When Love Came Too Late

Shane Stafford quickly took off the suit he was trying on and grabbed his phone to book the next flight to Maldivea.“We’ll postpone the wedding for a few more days. Talk to your parents and explain it to them.”They had been together for six years, but Bethany Cole had lost count of how many times Shane had left her because of Yelena White.A moment ago, she had been filled with happiness thinking about the wedding, but the joy in her eyes faded quickly.Because of Yelena, the wedding had been postponed repeatedly. Bethany had become a joke among her family and friends.The frustration boiled in her chest until she could hardly breathe. Tears filled her eyes, even though she tried to hold them back.After booking the tickets, Shane turned around and saw the tears in Bethany’s eyes. His heart sank, and he spoke with a trace of guilt in his voice.“You know Yelena is sick. If we don’t go along with her wishes, she’ll hurt herself. I can’t just leave her alone.”Before Bethany co

Bethany finally managed to get back all the wedding invitations she had sent out. She was about to head home when Shane called.His voice was hoarse. “Get back all the invitations you sent out. We can talk about the wedding later. Yelena’s still unstable. I don’t want her to get upset right now.”Shane had already thought of what he would say if Bethany refused. He would try to guilt-trip her like usual.However, Bethany showed no emotion. She simply said, “Okay.”Shane was stunned. Even over the phone, he could sense the change in her.He knew Bethany hated anyone touching her personal things, yet he had crossed that line for Yelena.He had sent her money for the dress to stop her from arguing. That trick had always worked before. This time, she accepted it quietly, which felt strange.Shane licked his dry lips and said awkwardly, “I know Yelena’s behavior bothers you. I promise I’ll make her cooperate with the doctors and get better as soon as possible.”“Shane, the water is

Bethany had not texted Hudson for several days, and it made him uneasy. He asked, “Bethany, I’ve started planning the wedding. How are things on your side?”Hudson felt nervous. He was afraid that she would say she had changed her mind and that she was not going to marry him.Bethany took a deep breath and forced herself to sound as normal as possible. She sniffled lightly and said, “I’m almost done here. I just need to wrap up a few things with work before heading back. Thanks for taking care of the wedding plans.”Hudson let out a quiet sigh of relief. Still, he could tell something was off. “Your voice sounds hoarse. Are you feeling okay? It’s been getting cold in Sea City lately. Wear a few more layers when you go out. You’ve always been a bit weak since you were young.”His gentle voice filled Bethany’s heart with warmth.“If anything comes up, call me right away. You don’t have to deal with everything alone. You have me now. I won’t let you suffer anymore.”Bethany sa

Gavin froze for a moment. It was clear he did not know anything about it. “What do you mean it’s been put on hold? Didn’t you already send out the invitations?”Shane lowered his head. He had not found the right time to tell Gavin about postponing the wedding, and he did not expect Bethany to bring it up first.Bethany threw the question to Shane. “You should ask Shane about it. It was his decision.”Gavin’s face hardened. “What could be more important than your marriage? The invitations are already out. Do you want to make this family a joke in front of everyone?”Before Shane could speak, Yelena chimed in and said, “Dad, don’t blame Shane! He postponed the wedding to take care of me.”“That’s ridiculous!” Gavin snapped. “You’re not a child anymore! When will you learn to behave? I don’t know what your mother’s been teaching you.”Yelena was not Gavin’s biological daughter, but ever since Phoebe married into the Stafford family, he had treated her like his own. He adored her a

“I’ll head home now. You haven’t been back in a while. Your parents must miss you. Spend some time with them.”Hudson drove Bethany home and made plans with her parents. The two families would meet the next day to go over the final details.After Hudson left, Bethany’s mother, Xandra Zeller, praised him.“Hudson is such a good man! He’s been running around Wood City for days, visiting every five-star hotel to find the perfect place for your wedding. He even came up with several designs for the decorations himself! “I can tell he truly cares about you. You should forget about Shane and focus on Hudson. You’ll be happy with him.”Xandra still had her worries. She knew Bethany had loved Shane for six years. She was afraid Bethany might be acting on impulse and that Shane would talk her into going back to him. If that happened, she would have a hard time facing the Smith family.Bethany saw her mother’s concern and said firmly, “Mom, don’t worry. I won’t change my mind.”The next