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<div style="text-align: right"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 22px">rafael silva<br/>
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</span>​</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Rafael had noticed that small flicker of panic in her eyes when she saw the drink in his hand and it was that sense of worry that made him consider opening old wounds. They'd known each other fine so long and even the year apart couldn't overshadow that reality. She'd seen sides of him that even his wife didn't. It was hard for him to ignore then the strong tugging toward his old ways. What if she said yes? Would he suddenly find himself crushed with the desire for intimacy that he didn't let go of freely? His fingers tapped impatiently against the top of the table and his eyes darted down to the drink. He wanted it even more now and he knew only to excuse his actions. Everything was a mistake because of the liquor. That had been his excuse to Danielle. His times with Aven were nothing more than drunken moments of senseless acts of lust. He didn't love her. He didn't care for her. She wouldn't crowd his thoughts anymore and for the last time Danielle believed him. <br/>
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The weight of her silence was becoming unbearable and he wondered if she would answer him at all. There was nothing stopping Aven from getting up and leaving. She didn't have to entertain this conversation – which very Mmm uh could've just been Rafael's way of digging his way back into her now perfect life. She was happy and from what he could tell, she was in love. She didn't need this closure and to be honest neither did he. Perhaps because he felt that despite how Aven considered his actions to be forcing her out of his life, the door did remain open. She didn't fight for him either. The sad part about all of this was bay neither of them could correctly guess what would've happened has they both made different decisions after that day of the proposal or even before. And even if they didn't outright admit it. It was true that neither of them were absolved of any blame and they both couldn't play victim. <br/>
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"Don't fucking do that Aven! Come on," Rafael said with a snort. He rolled his eyes, his hand reaching his to brush against his eyes in an exhausted manner. His palm rested against his mouth and his ice blue gaze finally settled back on Aven. He was not surprised that Aven was challenging him when it came to expressing his emotions. Falling in love hadn't been easy as in the beginning he ignored her feelings and the affair had been purely sexual. Admitting his love to Aven had been a big deal and he knew that she was aware of that. She could read if he was lying or not. <br/>
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"Yes." He said with a shrug finally. Rafael leaned back in his booth and ran his hands through the darkened strands. He clasped his hands together in his lap. "The first few weeks were especially hard. You were my best chef, my best friend, my lo –" Aven stopped himself, his brows now pinched in the middle of his forehead in distress. "It didn't have to be this way. You didn't have to . . ." Rafael pursed his lips. What he'd said or didn't say could very well lead to a problem. Did he think he really could've had both women? </span></div>