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หน้าหลัก / When the Waiting Turned Quiet / Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

ผู้เขียน: Joey Joe
The line went quiet for a few seconds.

"...Seriously? You loved him so much. You passed up so many amazing opportunities because of him. Why now?"

Elise gave a small smile and shook her head. "I don't love him anymore."

After hanging up, she leaned against the window and closed her eyes.

Everyone knew how much she'd loved Colsen.

Too much.

She'd lost herself. Thrown away every ounce of pride she had.

But she was done.

Loving someone who wanted someone else was exhausting.

When Elise was eighteen, a freshman in college, she first saw Colsen at an awards ceremony.

It was a bright, sunny day. He stood onstage in a plain white shirt and black pants, confident and totally put together.

Pretty much every girl in the room blushed.

Elise included.

But nobody could get close to him.

Everyone knew Colsen only had eyes for Bella, the girl he'd grown up with.

Bella was dramatic, bossy, and had a temper, but Colsen spoiled her rotten and let her get away with anything. Everyone said he was obsessed with her.

And while Colsen loved Bella, Elise loved him from a distance.

Then Bella ran out on their wedding.

Again.

And again.

The first time, she said she was too young.

The second, she got cold feet.

The third, she claimed Colsen didn't love her enough.

...

By the ninth time, she called from overseas the night before the wedding.

"Colsen, I've been thinking. I still care more about my freedom. Let's not get married yet. I want to travel for a few years first!"

That time, Colsen didn't chase after her.

He was down for a while. Then he finally agreed to let his family set him up.

Date after date.

None made it past the first one.

Elise's heart jumped when she heard.

After asking around, she finally got set up with him.

That day, on impulse, she wore a dress identical to Bella's.

The second Colsen saw her, he froze.

He stared for a long moment.

"Let's get married."

Elise's heart dropped.

She knew he wasn't really seeing her.

He was seeing Bella.

Still, she nodded.

She loved him that much.

Even knowing he felt nothing for her, she still wanted to stay by his side.

After they got married, they were polite but distant.

Colsen treated her well. He gave her everything money could buy and always respected her in public.

But Elise knew better.

That wasn't love.

He never touched her first. Only when she dressed like Bella would he lose control, pull her into his arms, and call her "Bella."

Every time, Elise pretended she didn't hear.

Five years passed like that.

She thought they could keep going forever.

Then Bella came back.

Elise was three months pregnant when a sharp pain hit her stomach.

She clutched it and reached for her phone to call an ambulance.

Then Bella showed up.

"So you're Elise?" Bella looked her up and down. "I heard you took my place while I was gone."

Elise was pale from the pain. She didn't have the energy to argue. She just needed to get to the hospital.

She tried to walk past her, but Bella blocked the way.

During the struggle, Elise pulled away.

Bella stumbled back and hit her head on the doorframe.

Blood started pouring from the cut.

That night, Colsen locked Elise in a room.

Her stomach hurt so bad it felt like something was tearing her apart.

She pounded on the door.

"Colsen... help me... the baby... our baby..."

No one came.

She curled up on the floor, shaking in pain.

Then she felt something warm beneath her.

She reached down.

Blood.

Eventually, she blacked out.

When she woke up, she was in the hospital.

The baby was gone.

Colsen stood beside her bed, guilt written all over his face.

"It was my fault. After you're discharged, we can try for another baby.

"But if you hadn't pushed Bella, I wouldn't have locked you up. She has a clotting disorder. That shove almost killed her. I panicked.

"I'll make it up to you."

Elise laughed.

She laughed until tears ran down her face.

"Colsen, how could you possibly make up for a life?"

That was the first and last time she ever cried in front of him.

After that, she was done.

She secretly filed for divorce and applied for a transfer overseas.

Whatever happened between Colsen and Bella wasn't her problem anymore.

Because she didn't love him anymore.

