Page 334 of Now and Forever

Chapter 122

Stella

After that colossal confrontation I’d had with Callum, I decided to stop dating.

Before, it had been great to think that I could easily forget him by seeing what was out there, but who was I kidding? It wasn’t going to happen any time soon.

Even Clive, I really liked him. If the time came that I was ready to date, I might give it another try with him, but as for now, I would remain all on my lonesome.

So here I was, finishing up my breakfast on a Saturday while listening to Rachmaninoff as I gathered the fresh blooms I had purchased at the shop earlier this morning, when I heard the buzz of the doorbell.

Striding towards the intercom, I pushed the button. “Who is it?”

“There’s a delivery for Ms. Von Berg.”

Okay? I thought as I pressed to let the man into the building.

The package was from Callum.

With shaky fingers, I opened it with my heart lodged in my throat. All the time, I kept thinking what was in it.

The present contained a large, heart-shaped diamond and ruby pendant with a thin gold chain. It was beautiful, don’t get me wrong—but why a necklace? My question was soon answered when I opened the handwritten letter it came with.

It is exactly a week from since I saw you last…

You asked for my love and I couldn't give it to you.

I wished I could take out my heart and hand it to you so I could prove my worth, I would gladly do so, but since that’s asking for the impossible, I’m all but incapable of being worthy of you.

So here’s an emblem of my heart. Keep it with you. Keep it safe. It may be cold and hard from the surface, but it never weakens.

It is forever withstanding and forever it remains. I’m gifting it to you, so it shall be forever yours.

With this, maybe it might just bring you everything you’ve been wishing for.

Best,

Callum

“Oh God.” I choked back a sob as my eyes blurred at the words he had written me.

His words were powerful, heart twisting and blatantly sad because it seemed like he really wanted to… but simply couldn’t.

I stared at the deep crimson pendant and kissed it before curling up and crying my heart out. How could I stop loving a man who was willing to give up his own heart simply so he could prove that he was serious and worthy of me?

It was due to my own selfishness that we were both miserable, yet even racked with this all-consuming pain, I wanted—yearned—for his love. That was the only way I could be back in his life, I wouldn’t settle for anything less.

So, we resumed to our old ways.

He lived his life.

I lived mine.

Separately.

It had been almost a month since I had heard from Callum personally. However, he had been making headlines as of late, partying until the break of dawn around the Spanish coast along with his other playboy friends.

I stopped following his “progress” after news broke that he went jet-skiing at midnight, naked to boot. Yeah, the crazy devil-may-care attitude was back. I cringed, thinking that he was putting himself in danger again, but that was what he lived for. He was an adrenaline junkie. I just didn’t get the chance to see it first hand.

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