Facade of Love

Chapter 344 I Never Meant to Hold Her Up
As I rambled on, Zoe watched me intently. Then, out of nowhere, she burst out laughing,” Yvette,” she said, “you don’t seriously
think I would get all worked up and plot revenge after being turned down, right?”
Whoops!
I managed a sheepish grin, totally at a loss for what to say next.
She pressed a hand to her forehead, her expression the picture of frustration. “What kind of person do you
think I am? Sure, he turned me down, but I don’t hate him. I’m definitely not about to get all vengeful just because I can’t get the
love I want. Let’s not make this into some soap opera, okay?”
“So why keep chasing him if...” I mean, he had already said no, and here she was, still hanging
1. on.
She rolled her eyes, gave a little shrug, and explained, “I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet. It’s not about being
annoyingly persistent. He said no, but he’s not into anyone else right now, right? I get it, my sudden confession was pretty bold.
Liking someone is supposed to be wonderful, but that’s just on my side. Dumping my feelings on him so suddenly probably made
him feel cornered and awkward. His rejection makes sense.”
She paused, then added with a serious tone, “I loved dolls when I was little. Dad said I could earn them by helping out with
chores around the house. I had to work for my reward before I could get the doll I wanted. Even back then, I knew that whether it
was a person or a thing you wanted, you’ve got to put in the effort. Just talking won’t cut it. I’ve been crushing on Maxy, but all

this time, I’ve only ever talked about liking him. I never really showed him who I am, or how sincere my feelings were. So, of
course, he would say no.”
I bit my lip, gazing out at the dwindling snowflakes, and finally asked, “Your sincere feeling?”
She nodded and said firmly, “Absolutely. Liking someone has to be genuine. Otherwise, what’s the value of those feelings?”
Despite all your heartfelt efforts, what happens if you still cannot win them over? This question lingered in my mind, prompting
me to ask, “But what if, after all your heartfelt efforts, you still can’t win them over?”
She looked at me, her eyes clear and calm, and with a small, thoughtful smile, she replied, ” Then I’ve done all I could. I’ve
fought for it. If things still don’t turn out the way I want, that’s okay. I’ve put my heart into this crush, and if it’s unrequited, it’s not
something I’ll regret. In fact, it’s the person who missed out on my genuine love who should feel the loss.”
She was right, though.
After Zoe left, I lingered by the railing, lost in my thoughts for a long while before I retraced my steps.
I had not gone far when I saw Idris up ahead, steadying Alice by his side. Alice was limping- Idris gave me a brief, steady look
when he saw me.
Alice, however, seemed flustered, her eyes darting about as if she had more to say but was holding back. Then, with a gentle
voice, she turned to me. “Ms. Scott, could you get Maxwell
Chapter 344 1 Never Meant to Hold Her Up
for me? I took a bad step and hurt my ankle.”

I nodded, but before I could say a word, Charles was already by her side, quick to lend a hand. Idris had been giving her his arm
more for balance than full support.
Once Charles was there to help Alice, he came over to me, his tone even and calm. “Where did you go?”
“Just watching the snow by the railing,” I replied, my voice just as light.
As I was chatting, Maxwell showed up. He caught sight of Alice, who was hurt, and his brow creased ever so slightly. Without a
second thought, he scooped her up in his arms and whisked
her away.
They were gone.
I watched them leave, an eyebrow quirked up in thought. Maxwell’s reaction was... well, it made me wonder.
After a whirlwind day at the orphanage handing out gifts and playing with the kids, it was time to head back.
Alice had taken a tumble, so Mom and Maxwell went with her to the hospital. Zoe and Charles stuck together, which meant I
ended up riding with Idris.
Idris gripped the steering wheel, his gaze locked on the road ahead. In a deep and controlled voice, he said, “I didn’t mean to
help her.”
I blinked, thrown off for a second, and glanced his way.
He was coolly detached as he explained, “There was no one else around, so I just gave her a hand.”