Milo didn’t agree to Harper’s proposal, but she didn’t get upset. Instead, she suggested he head to work first, fulfill that old dream of theirs
In his numb state, he went along with it.
When they got to Lumière, the place was completely renovated. Where the chandelier had crashed was pristine–like the accident had never happened. Harper had thrown serious cash at PR and damage control, and with the temporary closure, most people had forgotten. The restaurant was actually packed.
Behind the bar, Milo mixed drinks for customers. He’d become a pilot because Harper once said she thought captains were sexy. He’d taught himself bartending because she’d fantasized about them running a place together someday.
The cocktail shaker moved fluidly in his hands, almost like choreography. People were definitely watching, and it was drawing more customers inside. Harper perched nearby, gushing with approval.
“Milo, I’m just so amazed that you remembered everything I ever said. That we can still have this. You know, my marriage was absolute hell. Only when I was going through all that trauma did I realize you were always the one who actually cared about me…”
Her voice got softer, more intimate.
“Milo, I get that you’re not ready to be with me yet because of the whole Eliana thing. We can take our time…”
Then, with a deafening crash, something massive slammed into the floor.
Milo’s head shot up, his heart practically stopping.
Same exact spot. Same fucking chandelier. Falling again.
The scene hit him like a freight train of memory–that night when he’d seen Eliana trapped under the fixture, bleeding and broken, while he’d been too busy protecting Harper to care.
The restaurant immediately erupted into chaos. Nobody gave a shit about their dinner anymore–everyone was filming and screaming.
“Are you kidding me? Another chandelier just fell! What kind of death trap are you people running here?”
“Holy shit, I remember this place now–this exact same thing happened before! How is this owner still cutting corners on safety?”
“Where’s the manager? Get your ass out here!”
As the owner, Harper was instantly in the hot seat. She clearly hadn’t expected lightning to strike twice so fast and immediately turned to Milo with panic in her eyes.
“Milo, you have to help me. This wasn’t supposed to happen again…”
She expected him to jump in front of her like before, be her knight in shining armor against the angry mob. But when she looked at him, his eyes were completely glazed over.
He looked like he was seeing ghosts, totally unresponsive no matter how frantically she called his name. The crowd was getting more aggressive by the second, and Harper was running out of room to back
- up.
Voice cracking with desperation, she screamed:
“Milo! What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Her yell snapped him back to reality. Seeing the hostile crowd surrounding them, pure instinct made him pull Harper against his chest protectively.
But she wasn’t satisfied with just being shielded. She hit his shoulders, tears streaming down her face.
“Make them shut up! How dare they talk to me like that!”
Milo went rigid. Last time, in this exact scenario, Eliana had been the one crushed by Harper’s shitty chandelier. Nearly died because Harper cut corners on safety. And here she was, acting like the victim again.
Carry Cantain Milo Our Love Score Has Hit Zero
8.196
His mouth moved soundlessly. He couldn’t bring himself to defend her this time, just held her lighter to block the phone ranges
But with dozens of people filming, his protection was basically worthless,
And for the first time, standing in the ruins of Harper’s restaurant while she cried about her reputation, Milo finally saw the truth with devastat
clarity:
Eliana had been the victim. Always. And he’d chosen her destroyer every single time.
The woman in his arms had nearly killed his wife, and he’d helped her cover it up.
He’d been protecting the wrong person all along.