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  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 24

    The message ended, then started over."Colsen, it's your birthday. I made you a cake. Come home and have some."No matter how late it gets, I'll wait for you."Again. And again.On all those birthdays he'd forgotten, she'd sat alone beside the cake, waiting through the night until dawn.In the end, all she had was melted frosting and cake gone dry and stale.Tears kept slipping from Colsen's dry eyes.He stared at the ceiling as his vision slowly faded, a faint smile touching his lips.Like he'd remembered something good.With the last of his strength, he whispered to the empty room, the cold frame in his arms, and the message that would never get an answer."Elise... I'm home..."The words barely made it out.The frame slipped from his arms and dropped onto the blanket.From the old phone, Elise's gentle voice kept playing."...I'll wait for you... I'll wait for you..."Cold moonlight spilled through the window, washing over the bed, the fallen wedding photo, and the ol

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 23

    Several years later.On a private island in the Mediterranean.Golden sun, sandy beaches, bright blue water, white buildings. The whole place looked straight off a postcard.Elise got married there.The wedding was small and intimate, with only their closest family and friends.She wore a simple, elegant white dress with no long train. The cut hugged her slim waist and showed off her graceful shoulders and neck.Her pale champagne veil glowed in the sun.Elise stood beneath a flower-covered arch, a bouquet of white lilies of the valley in her hands. Her smile was bright and real.For once, there was no shadow in her eyes. Just peace. Just happiness.Timothy stood beside her in a white suit, watching her like she was the only person there.The officiant began."Elise Emery, do you take Timothy Tyrrel to be your husband, to love, care for, honor, and stay faithful to him, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"El

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 22

    Another year flew by, and late fall hit.A huge charity gala packed the ballroom of the fanciest hotel downtown.Elise showed up as a special guest and honorary advisor.Colsen's Elise Foundation was one of the organizers.Backstage, the halls were already buzzing with staff, guests, and reporters.Elise quietly went over her upcoming speech with the foundation director as they headed for the lounge.They rounded a corner just as someone came from the other direction.He was thin, dressed in a fitted but slightly worn black suit, his hair neatly combed. He held a document and kept his eyes on the page as he walked.The hallway was tight.Then they were face-to-face.He looked up.Their eyes locked.Time stopped.Colsen froze.The document slipped from his hand and hit the floor.He stared at her, like he was trying to burn the sight of her into his memory.After all these years, she was even more beautiful.Not soft and fragile like before, but confident now. Poised. G

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 21

    Several years later.The world's leading translation forum was held in Switzerland, bringing together leading interpreters, scholars, and dignitaries from across the globe.As the youngest honorary board member and chief simultaneous interpreter, Elise gave the opening keynote.Under the spotlight, she wore a fitted pearl-white suit, her long hair swept up.She stood before a packed audience and a wall of flashing cameras, completely at ease.She switched effortlessly between languages, making sharp arguments and offering impressive insights.Confident. Elegant. Brilliant.All eyes were on her.When her speech ended, the hall erupted in applause that seemed to go on forever.A young scholar in a charcoal suit stepped onto the stage with a bouquet of white lilies of the valley and handed them to her.They smiled at each other, easy and familiar.Cameras flashed nonstop.He was one of Europe's top young linguists—smart, charming, from a respected academic family, and one of t

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 20

    In the ambulance, paramedics worked on Colsen and monitored his vitals.Elise sat nearby, her hands and jacket covered in his blood. Warm, sticky, metallic.She looked at him on the stretcher, his face ghostly pale, eyes shut.Her face gave nothing away. Only her tight lips showed any tension.Even unconscious, Colsen kept mumbling."Elise... I'm sorry..."Our baby... I'm sorry..."Don't go... Don't leave me..."His broken voice sounded desperate, almost like he was dying.Elise turned to the window and watched the city lights streak past. The shifting light sharpened her cold expression.At the hospital, Colsen was rushed straight into surgery.The operating light flicked on.Elise sat on a bench outside, the blood on her hands and jacket already dried dark red.She didn't wipe it off.She just sat there, staring at the closed OR doors.Time crawled by.Finally, the doors opened, and a doctor stepped out looking grim."He's badly hurt. One stab wound damaged his splee

  • When the Waiting Turned Quiet   Chapter 19

    Evan gripped the phone and looked toward the hospital room.Colsen was gaunt, his eyes hollow, living on nothing but memories and IV fluids.Evan's throat tightened. He couldn't speak.A year later.After crushing it at her job, Elise was transferred back to Santoria to interpret at a major international conference.It was held at the city's most prestigious convention center.Colsen was in a meeting when he got the news.Evan leaned in and whispered in his ear.Colsen's hand froze, his pen dragging a long line across the page.After a long pause, he motioned for the meeting to continue.But he was distracted the whole time, his eyes constantly drifting toward the window.Afterward, he locked himself in his office and smoked an entire pack of cigarettes.Then he bribed someone on the venue staff.On the day of the conference, Colsen sat in the far corner of the back row, hidden beneath a cap and mask.He didn't dare go near her. Didn't dare interrupt her.All he could do

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