Page 45 of Runaway Bride For The Rancher

The pain was raw, like a dagger piercing my heart. I desperately wanted to call out to him, to beg him to stay, to explain that we could work through anything. But his resolute back told me he had made up his mind.

He was walking away from me, and there was nothing I could do to stop him. It was a repetition of what happened the previous night.

A torrent of memories rushed through my mind: Our kiss and how it felt. The electrifying feeling his touches gave me. How could it all mean so much to me and yet so little to him?

I stumbled forward, my legs shaky, and found refuge on a nearby bench. My tears flowed freely now, and I tried to hide it. The pain was overwhelming, a tidal wave threatening to drown me.

At that moment, I felt utterly alone. The world around me continued to move, but I was stuck in a never-ending moment of despair. I replayed our last conversation in my head, searching for answers, trying to make sense of it all.

Had I done something wrong? Was there someone else? I was left with a thousand questions and no answers.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the ranch, I realized I had no choice but to accept the painful truth: Ben was gone, and he wasn't coming back.

The emptiness inside me felt vast and insurmountable. My heart had been shattered, and I didn't know if it would ever heal.

I swallowed and went ahead to check the animals. I couldn’t be at my best, regardless of how hard I tried.

CHAPTER 16

Ben

Leaving Olivia was the hardest thing I’d ever done.

As I walked away, my footsteps echoing in the almost empty ranch, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d just torn my own heart out. I’d never seen her so vulnerable, tears streaming down her face, and the pain in her eyes mirrored the agony in my own heart.

Olivia and I had shared something special. We had laughed together, leaned on each other through tough times, and imagined a future where we were side by side even if we never said it out. My love for her had been genuine, deep, and real, even if I kept it deep in my heart.

So why was I walking away from it?

The truth was, I was just as devastated as she was, maybe even more. I’d spent some sleepless nights wrestling with my decision. It wasn't because I didn't love her – I did, more than I could put into words. It was because I believed it was the right thing to do.

As I walked away, my legs were heavy; I wanted all the hurt to go away. But no matter how eloquent my words were, they couldn’t capture the turmoil inside me.

The memories came flooding back. Our first meeting, the spark that had ignited between us, the feeling of completeness when we held each other. It was as if we were two puzzle pieces that had finally found their match. But somewhere along the way, the pieces had started to crumble, and our love had become a jagged puzzle with pieces that no longer fit.

My decision wasn't a reflection of her worth or our love. It was a desperate attempt to save what was left of our connection.

I couldn’t bear to see Olivia's spirit crushed under the weight of our crumbling friendship, and I couldn’t bear to watch myself change into someone I didn't recognize. I wanted her to find love in the arms of someone who was less broken than I was.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the ranch, I felt the emptiness in my chest deepen. I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making a terrible mistake. If I was walking away from the love of my life.

But I knew that if I stayed, we would both be consumed by the darkness that had crept into my heart because of the previous hurt I’d faced. I was ready to move on from my past, but it wasn’t ready to leave me.

Tears blurred my vision as I made my way out of her sight. I prayed that someday, she would understand why I had to leave, that it was an act of love, not abandonment.

Walking away from Olivia was the most devastating thing I’d ever done, but it was also the most selfless. I had to believe that in time, the wounds would heal, and we would both find happiness, even if it was without each other. It was a painful, gut-wrenching choice, but it was a choice made from love, for both her and me.

I was scared the leftover pieces of my heart didn’t have much love to give her. So, I hid under my ego.

I got home, where I was sure I could find solace and hide from other things the world threw at me. The sight of my sonwas supposed to comfort me and erase the thoughts of the bad decision I’d made. I always felt like he was the only good decision I’ve ever made, and I wanted to protect it with my life.

“Michael!” I called out as soon as I entered the house. I didn’t think anything could be wrong, so I called out again. “Michael? Dad is back!” I yelled even louder to catch the attention of my son if he was home, but I got no response back.

I chuckled. It could be one of his hide-and-seek jokes. I searched the house a little and yelled again. “Michael!” But he didn’t come out neither did he say anything back to me.

I started to get worried. I’d checked almost everywhere in the house.

Then I thought to check the back of the house. My heart skipped a beat as I rushed into the backyard, fearing the worst. There he was, my son, sitting beside the fence, lost in a world of his own.

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