Page 59 of Her Cruel One-Sided Love

"But you loved her anyway—-"

"I never did, Ysabel. It's why we've stopped having sex for over a year. It's why I've never called her my little cherry after the night I metyou.I never loved her, and that's why I didn't feel a goddamn thing even when I saw her fucking another man."

Ysabel felt as if her world was spinning too fast for her. All this time, she had thought he had loved Ynez so much he was willing to forgive her sister for anything. But apparently, she was wrong about that, and she could only start crying again as Massimo cupped her cheeks with the most heartbreaking tenderness.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize it was you that night. I'm sorry I wasted five years with the wrong woman, and ended up hurting the one that truly mattered. I'm sorry I believed all of Ynez's lies—-"

She paled at his words, but he wouldn't let her pull away when she tried to break free.

"Massimo, when Ynez was in h-high school—-"

"I know,cieligina mia.I know you took the blame for her—-" His jaw clenched. "And the only reason she's still alive, after everything she's done to you is because she's your sister. But if you tell me you will not mind—-"

"I totally mind," she said quickly even as she fought back the urge to cry and laugh at the same time. Was this for real? Was Massimo really here saying—-

"I love you, Ysabel."

God. Oh God. Is this really happening?

"I have loved you from the first moment I saw you," Massimo said hoarsely. "And I will always love you. Soplease,please just give me a fucking chance before you marry another man—-"

This time, Ysabel did cry, and she did laugh as well. "Oh, Mas."

"I'm fucking serious—-"

"So am I."

And then she was taking the hands that were holding his face...and Massimo could only swallow hard as she kissed his knuckles on each hand.

"I missed you so much, Massimo. And I love you even more—-"

"Then will you promise to marry me," he asked tautly, "and not be someone else's wife?"

"Oh, Mas."

"I don't fucking know how to interpret that," he grated out.

"It can mean a lot of things," she teased shakily, "but right now it means...I only look like a bride in your eyes because you're biased. But actually...I'm someone else's bridesmaid, and—-"

Oh my gosh!

Massimo was stunned when Ysabel suddenly grabbed his hand and swiftly dragged him towards the doors leading to the hotel's largest ballroom. "We have to go, Kayra'sliterallygoing to kill me if I'm late—-"

She stopped speaking when Massimo suddenly whirled her around to face him.

"Are you talking about Kayra...Petinos?"Massimo demanded.

Ysabel looked at him in surprise. "You know her, too?"

"Everyonewho'sfamigliaknows her," he said flatly

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked uncertainly.

Hisfidanzataobviously didn't know this, but Kayra was the kind of woman who made evenLa Stregaappear like a saint. Making a person disappear was child's play to the likes of Kayra, and when he thought about how he had beenthisfucking close to losing Ysabel completely if not for divine intervention—-

Grazie, Dio.

Ysabel was stunned when Massimo suddenly hauled her towards him, but before she could ask him why, he was already kissing her senseless, and oh, oh, oh...

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