Chapter 41: The gift

Words : 1220 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Chapter 41: The gift "This is for you," Augustine said, handing her the box. "Another gift?" Anne’s heart pounded as she lifted the lid. Inside, a gold bracelet adorned with diamond studs gleamed under the light. "This..." "It belonged to my mother," he interrupted gently. "And now, it’s yours." "I..." Anne hesitated. "It looks expensive." She closed the box and handed it back to him. "I can’t take this." But Augustine didn’t reach for the box. Instead, he gently pushed it back toward her. "My mom once told me that this bracelet was a gift from her mother," he recounted, memories of his mother flooding his mind, stirring a deep nostalgia in his eyes. "She always wanted a daughter, but because of medical complications, she couldn’t have another child after me." Anne’s expression softened as she listened. She could hear the depth of emotion in his words, the weight of memories he carried. "She always said that one day, she would pass this down to my wife," Augustine continued. "Now that we’re married, I want you to have it." Anne’s heart fluttered at the depth of his emotions. This wasn’t just a piece of jewelry—it was something deeply personal, something that carried love and meaning. She reached out, her fingers wrapping gently around his arm with understanding. "Augustine..." she whispered. He forced a small smile, shaking off the melancholy. He retrieved the bracelet from the box and carefully fastened it around her wrist. "This is her blessing. Don’t refuse it." Anne lowered her gaze to the bracelet, watching how the small diamonds shimmered under the soft glow of the lights. The walls she had built around herself were slowly beginning to crumble, and for the first time, she felt she should give this marriage and Augustine a chance. "Okay," she nodded. "I’ll keep it." Lifting her head, she met his eyes. Silence settled between them yet again. Their rapid heartbeats seemed to echo in the space. The distance between them felt smaller, the pull between them undeniable. Augustine took a step closer, his hand rising to cradle her face. Anne stiffened, but she didn’t move away. She remained still, caught in the depths of his gaze, unable to break the moment. Slowly, he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in the faintest of touches. But just as the warmth of his kiss registered, she jolted back. "I—I’m tired," she stammered, stepping back. Without waiting for his reaction, she hurried into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Augustine remained where he stood, watching the space where she had been moments ago. Slowly, his fingers drifted to his lips, a smirk curling at the corner. ’How long can you keep running from me, Anne?’ he mused. ’Sooner or later, you will surrender.’ Anne pressed her back against the door, her heart racing, breath uneven. Her fingers drifted to her lips, still tingling from Augustine’s almost-kiss. His warmth, his closeness, the way his deep eyes had held her in place kept replaying in her head. A strange flutter stirred in her stomach. Flustered, she quickly covered her face with both hands. "What am I thinking? What’s happening to me?" She took a deep breath, willing herself to push the thoughts away. "I need to clear my mind." She stepped toward the bathroom, hoping the cool water would help her regain her composure. Meanwhile, Denis came to the bar again and drowned himself in whiskey. His friend, Rojer, sat beside him, watching with a cold, knowing stare. "What happened today?" Rojer finally asked with indifference. "Did Anne upset you again?" Denis’s posture went rigid, and his fingers curled around the glass before he slammed it onto the table. "Don’t mention her name," he growled, his bloodshot eyes flashing with anger. "I don’t want to think about her." Yet, despite his words, she was all he could think about. Her face, her scent, the way she used to look at him with unwavering devotion—it haunted him. "She ignored me," he muttered. "She saw me. I know she did. And yet... she walked away as if I didn’t even exist." The fury in his eyes wavered for a moment, replaced by something more fragile—something dangerously close to sorrow. "She used to follow me everywhere. How could she ignore me like that?" His voice dropped lower, almost as if speaking to himself. "I punished Billy for touching her... I did it for her. But she didn’t even thank me." Denis’s fury reignited, scorching away any lingering traces of sorrow. He poured another glass. Tilting his head back, he took a long sip, but no amount of alcohol could wash away the ache in his chest. "She has gotten too full of herself because of that loser, Augustine," he muttered, slamming the glass down. "She actually believes Augustine can protect her. But she has no idea—he is nothing compared to me." "Augustine is quite the enigma," Rojer said slowly with suspicion in his eyes. "I’ve been digging into his past, but it’s like he never existed for the last five years. No records, no connections, no trace of where he has been or what he has been doing. It’s as if someone deliberately wiped his history clean." Denis didn’t respond. He absentmindedly ran his finger around the rim of the glass. "We don’t even know why he has suddenly returned," Rojer continued. "It’s suspicious. You need to be careful." Denis scoffed, rolling his shoulders as he dismissed the notion with a bitter laugh. "I know exactly why he is back. He is after his share of the family fortune. But he won’t get a damn thing. The Beaumont wealth and business are mine to inherit, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t get a single dime. Not a piece of land, not a share in the company—nothing." His nostrils flared as a darker rage consumed him. "He thinks that by taking Anne, he can control me." His voice dropped to a dangerous growl. "He is dead wrong. No one—no one—takes what belongs to me." Rojer let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing his temples as he tried to reason with his friend. "Denis, let it go. Anne ended things with you. She has moved on. You should do the same. Focus on what you have. If you keep chasing Anne, you’ll end up losing Tania." But Denis wasn’t listening to his advice. "I will never let Anne slip through my fingers." Rojer frowned as if trying to make sense of his obsession. "Are you even listening to yourself? You always said Anne was nothing but a distraction—a stand-in. You were waiting for Tania this whole time. Well, she is back. And she is carrying your child. Yet you’re still fixated on Anne?" He tugged at his arm, searching Denis’s eyes. "Tell me the truth. Have you actually fallen for her?" "No," Denis bit out almost immediately. "But she is mine – my plaything. Even if I don’t have feelings for her, that doesn’t change the fact that she belongs to me. I’ll get her back—no matter what." He grabbed his glass and tossed back the remaining alcohol in one swift, aggressive gulp. Rojer shook his head in resignation. He had seen Denis stubborn before, but this—this was different. There was no reasoning with him now.

Chapter 41: The gift

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