Page 123 of Stroke of Fate

Levi takes a tentative step forward. And then another, until he’s close enough to touch if I let myself.

“I would never cheat on you, drunk or sober. Please hear me when I say that. I love you, Bear.”

His voice breaks, and something in me does, too. Seeing him so torn up is eating me alive. But I’m conflicted. Once again, it’s a battle between my head and my heart.

I step back, my voice barely above a whisper, when I state the obvious. “There’s a video showing exactly what you’re denying.”

His jaw clenches, and I see the pain twisting his features at the reminder of what I saw. No, what hedid. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, then surely a video must be worth millions.

The silence between us is heavy.

“Tell me what the signs were, Teddy Bear.” He says quietly, pleadingly.

“What?” I manage to ask, my breath hitching at the abrupt change in topic.

“You told me there were signs you ignored with your ex-boyfriend.” His eyes blaze with desperation. “Tell me what signs I gave you these past few months that would make you believe I suddenly threw away the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to me?”

Pia said something similar. Even she couldn't understand why he seemed so in love one moment and then acted like what we had didn’t matter the next.

But there’s temptation, and then there’s willpower. Both can be swayed, one way or another, if you’re not in the right frame of mind.

I think back to the last few months with Levi. Our memories are painful to sift through, knowing where we are now. But even amid my heartache, my mind is struggling to find a time when his behavior toward me changed. Or when he started pulling away because he was no longer interested in spending time together.

Not once since we made our relationship official did I get that sinking feeling in my gut that he was hiding something or that his attention had strayed from me to someone else.

Not a single red flag until last night.

When my phone lit up with that text, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, and my heart dropped to my feet. I knew whatever I was about to see had the potential to rip my world apart.

My throat clogs with emotion, but I force myself to squeeze out the words I know will hurt. “Maybe that just makes you a better liar than him.”

Levi flinches from the impact of my words.

I want to take the words back and swallow them down. Tell him I didn’t mean them, and we can start over.

My heart’s not ready to let him go. Even the tiny voice in my head is begging me to look at the situation deeper.

You’re missing something.

But it’s hard to focus on anything but the ache in my chest.

“Tell me it isn’t over.” His eyes plead with me not to give up on him. On us.

"Go home, Levi," I choke out, no longer caring if it makes me look weak when a tear slides down my cheek.

“Tell me this isn’t the end of us.” He begs again.

“I need time,” I tell him honestly, blinking back another wave of tears. “Please, just leave.”

Levi nods slowly, defeat causing his shoulder to cave in. Every step he takes away from me makes me more desperate to ask him to say.

But I know I need to let him go.

When his hand curves around the door handle, he twists back. My heart cracks when I see the agony written all over his face. Levi’s cheeks are wet, and he gives me one last pleading look.

If he doesn’t leave now, I won’t have the strength to make him go. So I lower my gaze to the floor instead.

I bite my lip hard to stop a sob from escaping.

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