Chapter 10 "He's Insane"

• Alexander stood in shock, immobilized by the sight before him. Why did Marianne seem to despise him so much? He couldn’t shake the thought that her actions were far worse than how he had treated her in the past. Through the transparent glass, he saw Emilio smiling up at Jayson, his innocent face lighting up with joy. Meanwhile, Marianne watched them with a gaze full of affection, her expression soft and warm—so unlike how she looked at him. Was there really no chance left for them to reconcile? Would he truly let Jayson steal the woman he still loved?
• As these torturous thoughts swirled in his mind, the package he had been holding slipped from his hands, hitting the ground unnoticed. His legs felt heavy, like he was a lost sheep, wandering aimlessly. Without much thought, he staggered toward his car, his mind consumed by the haunting possibility that he had lost Marianne for good.
• Once inside his car, he started the engine and sped off without direction, his grip on the steering wheel tight, knuckles white from the strain. The world outside blurred as he drove, his mind spiraling into darker places. "I've known you for twenty-one years, Anne," he muttered to himself. "I know there’s still a place for me in your heart, and I’ll do whatever it takes to find that spot, even if you’re trying to close it off to me." He pressed down harder on the accelerator, speeding recklessly, as though the roads belonged to his father.