A little girl picked it up.

“Mommy, why is this lady following them?”

Karen froze.

The mother looked at Karen suspiciously.

David took Elena's hand.

“Let's go.”

Karen stood alone beside the lake.

She had spent weeks trying to separate them.

Instead, every scheme had pushed them closer.

But Karen wasn't ready to surrender.

That night, she made her final decision.

She would stop plotting.

She would stop pretending.

She would simply beg David.

And if he still refused…

She didn't know what she would do.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Hoa Karen Begged David to Love Her One Last Time — When He Refused, She Finally Faced the Consequences of Everything She Had Done

The rain had just stopped when Karen found David.

He was standing outside a small café with Elena.

They were laughing.

Karen walked toward them slowly.

Her eyes were red.

Her hair was messy.

She looked nothing like the confident woman in white who had first thrown water at Elena beside the pool.

“David.”

He turned.

Karen stopped a few feet away.

“Please.”

David's expression softened slightly.

“Karen…”

“Please don't walk away.”

Elena looked at David.

He nodded.

“I’ll talk to her.”

Elena stepped inside the café.

Karen looked at David.

“I love you.”

David said nothing.

“I know I made mistakes.”

“You made more than mistakes.”

Karen's tears began falling.

“I was jealous.”

“I know.”

“I thought if I could get rid of Elena, you would finally notice me.”

David shook his head.

“That was never going to happen.”

Karen covered her face.

“Why?”

“Because love doesn't work that way.”

She looked at him.

“I can change.”

“I hope you do.”

“So give me a chance.”

David was silent.

Karen stepped closer.

“Just one chance.”

David gently shook his head.

“No.”

Karen stared at him.

“No?”

“No.”

Her face crumbled.

“You love her?”

“Yes.”

“You really choose her?”

“Yes.”

Karen began crying harder.

“But I wanted you first.”

David looked at her sadly.

“I'm not something you can claim.”

Karen's breathing became heavier.

She wiped her tears.

“So after everything I've done…”

David interrupted.

“You hurt Elena.”

Karen looked away.

“You tried to embarrass her.”

She said nothing.

“You tried to trick us.”

Silence.

“You cut her hair.”

Karen's eyes filled with tears again.

“And you attacked her at the pool.”