Chapter 49

Celine smiled slightly, a smile full of irony. "Oh, you know? Do you really? Because if you really knew, I'm not sure you would have just left me when I needed you first."  

"Celine..."  

"Don't 'Celine' me." Her voice raised a little, her eyes starting to water. "You know how hard my life was back then. You know I was struggling alone, and you chose to leave!"  

Nico approached, but Celine raised a hand, stopping him. "Don't. Don't come any closer."  

"Celine, I know I was wrong." Nico tried to keep his tone calm. "I've never stopped being sorry for what I did. But I can't turn back time either."  

"Exactly. You can't turn back time." Celine looked down, covering her face with both hands. "And the wounds you left behind are too deep, Nico. I tried, really tried to forget. But every time I see Calvin, I remember the days when I had to fight alone for him."  

"Celine," Nico stepped slowly