Page 213 of My Ruthless Neighbor

She wanted to help me in some way. Because she saw how broken I was. So how could I stay mad at her?

She apologized regardless. To lighten up the mood, I told her that she could make it up to me with homemade delicious Korean food for a whole week once I return.

Ma wholeheartedly agreed saying, “Forget the week. I’ll cook for you every day!”

She further talked about her love for cooking and how she longed for a big family so she could feed them.

We chatted for some more before hanging up. Then, I continued shopping. The feeling of being watched still bugged me.

It was not until the evening that I came face to face with my stalker.

I was struggling with carrying Goldie over my back in the dog carrier alongside the shopping bags in my hands.

Sight-seeing is fun, no doubt. But the exhaustion you feel after is something else.

I am dragging myself toward the chalet when I miss a step. I tip forward, my bags falling. Just when I think I am going to lose a tooth or two by crashing face first on the ground a hand clutches my elbow, breaking my fall.

I swallow hard. “Thank you so—” I turn my head and freeze.

Archer. My pulse jumps.

“So you were the one following me all day?” I purse my lips.

He remains silent and bends to get my bags.

“I can get those.” I try to take them from him but he simply moves the hand clasping my bags out of my reach. Then he proceeds to remove my dog carrier backpack.

I push his hand away. He ignores my failing attempts of getting away and removes the backpack. Goldie watches our struggle raptly, his head moving back and forth between us. The traitor doesn’t make a fuss when Archer hoists the backpack over his shoulders.

I glare at him when he begins walking, expecting me to follow.

And while I am dying to act stubborn, I can’t let him get away with my son.

I fall into step beside him with my arms crossed. “You didn’t answer my question. Were you following me all day?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“For your safety and…”

“And?”

He stops. Then looks at me. “And to see you smile, happy from afar.”

My lips part. He leans closer and strokes my lower lip with his thumb. “I missed your smiles.” His low, rich voice vibrates through me, causing goosebumps to erupt on my skin.

I stop when I catch myself leaning into his touch. Taking a step back, I resume walking.

This happens again the next day. Then the next day. And the day after that. He follows me around. Then walks me to the house I am staying in. Every night he attempted to talk but I shot him down.

It hurt to ignore him. It truly did. It took every ounce of strength to close the door every night as he stood outside, his eyes begging me to give him a chance.

My heart begged me too, convincing me to give him one chance and listen to what he has to say. But my brain said that I deserved better. That I deserved to be happy and respected. It wanted me to keep punishing him for his actions.

I was getting torn apart from the constant tug of war between my heart and my brain.

I hated watching him night after night struggling to get five minutes of my time.

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