All Chapters of Learning to Let Go of What Hurts: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

When I arrived at the hospital, my clothes were torn, and my body was covered in wounds. The doctor sighed when he saw me. He said that if I had come just a few hours earlier, my arm might have been saved. I stared numbly at the ceiling as I listened to the doctor's verdict. My right arm had suffered comminuted fractures. I would likely never paint again.Tears slipped down from my eyes. I felt despaired. Why couldn't I learn to let go?What was Yves Chapman doing right now?He'd probably broken open a new bottle of wine last night to celebrate the absence of my harassment. Maybe he played the piano with Clarisse Tatcher, his junior, and enjoyed their time alone.I laughed self-deprecatingly. I wasn't a hindrance between them anymore.Just then, my phone rang. It was Yves.I closed my eyes slowly. It was time I learned my lesson.Yves stormed into my room, not a wrinkle seen on his clothes, and frowned down at me. His eyes were cold, as if he was just looking at some peasant

Chapter 2

All the emotions I'd been suppressing surged up, suffocating me. I looked around at the paintings of Yves scattered across my apartment, and I screamed, letting it all out. I tore at the canvases, throwing them to the ground and stomping on them. I ripped apart the paintings I had once labored over. I vented everything, creating a chaotic mess around me. Then I collapsed onto the floor and cried. Everything was ruined. Everything.Only one painting remained intact—my favorite. It was framed and hung on the wall, and I'd forgotten about it in my rampage. The painting depicted the first time I'd met Yves.Trembling, I reached out to touch it, only to feel as if a shock of electricity had jolted up my arm.Tears streaming, I stood frozen.I wasn't as strong as I thought.…Three days later, Yves found me at the art exhibition. He was furious, his eyes fiery as he demanded, "Why didn't you sign up for the competition? Didn't you know that you had a chance at getting first pla

Chapter 3

I resented Yves, but I knew he had no obligation to save me. I had no right to blame him.Even so, I couldn't help myself. He was my boyfriend; we'd talked about marriage. He could've given me just a few seconds of his time and let me speak instead of hanging up right after saying he was busy. Or, he could've called me again when I did not return home the entire night and realized I was hurt.I had never stayed out all night before. He knew where I was. I'd told him where I was going. I really did.The scattered papers across the floor only emphasized my foolishness. My stubbornness was just a joke.When I was a child, I insisted on taking up painting. No one took me seriously, so I was all alone in my endeavors. I eventually made a name for myself. But the universe played a cruel joke on me. Everything I'd ever achieved was temporary, it turned out. It was time to give it all back.I threw my art supplies into the trash can and stuffed the remainder of the papers into a folde

Chapter 4

Yves frowned and reached out to wipe away my tears, but I dodged. "This has nothing to do with Clarisse. Stop being ridiculous.""Would I call you three times in a row without reason? You just didn't want to embarrass yourself in front of her, that's why you didn't pick up."He was starting to get frustrated. "Stop this, Summer.""I watched the surveillance cameras, Yves."He had been practicing piano that day when I called him. Clarisse had told him to hang up and focus on practicing, and his friends had teased him for being henpecked. Even though he had picked up my call, he had hung up before I had the chance to speak.That night, I hadn't wished him goodnight like I always did. I hadn't even made it home, and yet he still didn't realise that something was wrong. Or maybe he did—he just didn't care.Could things be different if he had just cared about me a little more?Yves was surprised to hear what I said. "You checked the surveillance camera just because of such a small

Chapter 5

In the end, I still went home with Yves.He said that he could fix my arm.He brought me to many famous doctors, but they all just shook their heads.He stayed by my side all the time, constantly talking about wedding preparations.Slowly, I lost all expectations of him.One day, Clarisse came to me wearing a tailored wedding dress. It was one of the styles that Yves had shown me a few days ago.She had some nice makeup on and red-varnished nails, making her look lively. She gave me an arrogant once-over. "Does this dress look nice, Summer?"She led me downstairs calmly. The way she made her way around the house made her seem like the owner, while I was just a lowly guest.The housekeeper, Karen Smith, made us some tea. "Ms. Tatcher, I'm glad that you and Mr. Chapman are getting married. Your dress looks amazing. I know Mr. Chapman picked it out himself. He spent a lot of time on it.""Thank you, Karen." Clarisse sent her away with a smile.Then, she put down her cup and lean

