Chapter 1556:

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The color drained from Barry’s face. For a split second, he stood there speechless before panic rushed in. “Novalee, let me explain. My parents set it up. I couldn’t exactly refuse. I never planned for anything to come of it, I was just going through the motions. I already turned her down.”

“You didn’t look like someone who was just ‘going through the motions’ when you had your arms around her.” Novalee’s expression didn’t change.

Barry’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. “She twisted her ankle,” he said quickly. “I was only helping her up. I swear, nothing happened. I’m not getting together with her. But how could you decide to break up with me without even asking? You could’ve talked to me first. I would’ve explained everything.”

Novalee looked at him steadily. “Did you exchange numbers?”

“No.” Barry’s lie came almost too quickly. Smooth. Automatic.

Novalee held out her hand. “Then let me see your phone.”

Barry went completely still. His fingers twitched, but he couldn’t bring himself to take it out. He hadn’t deleted the woman’s contact; he had still been holding onto it.

Novalee let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Just go.”

“I only didn’t delete it because she hadn’t done anything wrong,” Barry blurted, scrambling for an explanation. “I didn’t want to make things awkward. That’s all. It really didn’t mean anything.”

Novalee had always believed that if a man was truly serious about his girlfriend, deleting a woman’s number wouldn’t even require a second thought. It really was that simple.

𝘙𝗲𝗮d 𝖿𝗋о𝘮 у𝗈𝗎𝗿 р𝗵𝗈𝘯𝘦 оn 𝗀a𝗅𝗇оv𝗲𝘭ѕ.с𝘰𝗆

But Barry kept reaching for excuse after excuse, defending himself, trying to explain away what couldn’t be explained. The flawless image she’d built of him over the months cracked apart before her eyes, the beautiful illusion splintering away until all that remained was something she barely recognized.

“Just go. My coworkers will be here soon,” she said with a flat face, though a dull ache was already squeezing around her heart.

When Barry realized she wasn’t about to give in, the frustration he’d been swallowing finally spilled over. “Novalee! You can’t keep doing this. My parents were the ones who arranged that blind date. If I hadn’t shown up, they would’ve come looking for you instead. I was trying to protect you. And instead of seeing that, you’re blaming me?”

“And how long are you planning to ‘protect’ me?” Novalee shot back. “A year? Two? Or until your parents find someone they actually approve of, and you decide that’s the perfect excuse to let me go?”

Barry looked up, exasperation written all over his face. “Why can’t you understand? Your family, your parents’ situation, how am I supposed to explain all that to my parents? I’m only human, Novalee. I’m under pressure too. I have responsibilities, to them, and to you.”

Novalee scoffed. “Then where exactly do I fit into all those responsibilities?”

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