Independence

Chapter 0219

Hansel staggered slightly. “What do you mean by that?”

“You really don’t get it, do you?” Sam replied. “You think you hid everything perfectly, but Miranda’s not stupid.”

Hansel sensed something else in Sam’s words. He grabbed Sam’s collar, and his eyes were fierce. “What exactly did you tell her?”

Sam smirked. “It seems like you still haven’t figured out why you two broke up.

“You act like you know everything!” Hansel retorted.

Sam responded, “I do know-”

“Shut up!” Hansel shouted.

Sam shoved him off and straightened his collar, looking down at him. “Look at you right now, like a mangy dog.”

Calvin intervened, “Enough! Can’t you two just quit it? Our bonds are as closed as real brothers. Why are you hurting each other?”

Hansel spat, “Who wants to be brothers with him!”

Sam added, “I don’t have a brother like him,”

Calvin sighed, feeling the strain between them.

Hansel pointed at Sam and warned, “Stay away from Miranda, or else-

Sam calmly asked, “Or else what?”

Hansel growled, “Don’t make me forget all the years we’ve known each other!”

Sam replied coldly, “Threats won’t work on me. Even if it’s not me, there’ll be someone else. But one thing

will remain the same.”

He emphasized each word, “You will lose Miranda for good. There’s no way to fix this, and no way to

make it right.

“If you don’t want her to hate you even more, do yourself a favor and stop pestering her. The more you push, the further you’ll drive her away.”

After saying his piece, Sam brushed past Hansel and patted Calvin on the shoulder. “Thanks for dealing with this. Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t cause more trouble.”

Then, he strode off without looking back.

Calvin glanced at Hansel, who stood there, lost and devastated. He couldn’t help but sigh deeply, feeling the weight of the situation.

If Hansel knew this would happen, why did he do it in the first place?

“Cal…

Chapter 0219

+25 BONUS

“Hans,” Calvin quickly stepped forward to support him. “Let’s go back, okay?”

Hansel’s eyes were vacant. His expression looked like he was lost. “Why won’t she forgive me? No matter how much we fought before, how bad it got, she’d always come back to me… Why not this time? Why?”

Calvin paused, then said softly, “Hans, have you ever thought that when a bird stays in a cage for a long time, it’s not because the cage is so secure but because she willingly traps herself there?”

“Then why doesn’t she want to stay now?”

Calvin replied, “Because she’s disappointed, hurt, and finally decided not to love you anymore.”

And so, she flew away without looking back.

“Not loving me anymore.

It was the second time Hansel had heard those words. The first had come from Miranda herself.

“I apologized and admitted I was wrong. Isn’t that enough?” he asked.

Calvin’s lips tightened. After a moment, he said, “Not every problem can be solved with an apology.”

“Then what does she want from me? Should I rip my heart out and give it to her!”

Calvin realized Hansel was truly drunk. When sober, he would never say such self–pitying things in front of

him.

“Hans, let’s not deal with this now. Sleep it off first, and then we’ll talk. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

Calvin wrapped Hansel’s arm around his shoulder, guiding him step by step toward the mouth of the alley.

Suddenly, Hansel stopped, as if remembering something. He pushed Calvin away and headed back. toward the building.

“Hey–Hans, where are you going?”