Page 47 of Her Cruel One-Sided Love

He tugged her back into his lap before answering, "No."

"I don't believe you—-"

"Because you don't have to." Massimo had finally come to a decision. Ynez might have repeated warned him against falling for her sister's tricks, and he wanted to believe not everyone was like his mother, who had lied over and over about wanting to change but never did.

"All of mine is yours, Ysabel."

She was about to laugh when she realized he was being serious, and her smile faded. "Don't say that. I don't want it, and I'm willing to sign whatever's needed so that you won't ever have to worry about me being after your money."

"You are entitled—-"

"Ireallydon't want it," she insisted.

"Why?"

She looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Um, duh? To prove that I'm not the evil fiancée you think I am."All thanks to my own flesh and blood,Ysabel couldn't help thinking, but since she also knew better than to say those words out loud, she could only cup his face and look into his eyes in hopes that he would see the truth in her gaze.

"I want to earn your trust—-"

"You already have."

Her heart nearly stopped beating at how swiftly, howeasilyMassimo uttered the words, and her entire body started trembling. "Please don't lie—-" Her voice cracked as her eyes started stinging, and her head dropped to his chest.

"Please do not break my trust, Ysabel." His lips brushed over the top of her head as he spoke, and the rawness of his tone had her crying harder. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, knowing how much it cost Massimo to say such words.

"I won't," she promised him fiercely. "I promise I won't."

Whether he believed her or not, she didn't really know...since his phone suddenly started ringing, and Ysabel could tell who the caller was just by the way Massimo had stiffened.

Ynez.

And her heart started to ache, even though Massimo was absolutely gentle in the way he pulled her arms down.

"I'm sorry, Ysabel. It is your sister calling," he said heavily.

"I know."

"You understand I have to take this?"

"Of course." She was proud of the way her voice didn't even shake as she answered him, but she was not proud at all with the way her heart sank to her stomach when he walked back to their table minutes later, and she saw the grim look on his face.

"Mi dispiace,Ysabel. But I need to go to your sister and explain."

Non farai niente di stupido,she warned herself determinedly.You will not do anything stupid!

"She wants an explanation, and I owe it to her—-"

Ysabel knew it should be enough that he wasn't lying about it, but instead she heard herself ask, "Can't you just text it?" As soon as the words fell past her lips, she knew right away it was a stupidly shallow thing to say, and she wasn't surprised at the way her question had Massimo's lips tightening in impatience.

"Do you truly think I am the kind of man who would explain these things over text?"

It hurt to sound him so scathing, especially when just earlier he had been so heartbreakingly tender. But what hurt even more was to realize how shamefully desperate she felt. She didn't want him to go to Ynez and have her sister further poison him against her.

"You must learn to trust me, Ysabel. It is over between me and your sister, but she also heard me lie—-"

"But it's not a lie," Ysabel blurted out. "Five years ago—-"

"Do not say another word," Massimo gritted out.

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