Page 62 of The Arrogant's Redemption

"He promised he’d come back. And he didn’t. Isn’t silence its own kind of answer?"

"Sometimes, yes," she replies gently.

"I’ll be fine."

"You fell in love."

"No. Only a complete idiot falls in love in one weekend, Mom."

She gives me a sad smile. "Do you know how I met your father?"

"I thought you were neighbors."

"We were. But I was always a bookish girl. Kind of like you, when I was younger."

"You’re outgoing."

"I blossomed during my teens—once we started dating and our friendship turned into love. Your father, though . . . He was a light in this dark world. People were drawn to him because he had a glow of his own."

"And you were drawn to his charisma."

"Not really. I didn’t fall in love at first sight. We were opposites. He was always messy and loved playing with toy cars. I felt like a little lady—hair always neat and perfect. He teased me. Mocked howproperI was. Pushed me out of my comfort zone. And even at a young age, I realized he’d be my forever."

"It was a pure kind of love."

"It waslove. Period. It doesn’t always come wrapped in silk. Love can start with flowers and dinner invitations—or even with mutual and spontaneous annoyance, like in our case. It’s that internal click, that unmistakable shift, that tells you your life is about to change."

"Love ends."

"No. I think passion fades before it becomes love. True love goes quiet but never leaves. It’s dangerous because it never really dies."

"I don’t love LJ. I didn’t have time for that."

"But you’re in love with him."

"I—"

"You don’t have to answer. What I’m trying to say is, don’t feel ashamed or foolish for giving yourself to him, Alexis. I know you. You’re hard on yourself."

"And scared."

"Yes, but that’s not what matters. What matters is that you can’t protect yourself from pain. Whether you take the risk or not, you’ll get hurt eventually. It’s part of growingup, sweetheart. Disappointments come from all sides—friends, coworkers, lovers, family. I hope this man didn’t just vanish and break your heart . . . but if that’s what happened, even then, don’t regret what you shared. Learn from it. Move forward. I’ll always be by your side."

Alexis

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I leavethe prison feeling a little more hopeful. I’m not an idiot just because I fell for him. I’d like to meet a woman who could resist LJ. Mom’s right. I won’t regret what happened, no matter what the future holds.

With that in mind, I make a decision. When I get home half an hour later, without thinking too much—so I don’t lose my nerve—I grab my phone and finally make the call I’ve been wanting to place since the beginning of the week.

It rings several times before someone picks up. But it’s not LJ’s voice I hear—it’s a woman’s.

"Hello, may I speak to LJ?"

"You have no shame, do you?" she snaps before I even get a chance to introduce myself, and I’m sure I must’ve dialed the wrong number.

I’m about to hang up, but I need to apologize first, so I begin, awkwardly, "I’m sorry. I think I called the wrong?—"

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