Apologies

[Chapter 17]

Julie wanted to say something.

But before she could open her mouth, she was interrupted when Veronicasuddenly reached out her scalded hand and leaned against David's arms.

Veronicacried pitifully and said between sobs, "David, don't blame Julie.

I understand how she feels.

She thinks I took you away, so she is angry.

But I know It's just a misunderstanding." When David heard this, he couldn't help turning to Julie.

He looked at her with scrutiny in his eyes and asked, "Is it true?" But Julie didn't answer his question.

She just looked at them expressionlessly.

She found them so ridiculous that she wanted to laugh out loud.

Veronica's performance was so clumsy.

If David was only fair in his judgment, he could find out the truth by simply checking the surveillance video.

However, it didn't cross his mind.

He just believed Veronicaand chose to question her.

Since he had already made his judgment, why bother asking her? Did he expect her to confirm Veronica's lies? Or did he want to give her a chance to explain her side before sentencing her? As these

thoughts came to her mind, she only felt more disgusted.

She wished the floor opened up and swallowed them.

Julie didn't want to waste time with them anymore.

So she sneered coldly, turned around, and left without saying anything.

When David saw this, the creases on his forehead deepened.

His feet unconsciously moved as if he wanted to catch up with her and stop her.

However, he felt Veronica's grip on his waist tightened.

It was only then that he came back to his senses.

He looked down at Veronicaand saw her pale and pitiful face.

Veronicasaid weakly, "David...

I...

I feel a little uncomfortable.

Can you..." But before she could finish her words, David pushed her away and said in a low voice, "Veronica, I have to go.

I have something important to deal with.

I will let Matteo accompany you to the hospital." After saying this, he left without looking back.

Veronicawas in shock, too stunned to react for a while.

She stared at his back and blinked a few times.

How could it be possible? David actually left her alone? She really couldn't believe it.

David's utmost concern was Veronica's health.

Every time Veronicasaid she was not feeling well, he would immediately put aside everything just to be with her.

Even if he was abroad, he would take the earliest flight available to see her.

He made her feel she was the most important person in his life.

And she thought this would always be her trump card.

That was why she was very confident.

Veronicanever thought that one day, David would abandon her because of Julie.

Why did he have to go after Julie? Could it be that he had already fallen in love with Julie? Veronicacouldn't believe it.

She thought it was impossible.

She always believed that Julie was nothing compared with her.

Julie couldn't hold a candle to her in all aspects.

At this moment, Julie was already taking the escalator.

Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably, and she didn't mind them.

She thought she was strong.

It turned out she wasn't.

Her heart hurt so much that she could hardly breathe.

It was as if a giant boulder pressed her chest.

In the past two years, David treated Julie well.

The tenderness he showed her made her think he had at least learned to love her.

But the reality slapped her hard in the face.

It turned out it was only her wishful thinking.

She found it ridiculous.

She was no different from a naive clown.

But Julie still couldn't understand.

Did she do anything wrong to David? Why was he so cruel to her? He even bought a ring for Veronicatoday.

Was he really that eager? They could get the divorce certificate tomorrow.

Couldn't he wait even for half a day before he proposed to Veronica? Was he trying to show her the clear distinction between her and the woman he truly loved? Was it that David's heart only belonged to Veronicaand he couldn't wait even a minute for the woman he loved? As for her, she was nothing to him.

He didn't love her even a bit.

But just because he didn't love her, did she deserve to be treated like this? She was also a human being.

She felt pain.

And no matter how strong she was, she would waver at times.

Julie''s tears couldn't stop from flowing.

And she was so lost in thought that she didn't notice she was already at the bottom step of the escalator.

It was too late before she realized it.

She stumbled, and her whole body leaned forward.

She closed her eyes and waited for the pain when her body hit the floor.

But to her surprise, what she felt was a warm embrace.

It turned out a man had caught her in time.

Julie was so nervous that she held the man's waist tightly.

She was so close to his body that she could feel the muscles under his clothes.

They were firm and powerful.

Knowing that she was saved, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She thought she must thank her savior.

But before she could say anything, a deep and pleasant voice sounded above her head.

"What are you thinking? You are so absent-minded.

Don't you know you are taking the escalator? How can you be so careless?" The voice sounded so familiar that Julie abruptly raised her head.

And sure enough, she saw David looking down at her.

His handsome face was full of concern.

If it were in the past, she would think he really cared for her.

But now, the situation was different.

At the thought of this, the corners of Julie's mouth curved into a bitter smile.

She stood up straight and broke free from his arms.

She had to accept the fact that David would never care for her.

In his eyes, she was nothing.

He must be here to blame her.

Did he really have to go after her to condemn her for the sake of Veronica? "Julie, what's wrong with you? You have been acting so strange lately," David said in a low voice.

He unconsciously frowned when Julie broke free of his embrace.

He didn't understand what was going on with Julie.

He noticed her abnormalities these past few days.

"If you are dissatisfied with anything, tell me directly.

Don't take it out on Veronica.

She Just had a surgery.

She can't be stimulated now." Julie's guess was right.

Sure enough, David went after her for the sake of Veronica.

Julie wanted to congratulate herself for guessing it right.

Fortunately, she no longer had expectations for him.

It didn't hurt that much anymore.

Julie raised her head and looked at him.

The tears were still hanging at the corners of her eyes.

But she smiled bitterly and said, "Am I stimulating her? How about me? Have you ever considered my feelings? David, we are not divorced yet.

But what did you do? You took her out to buy a ring.

Now tell me.

