Page 337 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

Please.

Time passed by, and before she knew it, he was there, striding inside her room, his shadow falling over her as he crouched down to her level.

"Diana."

The quiet heaviness in his tone made her head jerk up. "Professor—-" And then she saw that it was back, bleakness once again darkening his eyes, and her trepidation turned into full-blown panic. He had been hurt so much - so, so much - that the thought of her causing him more pain was unbearable.

She shook her head frantically at him. "It's n-not what you think—-"

"Ssssh." He tried to pull her towards him, but she scrambled away, knowing that to let him embrace her, even if it was what she badly needed, was to let him think he was right.

"It's not what you think," she repeated doggedly.

"You said you were scared."

And so she did.

But the way he said the words, the way his face turned completely expressionless as he spoke—-

It told her that it was really as she feared, and another sob wracked her body.

"You don't understand," she choked out. "You just don't..."

"Of course I do." And the dullness in his voice had her crying harder. "And I promised you, didn't I?"

"It's not—-"

"I won't force you to stay. In spite of all the precautions we've taken, there's still a chance for you to get infected—-"

She grabbed his face with both hands. "Listen to me!"She saw his jaw clench, saw the way his body turned rigid, and she knew by now what it meant. He was preparing himself, in case she left him, and her heart broke all over again.

"Iamscared, Professor," she whispered tremulously. "But it's not what you think."

"Isn't it?"

She shook her head. "I'm scaredforyou. I'm scared that I'll lose you. And I can't. I just can't...I want you to live forever. I need you to live forever—-" And then she could no longer speak, crying so hard she could only let her lips move.

Don't leave me.

Don't leave me.

Please, please, please don't ever leave me.

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