"Is this really necessary?"

The entire private room fell into a deathly silence because of that sentence.

Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, not knowing why their daughter was being so blunt today, began to scold her while apologizing.

"We’re so sorry. Selina doesn't know how to watch her words. She’s just worried that if we aren't around, you won't enjoy yourselves. Please don't misunderstand."

"Yes, yes. Selina, apologize to your aunt and uncle immediately. Since they’ve come all this way, we should accompany them. It won't be too late to visit your aunt next month."

If this were a purely recreational trip, Selina would have had no objections.

But she knew perfectly well that they hadn't come here to play.

In her mind, this was a private matter between her and Julian, and it should not escalate to the level of their families.

She also didn't want her parents to find out about these wretched affairs, which was why she tried her best to stop it.

But seeing them show up at her door and insist on dwelling on the matter was too much.

The grievances and anger of the past few months flooded her heart, and she no longer cared about maintaining appearances. She spoke bluntly.

"Dad, Mom, the person who needs to apologize isn't me, nor should it be."

Chapter 16

Julian’s face slowly turned pale following that statement.

Mr. and Mrs. Sterling also sensed something unusual in the air. Their expressions became grave as they both looked at him.

"What is going on? Did you two have another fight?"

"It’s not a fight, just some misunderstandings. I want to—"

Selina was almost moved to laughter by his attempt to redefine the situation.

She put down her cutlery and slowly sat up straight, her eyes piercing toward him like a sharp blade.

"Misunderstandings? You call this a 'misunderstanding'? Then why bother coming to Spain to talk about apologies and making amends?"

Seeing her anger, Mr. and Mrs. Thorne grew anxious and couldn't help but try to explain for him.

"Selina, it’s all Julian’s fault. He should be the one apologizing to you."

Mr. and Mrs. Sterling grew even more confused by the current situation, their faces filled with bewilderment.

The peaceful life Selina had fought so hard for had been disrupted, and she no longer wanted to play riddles. She decided to make everything clear.

"Julian and I have been together since we were eighteen. Although we never went public, in my heart, I believed we were in a committed relationship. But it wasn't until Nina returned that he told me she was the one he always loved, and that he only saw me as a sister."

"I didn't say a word; I chose to step aside and let them be! I even immigrated to Spain just to sever this connection completely. I have retreated to this extent, Julian—why must you be so persistent?"

Selina’s voice became increasingly impassioned, and tears began to well in her eyes.

But this time, her tears were shed only for herself.

For the self that had loved for so many years, waited for so many years, been belittled, misunderstood, discarded, and ignored.

Whether it was the Thornes or the Sterlings, it was the first time any of them had heard the whole story from their own mouths.

The four of them looked at Julian simultaneously, wanting to know if this was indeed the truth.

But he kept his head bowed, using silence as his response.

Mr. and Mrs. Sterling’s expressions turned cold instantly.

Mr. and Mrs. Thorne reacted even more fiercely, glaring at him and questioning him sternly.

"Is everything Selina said true? Julian Thorne, how could you do such a thing?"

Julian could not deny it.

He felt as though his chest was being tightly constricted; he could only squeeze a few words out of his throat.

"Yes... I failed Selina. I'm sorry, Uncle Sterling, Auntie Sterling."

The boy they had loved like a son for over twenty years turned out to be the man who had betrayed their daughter.

Mr. and Mrs. Sterling simply could not accept this reality.

A towering rage flooded their hearts, making it impossible for them to face the Thornes any longer. They slammed down their chopsticks and left the venue with Selina.

Mr. and Mrs. Thorne followed them, apologizing incessantly.

Looking at his old friend of many years, the disappointment in Mr. Sterling’s eyes was undisguised, his voice full of fury.

"If it were anything else, we could talk it out. But this concerns Selina. Thorne, you don't need to say another word. Matters will stand as they are; there is no room for negotiation!"

Watching the three Sterlings walk away, Julian’s heart twisted into a knot.

Guilt and remorse flooded over him like a tidal wave, drowning him completely.

For the first time, he realized with agonizing clarity that he and Selina had reached a dead end.

Whether it was submissiveness or an apology, nothing could be undone.

She was no longer that little girl who could be swayed with a few sweet words, and she would never give him a chance to start over.

To lose her was to lose her forever.

A broken mirror cannot be made whole again, and spilt water can never be gathered back.

Chapter 17

After returning to the hotel, the three Sterlings sat in the living room for a long time in silence.

Wrapped in her mother’s embrace, Selina’s emotions slowly settled.

Knowing her parents were deeply worried about her, she ordered dinner and tried to comfort them with a smile.

"Dad, Mom, it’s all in the past. I’ve actually moved on, so let’s not look so miserable, okay?"

Seeing her so sensible, the couple patted her hand, their eyes filled with heartache.

"Selina, since you’ve let it go, I don't want to ask too much and make you relive the pain. But you must tell me the truth: while you were with Julian, what other grievances did you suffer?"

Selina froze slightly.

She thought back to all the years and the events that happened before leaving Shanghai, not knowing where to begin.

Most of the moments she felt wronged stemmed from the helplessness and confusion of realizing Julian had been playing with her feelings.

And feelings are something that can’t be clearly explained or judged by right or wrong.

She pondered for a long time and finally confirmed that there was one specific matter that required closure.

So, she told them what had happened at the bar the day before she left.

Upon hearing the story, Mr. Sterling slammed the table in rage, and Mrs. Sterling looked pale with fear.

The couple could not swallow this insult and immediately booked flights back to the country.

"Inciting attempted rape is a crime! Selina, don't worry. Your parents won't let those who tried to hurt you get away with it."

After resting for a night, the first thing the Sterlings did upon returning to Shanghai was to retrieve the surveillance footage from the bar and go straight to the police station to file a case.

With solid evidence, the police brought in all involved parties for questioning that same day.

At first, Nina didn't know what was happening, but her face turned white when she saw Selina at the station.

Before the formal interrogation even began, she rushed to Selina in a panic, trying to seize the initiative.

"Haven't you already immigrated? What do you mean by coming back now?"

"To settle the score, of course. You know exactly what you did, don't you?"

A flash of panic crossed Nina’s face, but she continued to argue desperately.

"I didn't do anything! How dare you slander me?"

Selina couldn't be bothered with her nonsense.

"Whether it's slander or not, the surveillance video will prove it. It's not for you to decide."

Soon, the clear footage reminded Nina of everything that happened that night.

After hearing from the police about the prosecution, she completely lost her nerve. Her previous arrogance vanished, replaced by frantic apologies.

"I'm sorry! It was my jealousy acting up that night. I wasn't thinking straight and made a mistake. Anyway, nothing happened to you, so can we just drop it?"

Hearing this, Selina couldn't help but sneer.

At that time, she had been so crushed by consecutive blows that she was only desperate to leave Shanghai, leaving her no time to pursue the matter.

What did she mean by "nothing happened"?

If she hadn't grabbed that ashtray, she might not have made it out of that bar alive!

Nina showed no remorse for such an extreme act and even wanted to brush it off lightly.

Selina would never let that happen.

"Save that for the court. I will pursue this to the very end."

That one sentence sent Nina into an abyss of despair.

The thought of being sentenced, going to jail, and having her bright future destroyed left her distraught. She turned to plead with Mr. Sterling.