Chapter 6

Under Raymond's care, I slowly got my emotions under control.Things went back to normal. He stayed in his studio painting while I sat beside him, reading. Life was peaceful.He would cook for me every day without repeating the menu. He stayed with me patiently as I recovered. Eventually, I felt much better.Then, Yves somehow found me.He looked at me disdainfully. "Well, aren't you quick at getting your hands on another man? And look at me, doing everything I could to settle the fiasco you left me with."I tried to call Raymond in a panic, but Yves slapped the phone right out of my hand."Why can't you face me, Summer?" he demanded angrily. His eyes were burning with anger as if I had betrayed him.He never took his eyes off me. "We're getting married next week, Summer. I've taken care of all that stuff from before. Now, come home with me."His arrogance made me feel like I was merely his possession, a plaything that did not deserve pride. In his eyes, I should obey his every

Chapter 7

Yves drew closer to me. I stared at him in fear, trembling.He pulled me into his embrace, his voice panicked. "What happened? Tell me what happened, Summer."I screamed and passed out.When I came to again, the house was a mess. Raymond was sitting at the side of my bed, sporting some bruises."I'd just left for a while. How did you get into this situation? What happened to the ferocity you used to use against me?" he asked.I laughed bitterly. "I envy the past me too, Raymond. I used to be so bold and fearless. But people change. I'm afraid of death. I'm just a normal person."He pulled me into a hug and comforted me softly, "Don't worry, I've already sent someone to look into this. I won't let the person who hurt you stay unpunished."From him, I felt a sense of calm and peace that I'd never felt before.I felt more at ease than ever when I was by his side.Without anyone to disturb us, we seemed like a real couple.However, happiness was always fleeting. Two days later, Y

Chapter 8

When Yves saw Clarisse's face under the veil, his expression changed.His parents gave him a warning look. His father, Arthur Chapman, whispered a warning to him, telling him not to make things awkward for everyone.Yves' face was ashen. The audience soon realized that something was wrong with the groom.He acted like a puppet on strings, standing at the altar stiffly. His eyes were cold as he watched Clarisse make her way down the aisle.Meanwhile, Clariesse was looking back at him shyly. Even though she knew Yves did not love her, she was satisfied with just having him. She would have all the time in the world to make him fall in love with her after the wedding.Raymond, too, got out of his car and waved at Yves.Yves looked at him and realized I must be somewhere around too. Leaving Clarisse at the altar, he snatched the microphone from the officiant and said, "Summer, I love you! Please give me another chance. Marry me!"Everyone's heads snapped over in my direction. Yves th

Chapter 9

Extra: Yves ChapmanMy name was Yves Chapman.I played a romantic piano piece at a soiree during my third year of college. After the event, a young woman asked me for my number.She was passionate and fiery, with a bold and unwavering gaze. Her eyes were bright when she looked at me.I was captivated, basking in her unreserved love. She allowed me to know what true love was.I envied her for her freedom and determination. She seemed to have an endless drive for the things she liked.But I was despicable.Afraid that she would one day look away from me, I kept her at arm's length. After all, people did not cherish what came too easily into possession. I would ignore her purposefully and then turn around and treat her kindly once in a while.I wasn't the perfect man she thought I was. I was despicable.Often, in the middle of the night, my anxieties would act up. I would worry that she would leave me because of how I acted, yet her persistence surprised me.Slowly, I became g

Chapter 10

I quickly called Summer, only to discover she had blocked my number.I found my way to Summer's apartment. The empty apartment shocked me.It was only then that I found out that she had been in a car accident. Her arm had suffered irreparable damage and would never make a full recovery.Panic overwhelmed me. It was like the universe had played a joke on me—just as I thought that there were no longer any barriers between us, it turned out that we might never be together again.I brought her home with me and consulted many doctors, only to find that there was a slim chance of her arm making a full recovery. I began looking for ways to divert her attention, mainly planning for our wedding.I was so close to having her as my wife—I didn't want to lose her.I took care of her myself and spent as much time as I could with her, but there were still times when I had to step out.I still ended up hurting her.The day Summer left me, I went insane. I beat up the people who had mocked her

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