Chapter 151 I Love You
“Nene, I love you. Forever and always,” William whispered.
Renee’s mind went completely blank, the words hitting her like a
thunderclap.
What had William just said?
“Do you know what you’re talking about, William?” she asked, her voice ng about, William?” she asked, her voice trembling more than before, betraying the deep confusion and disbelief
inside her.
She couldn’t wrap her head around it.
Yet, his tone now was filled with sincerity, earnestness that she had never heard before, more real than anything he had ever said, even on their wedding day.
“Yes, I do,” he replied, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “Nene, I used to think that if I completely laid bare my feelings, you’d lose interest in me. After all, you never stayed with anyone for long. None of your relationships lasted beyond three months. I feared I’d end up just like them, so I kept my distance from the start. Even after we got married, I…”
Renee stood frozen, her mind reeling. The person William described seemed like a stranger, but as she dug deeper into her past, she realized that it was a version of herself–a version she had left behind when she
was a teenager.
She was taken aback and slightly embarrassed by his admission.
“I… I don’t remember having so many boyfriends,” she stammered, unsure how to respond to his heartfelt confession.
“You had thirteen boyfriends,” William stated, his voice filled with a
”
mixture of amusement and a tinge of hurt.
Renee was dumbfounded.
Thirteen? Really?
The number seemed absurd, and she couldn’t recall a single one of them.
“I’m the fourteenth,” William added, his tone taking on a slightly aggrieved
edge.
Renee’s mind whirled. She almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but the moment didn’t feel right. His face was too serious, his expression raw and sincere.
And then, as if in slow motion, he dropped to one knee.
Renee’s breath caught in her throat as he pulled out a familiar ring–their wedding ring. The very one she had left behind when she walked out of their marriage.
Her heart skipped a beat as William held it out toward her, his eyes pleading.
“Nene, I was wrong. Can we not get divorced? Give me another chance to prove myself. This time, I’ll try for a lifetime. OK?”
Renee’s balance wavered, a faint dizziness creeping through her limbs. Instinctively, she tried to step away, but the solid frame of the car loomed right behind her, cutting off any chance of escape.
Countless times, she had pictured this very moment of him proposing, lost in the warmth of her own imagination, convinced it would move her to tears yet reality had never given her the chance to live it.
“I…”
Before Renee could say another word, a sudden, loud noise shattered the
moment.
The deep, rhythmic chopping of helicopter blades filled the air, drowning out everything else. She instinctively looked up, momentarily stunned by the sight of the helicopter hovering above them.
From the parked vehicles, the special forces soldiers who had been waiting immediately stepped out. They lined up in formation, their movements crisp and disciplined as they stood at attention and saluted.
The helicopter descended just enough to lower a thick rope. In the next instant, Ryder seized it with one hand, his grip unwavering as he slid down effortlessly, his descent smooth and controlled.
He remained crouched, waiting until the helicopter lifted off completely and the wind settled before rising to his feet at an unhurried pace.
As the deafening roar of the helicopter faded, the soldiers called out in unison, “Captain Chadwick!”
Ryder lifted a hand in acknowledgment, his gesture both a salute and a casual signal for them to fall back to the vehicles and stand by for further
instructions.
Only then did he turn to Renee, dismissing William’s presence entirely as he spoke. “Renee, come here.”
Renee shifted slightly, hesitation evident. She wanted to move, but William
remained kneeling before her–strategically positioning himself in a way
that left her no easy way out.
“William, get up.”
William stayed where he was, unmoved. “You either surrender willingly, or I make the choice for you. Decide.”
His voice dripped with unwavering determination. The moment Ryder had shown up, William had resolved that no matter what happened today, he would be the one to take Renee with him.
“Nene…”
