You Hit My Heart by Kylie Stanford

Chapter 2086: Do You Understand Love?

On the cliff, behind a large rock.

Joyce leaned against the stone, trying to sleep but not daring to fully fall asleep. If she slept too deeply, she would lose consciousness, and any accidental exposure of her body or head could mean instant death. She only dared to close her eyes and rest.

From time to time, she called out to Clint to remind him not to fall asleep.

"Hey," Joyce called out. When Clint didn't answer, she raised her voice and called again, "Hey!"

"I have a name," Clint finally responded. "I'm not asleep. Call me by my name, call me Clint."

He wished she would call him like she used to.

Joyce ignored him. "If you're not asleep, why didn't you respond? Sniping is about endurance; hang in there. If you want to die, wait until this is over and undo the curse for me before you do."

Clint remained silent.

She truly didn't give him any kindness.

"You're a sharpshooter. Do you understand long-distance sniping as well?" Clint tried to engage her in conversation. He was genuinely tired; after all, he had been shot, losing blood and energy.

"I didn't before, but I learned a lot from my mother later on," Joyce answered softly. She could tell from his voice that the bleeding had stopped.

"Being born into a military family makes you different. Joyce, you're unlike any woman I've ever known," Clint said softly, his voice carried by the wind.

a child and grew up in an orphanage. For over twenty years, I never experienced familial love. I did everything alone. Even though I had a talent for shooting, the training process was grueling. No matter how sad or repressed I felt inside, I had no one

towards Joyce. He could feel

mouth made the weight of it real. She had endured so much pain;

no end in sight, deep and unknown, not knowing life or death or future. That feeling of helplessness and confusion-I experienced it. I was rescued and survived. That's why I saved you. Had I known you

Joyce spoke to herself.

stayed silent; so that's how

everything and were alone with no support, which reminded me of myself-not knowing my origins, having no family or support. That's why I took you in. You took advantage of my

effort for her to finally call me 'Mommy.' We had only reunited for a few months. Do you know that I've only been reunited with my parents for less than a year? I've never even had the chance to properly honor them. Do you

down, I still hoped for it. I thought that after all the hardships were over, peaceful days awaited me. But you've ruined everything. You kidnapped me to a foreign land with no family around; I can't hear their voices or see their smiles-l want to go home so badly that staying here even one more day feels unbearable. And yet you casually say I'll stay here forever!

you even resorted

using unheard-of dark magic."

I've ever faced-I can't kill you nor escape your curse. Clint, you've won; victors write history while

took a deep breath. "Forget what

all this-perhaps because time passed too slowly

she spoke about things he hadn't known before-details he couldn't have found in any information he dug up about her-and realized how tough her

off in her voice-a hoarseness and pauses-so she

turned away and tried hard to breathe deeply as

said while secretly wiping away tears from the corners of

deal with me once we

to

Do you think

Joyce sneered coldly. "Now that we're in this situation where survival

is all your