Chapter 43: Chapter 43

"There's nothing deader than a dead love."

-Leona Helmsley-

***

"Check out the link I sent you" the message was short and straight to the point. She opened it up and clicked on the link, it took her straight to a celebrity gossip page to an article about Raphael and Clara in Bora – Bora.

The headline was written as following;

"DESROCHES' HEIR SECRET LOVE!?"

Jovanna saw a picture of Raphael and Clara in the bikini. In the picture Raphael was pulling Clara close to him after she fed the stingray, the two had their skin touching each other. Jovanna furrowed her brow as read the news, it started with an explanation about the picture, then there were some speculations regarding her identity alongside a dramatized portrayal of their relationship. It's a public secret that the media would often exaggerate things in order to gain more clicks and views. Yet the picture appeared to be real, captured on the location with a few witness to verify it.

Halfway through the article she could not take it anymore and shut her phone, her eyes were staring down in disbelief. She did not expect Raphael to really fall for the woman like so, she thought Raphael was just messing around with her, she should have known he was not that type. His feeling for her was sincere. Coming at a realization that he would never fall for her, the beautiful model lost her balance fell on her knees

Jovanna had allowed her emotion to control her, holding her phone tightly in her hand, as salty warm tears ran through her face. Her heart hurt, it hurt really bad and the fact that she still could not accept it made things worse.

Laurent who was standing in front of her put down the food on the chair, he knelt down to match her and asked what was wrong, he could not bear to see her in such distress. The woman was someone he had cared for deeply, watching her cry like that only shattered his heart. He reached out his hand to her shoulder and could tell she was shaking. She said no more as she ran away.

Laurent wanted to chase her, but he thought it would be best to let her remain alone for now. Still, he followed her silently, and after walking for a while, he found her sobbing on a bench on the built-in yard. He leaned his hand on the walls as he gazed at her from afar.

His chest tightened at the sight, his heart bled as he thought of her tears falling for someone else but him. Laurent had known Raphael would never fall for Jovanna, since the beginning, and his speculation only got proven during the party that night, he could easily judge from the look on his face when he was with Clara, but it did not reach his heart to tell Jovanna the truth, the girl was living in her own fantasy world the whole time, hoping for someone who could never return her feelings, as a result she was hurt by her own love.

Raphael would never love her, she could not see it, her eyes were fogged by wishful thinking and her own feelings, but one could never gain the love of someone who could not love them back.

Raphael was so much better than Laurent in so many aspects, when it came to wealth, looks, or intelligence he was aware of this, and compared to Johanna and her family, Laurent was a nobody. Though he was from the upper class, the wealth his family had still could not compare to theirs. Still he wished, just for a moment, she would look at him the way he looked at Raphael. Because he was the only person in the whole entire world who could sincerely love her, and that was something no one could take away from him.

He walked there and took a seat beside her, he was filled with silence while Jovanna was at a point when she did not care if Laurent saw her in such a state. He remained still and waited until her sobbing subsided on its own. After around a minute or so, she could not take it anymore, she turned to him and leaped into his arms, hugging him while still crying on his shoulder.

Laurent was loss at words, unsure if he should be grateful that she finally realized the truth or upset because the truth had crushed her. All he could do at the moment was to wrap his arms around her waist to return the hug and rested his palm on her hair. Gently caressing her hair with his fingers.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm here. I will never leave you. You will be fine. I'm here." he cooed. They remained still for a while until he could no longer hear the sound of her cry.

"Are you feeling better now?" Jovanna lifted her face and realized what she just did. She maintained a poker face and nodded her head. Her makeup was ruined thanks to her tears, and she had smudges of mascara on her lower lash line. At the moment her appearance mimicked that of a raccoon, and Laurent prevented her from checking herself on her phone's camera when she was about to open it.

Knowing that she would probably be shocked by her state. He pulled out a skin safe cleansing wipe which he always carried around with him and wiped out the smudges from her face.

She was naturally beautiful, sometimes he thought makeup only covered her natural beauty, but as a model it was something she could not avoid wearing. She remained still as he swept across her under eye, and realized what he was doing when she saw the black tint on it. Not only that, she also saw wet stains on his clothing. She was embarrassed beyond point right then.

"Oh gosh, I am sorry" she apologized, only to receive a delighted smile from him. He patted her hair once more, and under normal circumstance, she would never allow anyone touch her like that, but after everything, she made an exception for him. He stood up, reaching out his hand to hers and helped her to get back on her feet.

"I will drive you to your family's lunch, just tell me the address" He offered.

"No, I can go there myself" she refused gently but Laurent was not having it. After debating with each other for a good minute Jovanna gave up and allow Laurent to drive her. Both of them were seated beside each other inside the car, sometimes she stole glances at him, and every time she did so, there was a warm, muffled feeling inside her chest which eased all of her pain.

Laurent has always been by her side. He loved her, he adored her, he was willing to do anything for her.

So why couldn't she just love him instead?

The whole time she had been a fool, should have known since the beginning that she should have never wasted her time for someone who would never fall for her in return, yet she had someone who cared for her beyond everything.

With a smile on her face, she decided in a snap moment, she would try to love Laurent the way he loved her. It was not going to be easy, but she needed to try.

Otherwise, she might die every day from heartbreak and it would be the last thing she wanted.