I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 653

As Steven advanced, I stumbled back two steps. My mind was still struggling to reconcile his claim of taking me by force with the image I had of myself as an unfaithful woman. His voice crashed down on me again.

“You married me while hiding him in your heart. Before and after the divorce, everyone around you knew how close you two were. You never came to me with your problems; you went straight to him. Our relationship never even made a ripple before you were already doing whatever it took, desperately trying to divorce me. Zephyra, that’s the story of our life together.”

“Because you wouldn't love me, I took you by force. Because I took you by force, you hated me and worked against me. That enraged me, trapping me between love and hate, which has led us to this stalemate.”

Steven cornered me step by step until my back hit the wall. I didn't dare look at his face, my heart pounding violently.

“If I’m so terrible, if I’m a cheating, fickle, and unlikable woman, then why did you stay with me? Why did you… take me by force? It doesn’t seem worth it. Besides, a divorce means a clean break. Shouldn’t we just go our separate ways?”

Steven’s face was a mask. “You tell me why.”

I snapped my head up to look at him and saw that the mocking sneer had vanished from his handsome face. His expression was unusually serious as he looked at me.

I thought I understood what he meant. I remembered the two warnings he’d given me before—

“Zephyra, whether you have amnesia or get your memory back, stay away from me. Otherwise, when you regret it later, you won’t even know where to cry.”

“I’m warning you, Zephyra, don’t tempt me again. You can’t handle the consequences of provoking me.”

At the time, I thought he hated me, that he found my presence annoying and would lash out if I angered him.

I could feel Steven's scorching gaze on me as his deep, melodic voice murmured in my ear.

“Zephyra, I could have easily lied to you. With your amnesia, you don't remember the past. I could have taken the opportunity to convince you that we were deeply in love, that you adored me. If I wanted to hide the truth, no one could have exposed me. You might never regain your memory, and we could have lived that lie forever. But I didn't.”

“I don’t want a love built on deception. Besides the self-delusion, I’d constantly be on edge, worrying about your memory returning. It wouldn’t be stable or real. That’s an exhausting way to live.”

I stiffened my neck, trying to pull away as I forced a smile and praised him.

“If all of that is true, then… then you’re really a good person! I’m the bad one. I cheated on you, humiliated you, and made you do all those things… even making you help my lover. I… I’m a terrible person. I’m sorry.”