Chapter 3

When Harry saw that I wasn't saying anything, he started again. "You'll bless our marriage, right?"

He walked over and pulled Samantha into his arms. She did not resist and even leaned against him.

My fists tightened as I looked at the two people in front of me. One was the only woman I had loved in my life. The other was the man who wanted my life. Yet, there was nothing I could do.

Everyone who had not left and was still in the room waited for my answer.

Should I bless them? Or should I show my reluctance?

Samantha stood behind Harry and looked at me. Her dark eyes seemed to be waiting for something.

But instead, I turned my head away and coldly said, "It has nothing to do with me."

I left without looking back. I had nothing now, except this broken body. There was nothing about me that was worthy of her, and she deserved someone better.

After that, I staggered to a trash can outside and threw up everything. The alcohol burned my throat and brought tears to my eyes, and I could barely stay on my feet. My stomach hurt so badly that I could feel it literally churning.

As soon as I finished throwing up, a security guard at the door started waving me off. "What's wrong with you? Your scooter's been parked here forever. Go already!"

I straightened up immediately and said, "I'm sorry. I'll leave now."

Blood trickled down my palm. I gritted my teeth as I pulled the bits of glass out of my hand one by one. Then, I put my gloves back on and hurried home.

The wind was cool as darkness descended on the city, as if it could clear some of the haze from my head.

I had never expected that after all these years, we would meet again like this.

If my adoptive mother, Theodora, had not gotten very ill a few months ago and wanted to come back here, we probably never would have crossed paths again.

I brought some food back for her. When I got to the apartment, she was still awake. "Mom, why aren't you asleep yet? I brought you supper. Eat a little."

She sat up and propped herself against the headboard. "It's alright, I'm not hungry. I was just worried because you weren't home yet."

Then, she noticed my hand. "What's up with your hand? What happened? Let me see."

I waved my hand a little and said, "It's nothing, just a scrape. Speaking of which, go ahead and eat a little. I already bought it, anyway. I'm going to shower now."

"Alright. Go wash up and get some rest," Theodora said.

After I closed the door behind me, I went to take a shower. I watched the water run over my wound. I felt no pain as the water washed over it, as all I could think of was Samantha.

One fragment after another came rushing back into my mind. The woman who had once promised to grow old with me… To think that we would meet this way again…

-

The next morning, I made breakfast and went out.

But as soon as I got to work, I was told someone had filed a complaint from yesterday.

"Arthur, what happened? I received a serious complaint about you. Aren't you usually quite careful?" My boss, Samuel Smith, asked.

The second I heard that from him, I immediately knew what it was about. "Was it the customer who ordered the cake?"

Samuel nodded. "Yes. They said you had a bad attitude and were late. There was also something about inappropriate behavior... This order will be deducted from your pay. You know the rules. Be more careful next time. Originally, management wanted to fire you, but considering your family situation, I spoke up for you. Do better from now on."

I had a pretty good idea about who filed the complaint, but all I could do was take it in silence. "Alright, thanks. I'll be more careful next time."

After I finished my morning deliveries, I went home at midday to bring lunch to Theodora.

In the afternoon, a coworker asked me to cover a nearby order for him. He said, "Please help me out, Arthur! My scooter broke down. If this doesn't get delivered, it'll be late again!"

"I'll go over right now. Send me the address," I said. Things like this happened all the time, so it was common for everyone to help each other out. However, when I delivered the order to the address he sent me, I realized it was Samantha's company.

I wanted to call the customer and ask them to come downstairs, but they refused, so I had no choice but to go up to the twelfth floor.

The moment I stepped into the elevator, I prayed I would not run into Samantha. But the more I wanted to avoid her, the more certain it would happen. I kept my head down, handed the food to the customer, and turned to leave right away.

But as I hurried out with my head lowered, I slammed into someone, and the papers in her hands scattered all over the floor.

I immediately crouched down to gather them up as I apologised, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you. I'm really sorry."

She originally said nothing, but the moment she heard my voice, she immediately stopped and stood up without gathering the papers anymore. Instead, she stood there with her arms crossed as she looked down at me and watched me pick up every last paper.

When I stood up with the papers in my hands, I realized the person in front of me was none other than Samantha.

I froze dead in my tracks.

"I'm sorry. These are your documents." After a few awkward seconds, I handed them to her and immediately walked out quickly into the hallway.

Just as I was about to press the elevator button, Samantha's voice rang out behind me. "Stop."

I instantly froze. Her tone was anything but friendly. She walked up to me and glared at me in anger. "I don't want to see someone like you in my company again!"

I looked at her. If that was what she wanted, then fine. "Fine. I won't take any more orders from this area. I guarantee I won't show up in front of you again."

"You'd better do that. Otherwise, I'll make sure you have to find a new job," Samantha said.

I knew she was fully capable of doing that now. She could make the company fire me directly and cost me this part-time job.

I tightened my hands. "Don't worry. I will!"

Samantha let out a cold chuckle. "Really? Back then, you also said you'd never show up in front of me again. So, what do you call this? A qualified ex should be like a dead man, unlike you, who shows up repeatedly in front of me!"

I knew she hated me.

I was probably dead to her for a long time.

"I'm sorry," I said as I prepared to leave.

But, she snapped in anger, "Sorry? After all this time, that's all you have to say?"

There was nothing else I could say other than sorry. There was only one thing left. "Other than sorry, there's one more thing I need to say."

Samantha looked up at me suddenly, like she was waiting for an explanation, or for me to finally tell her everything. Perhaps, she was waiting for me to repent. "Don't marry Harry. He's not a good man, and he's not worth it."

Samantha laughed when she heard what I had to say. "Arthur, what right do you have to say that about him?"

She rushed up to me, grabbed my shirt, and shouted, "If he hadn't helped my family and me and stayed by my side the whole time, do you think I'd be where I am today? You're the one who abandoned me when I needed help the most! What right do you have to say who is worth what?!"

Samantha's eyes burned with hatred as she glared at me. "If he isn't worth it, then are you? Tell me! What exactly made you worth it instead?!"

She was right. I had no right. Because I had not even given her a word of comfort when she needed me the most. Instead, all I did was send her a message and end things on my own before disappearing from her world.

She had every reason to hate me.

But she could not marry Harry. She simply could not.