Page 34 of Her Brutal First Love

"I'm not."

"Please, be my guest." Sarica looked at the other woman expectantly.

Justina was starting to look green again, and Sarica was feeling better and better.

"Sorry."

Sarica shook her head. "What was that? I didn't quite hear—-"

Justina glared at her. "Do you want to know why I'm here or not?"

"But honestly, you don't owe me an apology at all," Sarica continued without missing a beat. "I know I look like a sweet fragile princess—-"

"Said no one ever," Justina snapped.

"But I'm actually very tough," Sarica went on, "and I can totally protect myself. So let's consider the slate clean between us, and we can get to discussing why—-"

"Giancarlo's in trouble—-"

Sarica jerked in shock. "W-Why—-"

"Or perhaps I should say he'sstillin trouble because someone forgot to rescind her offer for a million dollars on whoever—-"

Justina stopped speaking since Sarica had already gone running back to Giancarlo.

I hope I'm hearing You right, God.

That day in the airport had humbled Justina. It had forced her to take a good, hard look at herself, and what she saw had made her weep. She had been so proud...for nothing. She had thoughtherself stronger than Sarica...but instead it was the opposite. She had acted like God had abandoned her all these years, but in reality, she was the one who had run away from Him.

Her life had changed since then, and while she was still new to talking to her Father in Heaven—-

I think...I just made You smile.

Didn't I?

Her phone buzzed. It was a text from one of Giancarlo's brothers, confirming that they had received their urgent call for help and was on their way to rescue him. Her lips cracked a smile as she read their message.Mission accomplished.And as she dropped her phone back in the inner pocket of her jacket, that was when she heard it—-

Yes, child, you did.

IT TOOK MERE SECONDSfor Giancarlo to realize he couldn't let things end this way between Sarica and him. Making her feel she had to earn his love was the last thing he wanted. He needed Sarica to understand that she was wrong. He loved her. Would always love her. But she also had to understand...it was because of how much he loved her and hisfamigliathat he had to let all of them go.

Finding no sign of her outside the VIP room was already to be expected. Their first fight in Cayed, and later on, how she had defended herself in the airport, had forced Giancarlo to accept that she was no longer the helpless girl who once needed his protection. She was strong now—-and that was yet another reason she no longer needed an imperfect being like him.

Once he was out of the club, Giancarlo only had seconds to scan the streets before a group of hired muscles blocked his way—-and not a single onlooker cared to interfere as they immediately hauled Giancarlo to a nearby alley.

This was New York, after all.

And one thing everyone did exceptionally well here was minding their own business.

The men shoved Giancarlo down on his knees, but he made no move to resist or flee. A part of him was already wondering if God would still allow him in Heaven...if he chose not to fight back.

The first punch caught Giancarlo in the jaw, but he remained silent, his stoic facade unbreakable. They dragged him to his feet, a pair of men holding him back by the arms while another fist pounded his ribs. But the pain remained negligible. Was it because he was ready to die?

From just a block away, the night rang with the usual noise of revelry. The heart-thumping beats of whatever song it was that the DJ in Dauphin Tueur club's was spinning. The drunken cheers mingling with laughter. The roar of powerful car engines speeding past.

But despite world doing its best to drown Giancarlo in its mind-numbing cacophony, a quiet voice inside of his head was still clearly audible, and His every word underscored by sadness.

Why are you throwing your life away?

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