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    Deana turned to him and asked, “Zayne, do you understand why I loved Bruce so deeply?”


    Suddenly, Zayne felt a jolt of surprise run through him.<fn6120> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n FindN0vel</fn6120>


    He gazed at Deana, his voice hoarse as he replied, “Why?”


    With a bitterugh, Deana spoke, her voiceced with pain: “When Bruce was on the verge of marrying someone else, I rushed to confess my feelings to him, just like Kairi did with you…”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    “I even considered giving him everything, my body included. I shared the same motivation as Kairi…”


    “I told him back then: Bruce, I have loved you for so many years with nothing to show for it. If you truly don’t feel the same and aren’t willing to give us a chance, please don’t let me leave with this final regret…”


    “I also expressed: Bruce, for a woman, her chastity is her most treasured possession. It holds value because every woman wishes to offer it to the man she loves the most, and I wanted to give mine to you…”


    As she spoke, Deana’s voice began to tremble. She looked at Zayne with tears in her eyes and said, “But the biggest difference between Bruce and you is that Bruce firmly rejected me at that moment! He said he could never jeopardize my future! For that alone, you can never match him!”


    Upon hearing this, Zayne fell silent. A wave of heat rushed to his face, making it difficult for him to meet her gaze.


    Seeing his silence, Deana sighed and said, “Zayne, husband and wife have their moments ofing together and drifting apart. Let’s just ept that, shall we?”


    Tears welled up in Zayne’s eyes. He longed to express his remorse, to seek her forgiveness, and to find a way to convince her to stay. Yet, hearing Deana’s confession about how she had pleaded with Bruce, only to be turned away, left him feeling utterly ashamed. He understood that any excuses he could offer would be futile; once Deana made up her mind, there was no turning back.


    Just as he was at a loss for what to do, a hurried knocking came at the door. The butler’s voice came through, tinged with urgency: “Master, your father wants to see you immediately. He says it’s a matter of great urgency!”


    Zayne felt a surge of rm. He had been in the shower, unaware that the Banks Family was in turmoil due to a major announcement from the Japanese National Security Agency.


    Right now, he had no desire to go anywhere; all he wanted was to do everything he could to keep Deana by his side. However, he knew he could not defy his father’s authority, especially if the butler was conveying a sense of urgency. He could only imagine the consequences of his father’s wrath.


    With that thought, he shouted through the door, “Okay, I’ll get dressed and be right there!”


    “Understood!”


    Once the butler left, Zayne turned to Deana, his voice filled with desperation: “Can we have a proper conversation when I return?”


    Deana shook her head firmly. “There’s no need for us to talk anymore. You should hurry to your father!”


    Taking advantage of Zayne’s distraction, she grabbed her suitcase, opened the door, and walked out.


    “`