Justin didn't evade or dodge, allowing her to vent her frustration through her punches.
His response made Karen even more distraught.
She knew Justin too well. Justin was a responsible and good man. He decided to marry her out of responsibility.
However, now that he could set aside that responsibility, it proved his determination.
If it weren't for her taking advantage of the situation the first two times, she wouldn't have had a chance to be with him.
During the four years when Samantha disappeared, he never gave up and never felt attracted to any other woman.
From start to finish, from childhood to adulthood, his eyes and heart were always on Samantha.
Seeing that scolding was useless, Karen could only hug him, crying as if her heart was being torn apart.
"Justin, I like you. I liked you at first sight. Please, don't leave me. I really can't live without you. Without you, I won't be able to survive... Justin..."
Justin remained unmoved.
He knew that a short-term pain was better than a long-term one.
If he didn't cut the Gordian knot now, it might hurt Karen even more in the future.
Closing his eyes, he steeled his heart, trying to pull Karen out of his embrace.
However, Karen clung to him and refused to let go.
Justin had made up his mind. He forcefully opened her hands and pulled her out of his embrace.
Not giving up, Karen held Justin's face, attempting to forcibly kiss his thin lips.
Caught off guard, Justin was kissed. Feeling annoyed, he pushed her away, not controlling the strength in his hands. Karen was thrown to the ground, and blood oozed from her palms, leaving deep wounds. The pain on her small face was evident.
More painful than the hands was her heart.
She felt like her heart was dripping with blood.
Nothing was more humiliating, heartbreaking, and sorrowful than this moment.
Realizing that her reaction was too extreme, Justin immediately bent down to help her up, apologizing urgently, "Karen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Are you okay?"
Karen continued to cry. Her tears made Justin even more self-reproachful.
"I'm sorry. I know I hurt you, but my heart only has room for Samantha. If I forced myself to marry you, it would ruin your life. I can't do that."
His words were like sharp blades, cutting into Karen's heart.
Karen felt a piercing pain in her heart.
Even so, she still understood that Justin responded better to gentleness than force.
If she persisted in being unreasonable and stubborn, clinging to him, it would only drive him farther away. Any lingering guilt he might have felt towards her would disappear.
Given this situation, it was better to retreat strategically.
After making up her mind, Karen took a deep breath, quickly adjusted her mood, withdrew her hand from Justin's, created a slight distance, wiped away her tears, and put on a smile that looked even more ugly than crying. She pretended to be strong and said, "I don't blame you. I understand what you mean. You're right. Instead of marrying a man who can never love me for a lifetime, it's better to let go gracefully."
Her mature and sensible demeanor increased Justin's sense of guilt.
"Don't worry, I'll still take care of you for the rest of your life."
Karen smiled, pretending to be at ease. "I have my future husband to take care of me. If you take care of me too, he might get jealous."
For a moment, Justin didn't know how to respond.
Karen continued, "Don't worry, I'll be fine! Although we can't get married, it won't affect the relationship between the three of us. I will still take care of Samantha as before."
"Karen, thank you!" Justin's relieved heart finally found its footing.
He feared that after he and Karen dissolved their engagement, it would affect the relationship between the three of them.
Especially between Karen and Samantha.
Seeing that she didn't blame Samantha, he finally let go of his worries.
"There's no need to say thank you between us!" After saying this, she changed the subject, "It's very late, I should go back! Be careful on your way back."
After giving Justin a reluctant look, she turned and left.
In the moment she turned around, her facial expression turned sinister.
Under the illumination of the streetlamp, it looked particularly terrifying.
Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging deep into the flesh.
There was overwhelming hatred in her eyes.
...
Next day.
Samantha noticed Karen's eyes, swollen like light bulbs, and hurriedly asked, "Karen, have you been crying? What happened?"
"It's already over, nothing happened!" Karen calmly took out an ice pack from the refrigerator, wrapped it in a towel, lay back on the sofa, and applied it to her eyes.
Concerned, Samantha approached and asked, "Are you really okay?"
"Don't worry, I'm really fine!" Karen answered indifferently.
As she spoke, the doorbell rang.
Samantha, puzzled, went to open the door.
She saw Justin, smiling brightly, standing at the door. When he saw her, he happily waved the takeout bag in his hand. "Haven't had breakfast yet! I brought breakfast for you guys! All of Charlotte's favorites."
Hearing his voice, Karen, lying on the sofa, couldn't help but shudder.
Her body involuntarily stiffened.
Was he in such a hurry already? Just after breaking up, he started pursuing Samantha?
Samantha thought he had come to see Karen, so she greeted him and invited him in.
Unexpectedly, Justin just greeted Karen and went straight to the kitchen to plate the breakfast.
Karen didn't greet him as warmly as before. She continued lying on the sofa, applying the ice pack to her eyes.
Samantha noticed the subtle changes between them but didn't want to ask in front of both parties.
After the breakfast was served, the room was instantly filled with a delightful fragrance.
Charlotte, like a little puppy, brushed her teeth and ran out of the bathroom when she saw the delicious breakfast on the table. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Godfather, are these all for me to eat?"
Justin indulged her, saying, "Yes, they're all for you. Come out for breakfast after you've washed up."
"Yay! I love you the most!" If her mouth weren't full of bubbles, Charlotte would have wanted to kiss Justin.
Justin's eyes overflowed with a smile.
Skillfully arranging the tableware, he lovingly picked up the food Charlotte liked and put it on her plate.
Unable to stand it any longer, Samantha couldn't help but speak, "Spoiling her like this will spoil her. Let her pick what she likes. She's already four years old; she should do it herself."
Justin, however, didn't mind.
"Girls should be pampered! Father spoils them before marriage, and husbands spoil them after marriage."
The house was not large.
The dining room and the living room were adjacent.
They hadn't deliberately avoided anything.
Every word they said fell into Karen's ears.
Karen's hands, holding the towel, suddenly tightened.
Her lips turned as pale as paper.
How could Justin pamper a bastard like this?
What was wrong with her compared to Samantha?
Samantha always felt that there was something wrong with what he said.
But she couldn't put her finger on it.
Perhaps she was just being presumptuous, so she chose not to respond.
***