ribs. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. She looked devastatingly beautiful—the kind of beautiful that makes a man forget h
I was so happy... until...."Tarzan—"My heart stopped and the world tilted.That single word shattered the fragile hope I'd pieced together in the last few seconds.I must have misheard. Mitch.It should have been Mitch.Lena loves me. Lena will always love me.How could she have forgotten that?"I love you, Tarzan. I just want you to know that," she said, then added a quiet, almost shy, "Thanks."The crowd erupted in applause.I couldn't lift my head. I scoffed as tears burned behind my eyes, and I let them fall, hot and silent, down my cheeks.I am losing it.For a second I was actually happy thinking she was referring to me.A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. I flinched."Man..." Jake's voice was low, careful. "Pull yourself together. It's not the end of the world."But it was. It felt like it was.I couldn't bear the weight in my chest—the years I'd swallowed, the humiliation I'd accepted in the name of being a house husband, all for a chance to reach out to Lena.I should'
She stood on that stage now, glowing, breathtaking—ans being celebrated by a crowd filled with Hollywood celebrities and famous artists around the globe and other distinguished guests. This couldn't be real. The Lena I remembered was timid, always looking tired with ark circled and puffy face, her eyes downcast, apologizing for everything I complained about. She shares same face and body as the woman on the screen yet she appears to be more comfortable in her body. I glanced at Derek and Jake. They were staring at the massive screen with the same stunned silence that had gripped me. If I was hallucinating, were they also hallucinating?I watched as Lena stepped up to the microphone, her hand trembling slightly as she adjusted it. The room fell silent, waiting.She laughed—a nervous, beautiful sound that cut through me like a blade bringing back memories of the first time we met met as teenagers at that dingy coffee shop. "I'm sorry I haven't done this before," she said so
“I'm not stupid enough to fall for a man who would abuse me,” I said, my fists clenched at my sides. “He was the sweetest man ever.” “Was.” “Is!” His face remained unreadable. “So where did those marks come from?” I rubbed my neck. “Probably a reaction to the new body cream I bought.” “I see,
LENA’S POV I woke up the next morning with an unbearable ache in my stomach. I groaned and rolled over, but it only made the pain worse. My mind was already racing. *How am I supposed to work like this?* *How am I going to cook for Mitch? He’ll be furious if breakfast isn’t ready before he
"Lena, you are crying.." His voice came softly through the darkness. I held my breath. How could he have heard me? I had been so careful. "Thinking about him? I told you I’ll take you back home tomorrow. I won’t hold you against your will. You should rest. It’s been a rough day for you." He sp
An awkward silence followed my failed attempt to explain myself. We stood there, him still frozen in place. *I can’t believe I went from trying to run away from him to hugging him.* Thankfully, he made a move first, lifted my head and saw him turning toward the apartment. “You seem to b







