“You…?” Elissa’s head snapped up, suspicion flashing in her eyes. Her lips trembled as laughter spilled out, but her tears didn’t stop.

“Of course you have to answer for this,” said Elissa, pain breaking through her voice. “You called off our engagement first. You forced me into this nightmare. I’ll never forget what you did.”

Her cheeks were streaked with tears. “Still, I can’t pretend I’m not responsible at all.”

Suddenly, determination replaced her despair.

She shoved Ernest back and sprang to her feet. “Didn’t I warn you? I told you to see her! I made it clear that if you ignored her, there would be consequences!”

Because he ignored her warning, everything went wrong.

“She went after my grandfather because you were nowhere to be found. This is your doing!” Elissa’s cries echoed as she struck him with clenched fists, refusing to stop.

“I’m the one to blame,” Ernest admitted, staying right where he was. “Turn all your anger on me.”

Letting her hit him was the only way he could ease her pain.

“Grandpa…” Elissa’s fists faltered, and she wept harder, her strength draining away. Ernest stood firm, letting her grief pour out.

“Why do you keep holding on to me?”

She had let go of the pain from their broken engagement, but he had left her stranded in even deeper humiliation and despair. Though Elissa remained, Addy was gone—and it was because of all this.

“I’m sorry.” Regret swept through Ernest as he pulled her close, trying to steady her shaking body. “I’m the one who made this happen. I swear, I won’t let it happen again.”

“You say never again?” Elissa’s eyes slid shut, and despair colored every word. “You still can’t let me go, can you?”

No explanation seemed strong enough to reach him.

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“My grandfather died because of what we did… Ernest.” She spoke his name with a bitter edge, drawing in a ragged breath. “I can’t even look at myself anymore. How am I supposed to look at you? I hate you for this. Can’t you see?”

“I hear you. If you need someone to blame, let it be me. I can handle your hatred. Just don’t ask me to walk away.”

Disbelief widened her eyes, leaving her at a loss for words. “What?! How could you…”

“Elissa.” Ernest called her name quietly, tension tightening his tone. “I know I caused this pain. I see how much you’re hurting, and I don’t hold that against you. But we have Locke, and now there’s another baby. We can’t just part ways.”

He went on, “You don’t have anyone left in Srixby. If I left, you’d be completely alone. I can’t abandon you like that.”

A wave of nausea crashed over her. Before he could say anything else, Elissa clamped a hand over her mouth, shoved him aside, and darted into the house.

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