Chapter 224: A sinner’s confession

Braelyn’s POV

My brain went blank. He wanted to tell me the truth now. Raphael stepped closer, his cedar cologne wrapped around me. “If you are ready to listen. Let’s go somewhere quiet.”

He carefully said, waiting patiently for my reply. Genny was quiet because she knew I needed to listen to his twisted reasons.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to steady the quick rhythm of my heart, and fear quietly grew up my throat. This really happened. “Fine,” I said finally, my voice low. “I’ll listen. But just… talk. No tricks, no games.”

Genny’s head jerked up, her eyes widened in disbelief, her mouth opening as if to protest, but I held up a hand. “No…” she swallowed the rest.

“Genny, take care of Alora. She’s asleep. We won’t be long. You must be exhausted,” I urged softly.

Something flickered in Raphael’s eyes at that moment, elation, barely contained. His lips curved, just for a second, in a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Relief slowly flooded in. I didn’t even know why I was bothering to listen to him because there was no justification for what he did.

Maybe curiosity to know the full story.

“I’ll lead the way,” I said, stepping back and gesturing for him to move first. I gave Genny a last smile before following after Raphael.

Her gaze remained on my back then she screamed. “If he starts talking crap, walk away.” Raphael’s jaw rolled at his words.

The hallway seemed to stretch longer than usual, the dim lighting casting long shadows along the polished floor. Every step I took felt heavy, each one pulling me closer to whatever he was about to reveal.

The tension was suffocating as the silence stretched between us. I could feel it coil around my chest, tightening my stomach. My mind spun with possibilities, none of them good. I feared the truth might be nothing but a clever excuse, another of his manipulations dressed up as honesty.

We reached the lift. Raphael pressed the button, and the soft hum of the doors sliding closed swallowed the corridor behind us. My pulse spiked as the lift descended, or at least I thought it would, but then he pressed a different button, one marked for the roof.

“The rooftop?” I asked, my voice was cautious. A crazy thought popped into my mind if he was going to kill me somewhere quiet.

He nodded, his expression still unreadable. “It’s quiet up there and you can hear me there with no interruptions.”

I swallowed, trying to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. Every second felt like a test of courage. I was stepping into unknown territory, and my instincts screamed at me to run but my pride wouldn’t let me.

The elevator hummed upward, and I could feel Raphael’s presence beside me, steady and unnervingly close. His cedar cologne wafted in small, dangerous waves. I clenched my fists at my sides, reminding myself who this man was. The man who broke me

Finally, the doors slid open. I stepped out first, and the night hit me like a wave. My instincts screamed to run into the elevator and avoid this truth but I forced myself to stay.

The rooftop was magnificent as always. Too beautiful for the moment

The city sprawled below in a sea of lights, stretching endlessly toward the horizon. Neon flickered from the streets, traffic glimmered like a river of gold.

The rooftop itself was quiet, bordered by low walls and dotted with vents and air-conditioning units. The wind tugged gently at my hair, whispering against my skin, carrying the faint scent of rain that hung in the heavy clouds. It gave me a weird sense of tranquillity.

Raphael stepped out behind me. “Thank you for giving me a listening ear,” he said quietly.

I scoffed, crossing my arms with a plain expression “That depends entirely on what you have to say,” I muttered, my tone sharp. My body was on high alert, nerves stretched taut like piano wire. The tension between us was almost physical, humming through the air in the cool night breeze.

He didn’t respond immediately, simply letting the silence hang as he studied me, his expression was unreadable. I felt the weight of his gaze, heavy on me, probing my every movement. It sent shivers down my spine.

“So start” I said finally, keeping my voice steady. ” Tell me the truth, I’m listening, but what you say determines if I walk out halfway.”

Raphael inhaled slowly, a flicker of something dangerous crossing his features. He took a step closer to the low wall, leaning slightly, as if the city lights below could lend him courage.

In the shadowed rooftop glow, with the wind tousling our hair, I realised I had no idea what I was about to hear, but I couldn’t turn back now.

“I know the damage isn’t reversible .” He started but I didn’t give a fuck about his speech

“Get straight to the point, Raphael.” I snapped. He froze with a smile.

He straightened up, then pulled off his hoodie, exposing his fitted T-shirt, which fit him perfectly. He was a jerk who was blessed by the goddess of beauty

My gaze flickered to his left forearm, which was exposed by the short sleeve. A primrose tattoo curled around his arm with the initials B.R written in intricate details around the vines

My throat tightened remembering what it meant. Another meaning of my name was primrose. B.R, Braelyn and Raphael. I felt like laughing. He still had this tattoo, and not once while he cheated did he ever think of what it meant. My eyes burned.

“You should have gotten rid of that hideous tattoo. How do you look at the mirror with it? ” he smiled at me and walked to an edge, and sat fearlessly at without the smallest ounce of fear

The wind whipped through his hair..”I can’t bring myself to get rid of it.” He said before adding. “Although some days it is unbearable to look at it knowing what I did..” he admitted, genuinely, and I laughed hysterically

“You got to be fucking kidding me…” I hissed. “You have the nerve to tell me that when you are sitting at the ledge. Aren’t you scared I might push you in a fit of rage?”

He didn’t glance at me. His voice drifted with the night wind..” I don’t mind dying by your hand at least you get to vent..” he drawled before adding

“Although I would not want your perfect hands to get stained by a sinner’s blood. ”

Those words struck me.

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