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Chapter 5
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18 Delays Later: Too Late for Tears Chapter 8
I didn't offer a response."I know whatever I say right now is useless," Ethan murmured, wiping away his tears. "But I really have changed. I had Chelsea reassigned, and I've completely cut off all contact with her."Every single day, all I do is think about you—wondering what you're eating, how you're sleeping, and how your work is going. I want to call you, but I'm terrified of bothering you. I want to come find you, but I'm so scared you'll despise me."He looked up at me, his eyes entirely bloodshot. "But I couldn't hold it in anymore. Without you, I can't survive."I looked directly into his eyes. In them, I saw terror, pleading, sincerity, and overwhelming guilt."But I don't love you anymore," I said softly.The entire apartment plunged into a deathly silence. It took a long time before he spoke again, his voice sounding as raw and hoarse as sandpaper."Is there... really no chance left for me?"I didn't say a word.He stared into my eyes, as if searching for a differen
18 Delays Later: Too Late for Tears Chapter 7
I looked up at him. "But that day, you only said those exact words."He froze."You never actually swore to make me your wife."The expression on his face completely shifted."You said you would protect me for the rest of your life, and you said you would love me forever. You said a great many things, but you never once said the actual words, 'I take this woman to be my lawfully wedded wife.'"I pulled my hand out of his grasp."I didn't think much of it at the time. I figured you were just nervous and forgot. But looking back now, I think maybe you never truly intended to bind yourself to me in marriage.""I did!" His voice suddenly spiked. "I wanted to! I prepared for that day for so long...""Then why didn't you show up to get the certificate?"He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out."It's because in your mind, I was already yours. You figured whether we legally registered it or not wouldn't change that fact," I said quietly. "But you forgot that in the eyes
18 Delays Later: Too Late for Tears Chapter 6
My French became more and more fluent, and I grew increasingly comfortable with my responsibilities at the office. Pierre even mentioned that by next spring, he would let me handle a case entirely on my own.That evening, after finishing some overtime work, I walked back to my apartment building and spotted a familiar figure waiting downstairs.He was bundled up in a black overcoat, standing beneath a streetlight with a bouquet of flowers cradled in his hands. The moment he caught sight of me, he walked over with quick, urgent steps."Summer."It was Ethan.He had lost so much weight that he looked entirely unrecognizable. His eyes were deeply sunken, his cheekbones protruded sharply, and his lips were dry and cracked. He looked like someone who hadn't eaten a proper meal or slept a full night in months.I stood completely still, making no move toward him. "Why are you here?""I came to find you," he said, his voice incredibly hoarse. "I couldn't wait any longer.""Wait for wha
18 Delays Later: Too Late for Tears Chapter 5
"Summer!""Ethan, let me go."I hung up the phone and shut it off.The colleague picking me up came running over, apologizing in fluent French for being late. I shook my head with a smile, following him out of the terminal.The Parisian night was cooler than back home, and the breeze carried an unfamiliar scent. I took a deep breath, feeling as though I were exhaling the entirety of the last five years.A month later.In the ninth arrondissement of Paris, inside a small café called Le Marais, I sat by the window with a croissant and a latte in front of me. On the street outside, pedestrians rushed past—some walking dogs, some pushing strollers, and others lingering by the roadside bookstalls."Summer?"I looked up. A blonde, blue-eyed French man stood before my table, holding a file."Pierre," I said, rising to greet him in fluent French. "Please, have a seat."Pierre was a partner at the law firm and my current direct supervisor. In his early forties, he was elegant and char
18 Delays Later: Too Late for Tears Chapter 4
The moment the plane broke through the heavy layer of clouds, I turned off my phone.Outside the window lay a blinding expanse of white, so sharp it made my eyes ache. I closed them, and fragments of the past five years flashed across my mind.The first time I saw Ethan at the law firm, he had been wearing a dark gray suit, speaking eloquently during a mock trial. On our first date, he had taken me to a casual roadside food stall, telling me that was where real life happened. The first time I met his parents, he had squeezed my hand and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'm right here."On our wedding day, he had drunk a bit too much. He held me tightly and murmured, "Summer, being able to marry you is the greatest blessing of my life."A blessing.I opened my eyes and smiled faintly. Blessings, it seemed, also had an expiration date.After a twelve-hour flight, I finally landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at seven o'clock in the evening, local time.The moment I turned my pho
18 Delays Later: Too Late for Tears Chapter 3
"I said yesterday that I'd make up your gift to you, but I didn't make it in time. Today... consider it made up."I froze for a moment.Only then did I remember his words right before leaving the house yesterday: "I'll bring you a gift when I get back tonight."I hadn't expected him to actually remember.However, looking at the receipt, the timestamp showed it was printed just half an hour ago.Most likely, he had seen that I liked Chelsea's social media post and felt a twinge of guilt. He had probably just grabbed a bag at a counter along the roadside on his way home as a form of compensation.I didn't reach out for it, nor did I say a word.Ethan placed the bag on the bed, hesitating for a moment. "By the way, regarding next month's selection for the law firm's Star Employee... could you...""Let Chelsea have it?"He hadn't expected me to speak first and nodded awkwardly. "She's just starting out in the industry and really needs this kind of recognition. You've already won i
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