Who is stimulating who?" It was only now that David saw Julie's face clearly.

Looking at her red and swollen eyes made him feel distressed.

He didn't know why, but he felt like his heart was being stabbed by a sharp object.

The pain made his expression complicated.

"Julie..." David wanted to say something.

But before he could even finish a sentence, Julie interrupted him, "What if I tell you that Veronicahas framed me? Will you believe me? Will you confront her like what you are doing to me now?" David was stunned for a moment.

He didn't expect Julie to ask such questions.

It took him a few seconds to react.

With a stern face, he countered, "If Veronicareally did it, yes, I will confront her.

But I know it's impossible.

She will never frame you." Julie had already expected David's answer.

She thought she was ready to accept it.

But why did her heart still hurt? She felt like she was going to die from the pain.

Did he really love Veronicaso much that he believed Veronicawas not capable of doing bad things? He must really be blinded by love.

In his eyes, Veronicawas flawless, gentle and kind.

But how about her? How did David see her? In his eyes, she must only be a hilarious clown.

Julie couldn't help laughing at herself inwardly.

She was too stupid to think that there was still a chance to change David's heart.

She looked at him with red eyes and said, "Are you saying that she is not capable of framing me, but I am? So, it means that if anything happens to her, I have something to do with it.

Then you will come to me and blame me.

Is that it? David, am I really that kind of person in your eyes?" As she spoke, Julie's eyes darkened.

It was as if they lost their luster because of despair.

David's lips moved as if he wanted to say something.

However, words seemed to have gotten stuck in his throat.

He was silent for a while.

Then he said slowly, "Julie, I only believe in what I see.

Do you have any evidence to prove that Veronicahas framed you? If you do, then I will believe you without hesitation." There was no response from Julie.

She didn't want to answer David's question.

She felt like her heart had already numbed from the pain.

Why did he need to ask her for evidence? Did he ask for evidence from Veronicabefore he firmly believed that she pushed Veronicato the ground last time? He did not.

Instead, he convicted her arbitrarily.

However, when it came to Veronica, he would place his full trust in Veronica's words and demand evidence from her for her speaking the truth.

Julie's heart hurt even more.

She felt like a sharp knife had been cutting it into pieces.

She wanted to let David know how unfair he was.

But she decided not to.

He should realize it himself.

Julie bit her lower lip hard to suppress the tears that were about to fall again.

She didn't want to cry in front of David anymore.

She had shed more than enough tears for him.

If he had reciprocated her love for him, then he was worth her tears.

She wouldn't mind crying because of him.

But he never loved her.

His heart only belonged to Veronica.

So, her tears were always in vain.

David noticed that something was wrong with Julie's expression.

He didn't want to make her feel worse, so he said in a deep and magnetic voice, "Julie, I don't mean to blame you.

| know you are angry.

You are full of resentment now.

But it's all my fault.

I didn't handle our problems well." Julie was stunned for amoment.

She didn't expect him to talk to her in such a soft voice at this time.

David seemed to have returned to the old David she knew.

He was sweet and tender to her back then.

Suddenly, she had an illusion that they returned to the past.

The David Julie knew back then was gentle and patient.

Those were the traits that made her addicted to him.

While Julie was reminiscing about the past, David spoke again.

He said in a soft voice, "Julie, everything was just a misunderstanding.

Don't make a fuss over it.

Apologize to Veronicaand let this matter go." His words were like a basin of cold water that was poured on her head.

Instantly, her mood sank to the bottom again.

Different emotions intertwined in her chest.

She felt so complicated that she already began to get upset.

Julie's heart twitched.

It was very painful, making her want to curl up.

She thought David's gentleness toward her was genuine.

It turned out he only did it to coax her to apologize to Veronica.

He really valued Veronicathat much.

What was more heartbreaking than this? She felt devastated. Her heart was riddled with holes.

Why did he keep on hurting her again and again? Did she deserve all this?

Julie was silent for a long time before she looked into David's eyes and said, "David, what if Veronicastabs me to death with a sharp knife? Are you not going to believe it because you didn't witness it with your own eyes? Are you still going to look for evidence? Are you going to blame me because you think it's my fault to assert that?"

Tears welled up in her beautiful eyes, blurring her vision. Her voice was full of sadness when she asked the question.

When David heard Julie say the word "death" very casually, he felt pain in his heart. It was getting intense.

Suddenly, he stepped forward and forced her to retreat.

Then, he pressed his other hand against the wall to trap her. After he confined her, he snapped, "Julie, don't talk nonsense."

Although David sounded angry, his heart still ached when he saw Julie's depressed look.

He stared at her for a while. When he was about to say something, a voice interrupted him.

"David…"

David turned his head and saw Veronicacoming over in a wheelchair.

David still trapped Julie against the wall. But when Veronicasaw this scene, she thought David was holding Julie in his arms.

Veronica's face turned pale at once.

However, she quickly adjusted her expression. The next moment, Veronicasaid weakly and pitifully, "David, don't mind her anymore. Let's just forget what happened. As long as it can make Julie feel better, I don't mind suffering from grievance."

Then she turned to Julie and added, "Even if you and David divorce, we will still treat you as family. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, I am willing to help you. Just remember to come to me."

Veronicasounded very generous and courteous. But judging from her words, it was very obvious that she wanted everyone to believe that Julie was an unreasonable lunatic.

David frowned upon hearing Veronica's words. He turned his head again and glanced at her. But for some reason, he suddenly became annoyed at Veronica.

"ALL right. Stop talking now," David said before Veronica could speak again.