The Art of Unloving Him

"Gemma, we agreed on ten years. That time is up now. I'd like to leave with Kira.""You know he never liked her," she added quietly.In the quiet of the coffee house, Josie Carr spoke with a bitter expression.She had lived with Graham Holloway for ten years—ten long years, and still, she hadn't managed to thaw his heart.Ten years ago, Graham's first love had left him and gone abroad. After that, he fell apart, sinking into a haze of alcohol and despair. He barely stepped outside the house.Unable to bear watching her son waste away, Gemma sought out Josie. She offered her a million dollars to stay by Graham's side for ten years.Josie had already carried a quiet crush on him since her school days. When faced with that offer, she barely hesitated before saying yes.From then on, she began to pursue him.When he was unhappy, she'd try anything to make him smile.When he was sick, she stayed up all night at his bedside, running back and forth through hospital corridors.Knowin

A wave of unease washed over Josie.Kira had always been a well-behaved child. She had never once caused trouble at kindergarten.This was the first time a teacher had ever called her like this.She rushed to the school office, only to find Kira standing in the corner, trembling, tears streaming, and hiccupping. Her small face was flushed an alarming shade of red.Across the room, Graham stood with his usual cold, detached expression. Beside him was a little girl and a slender, elegant woman.Josie recognized the woman immediately—Allison Blake, Graham's first love.She clung to his arm with the effortless intimacy of a wife. The two of them looked as though they had always belonged together.And the child by his side? That was Allison's daughter.The moment Josie stepped into the room, she saw the girl grip Graham's arm and burst into tears. "Daddy, she bullied me!"Kira's eyes widened in disbelief. Graham had never once let her call him that. The teachers all assumed Kira ca

Josie felt as if something had clutched her heart in a tight, merciless grip. She couldn't breathe.She had stayed by Graham's side for ten years. Ten years of trying to warm a frozen heart.But it hadn't been her fault. It hadn't been that she hadn't tried hard enough. It was simply because Graham had been waiting for Allison all along.No matter what she did, it would never matter. In his heart, there had only ever been one person—Allison.The realization made Josie laugh bitterly. Her voice cracked as she said, "I wish you a happy marriage."With that, Josie turned and walked away.Graham watched her back retreat into the distance. A strange tightness gripped his chest, an uncomfortable weight he couldn't quite place. He stood there, dazed, for a long moment, until Allison tugged gently on his sleeve."Graham, what are you thinking about?"He blinked out of the fog. "It's nothing," he said, distracted. "I just remembered there's something I need to deal with at the office."

Allison smiled with an air of innocence, but her eyes were unmistakably laced with provocation.Josie declined. "No, thank you. We have other plans."Allison pouted slightly, feigning hurt. "Is it because of what happened between Kira and Cami last time? If it made you uncomfortable, I'm sorry. That was mostly Cami's fault. Let me apologize on her behalf. There's no need to hold a grudge against a child, is there?"Then, turning to Graham, she lowered her voice in self-reproach. "It's my fault. I returned to the country too suddenly, and Cami wasn't used to things here yet. That's probably why she had trouble getting along with her classmates."Graham immediately pulled her into his arms, comforting her gently.But when he looked over at Josie, his eyes turned cold. "If they share the same birthday, what's wrong with celebrating it together?"Josie wanted to tell him that it wasn't the same at all—but before she could speak, Kira tugged on her sleeve.With tear-reddened eyes, th

At the hospital, Graham stared at the abrupt message on his screen, and for a moment, his heart gave a strange, uneasy flutter—as if it had skipped a beat.A vague sense of panic crept up on him, catching him off guard.Beside him, Allison wore an expression full of grievance. "Graham, Cami just wanted to comfort Kira. Who would've thought Kira would push her on purpose? Cami's always been frail… if something had really happened, I wouldn't want to go on living either."Her sobs were soft and desperate, seeking comfort, demanding justice.Suppressing the heaviness stirring inside him, Graham spoke firmly, "Don't worry. I'll make sure you get an explanation."With that, he stepped out of the hospital room and tried calling Josie.But the call didn't go through.His already dark expression clouded further. He opened their chat thread and stared at her message again.Something inside him snapped.He began typing furiously.[So what if I didn't take Kira to the hospital? She was