Can’t Win Me Back

The once pristine white rose petals were now marred by the dark stain of Julien's blood.

"Let's end it here." Julien's voice was soft, yet those four words shattered Jonah's heart into fragments.

"Julien, I will not allow you to leave me!" Every muscle in Jonah's body trembled with desperation.

A ferocious rage ignited in his eyes.

"I know who I love.

You are not a substitute for anyone! Julien, don't leave me...

I cannot let you go!" Panic coursed through him.

He cried and pleaded, desperately trying to hold Julien back.

Torn between gentleness and force, he was willing to accept any outcome as long as the man he adored stayed with him.

The first time it happened, Jonah had barely survived the emotional turmoil.

If it happened again, it would drive him to the brink of insanity and death.

His breathing became ragged; his bloodshot eyes blazed with determination.

With open arms, Jonah moved to embrace Julien, who had been reduced to pieces.

But just as he leaned in, a sharp pain shot through his left eye.

"Don't touch me!" In a moment of uncontrolled rage, Julien had grabbed another rose, dragging its thorny stem across Jonah's face.

Jonah was fortunate to have closed his eyes just in time; otherwise, that thorn could have slashed his eyeball, leaving him blinded.

Julien stared at the bloodied cut on Jonah's face, momentarily forgetting his own pain.

Dazed, his hands trembled as the instinct to care for Jonah flickered within him.

Yet he fought against it, forcing out the words, "Jonah, you need to go to the hospital—" Jonah couldn't be bothered about himself.

blood trickled down

Julien into

"Promise me, then...

I admit that I still

to this, I'm unable to convince myself to stay with you." Despite allowing Jonah to hold him,

once

myself to stay in this relationship, living by your side in the future will only make me feel like I'm acting as

love for me

I want, in particular, is just that bit of purity." As he said

voice, he continued, "I

I was able to have such an

Jonah, that's enough.

us..." By the time Alyssa and Sean arrived, Julien had already

expansive room, Jonah knelt, a forlorn shadow of his former

Alyssa's heart sank.

She stumbled backward slightly.

but resembled an empty shell, crushed and

"Ms.

what in the world happened to

Jonah and Dr.

Lovelace?" Sean questioned anxiously.

her the entire journey there but was unable to get a single answer

few years when Jonah was KS

looking as devastated as this! Alyssa took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain

Sean, wait

have a talk with Jonah in private." Knitting his brows together,

but to retreat and

downcast expression, Alyssa welled up with

slowly, knelt down, and picked up the roses that had

picked up the greeting card containing Julien's heartfelt

blurred her vision,

of fury exploded within