She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at him anymore. At that moment, she felt as if she had lost her life. Her every hope, dream, fantasy turned out to be an illusion that dissipated as easily as sand in the wind. - "Don't hurt me." - she whispered so softly she doubted he heard her.
After a moment, she felt him lift her face with the fingers of one hand and wipe the tears from her eyes with the other. She didn't dare look at him. She allowed herself to feel his touch.
"Why do you think I'm going to hurt you?" - he said with clear tenderness in his voice - "Why do you think so?"
She reached over to embrace him the way she longed to be held. Not even a moment passed before she felt the pressure of his arms wrapping around his body. - "Because everyone hurts me. Everyone I love hurts me."
He let her cry, and she didn't know how to stop the flood of memories plaguing her mind. How was she supposed to stop thinking about seeing the boy she had loved since she remembered in another's arms just days after she had lost their child? How was she supposed to stop thinking about his accusations? How was she supposed to stop thinking about the fact that he thought she'd never been a good mother, which was why she had miscarried?"
"I'm going to be cruel now... That's what happens when you allow yourself to be locked up in one circle of friends. Friends who are family. No wonder they chose his side." - he sighed irritably. - "Let me help you get back on your feet."
She moved away from him. She couldn't help noticing the shadow of disappointment that briefly crossed his face. - "And what do you want in return?"
"You." - He approached her again, shortening the distance between them, then bent down so that he could look straight into her eyes and repeated. - "You. I want you. Granger, I want you to give me a chance to show you that I'm the better man than him."