All Chapters of A Love That Fades: Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

Those who truly wished to leave never made a scene. They simply pull on a coat one ordinary morning, push open the door, and never return, just like a fallen leaf carried away by the wind.No goodbyes. Not even a single farewell. That, too, would be a waste.Ian covered his face and broke into sobs.He should have seen this coming. He had the feeling all along.It had started when he saw Selena burning every last photo of them. That day, she had sat in the courtyard as usual, but her gaze was empty and devoid of light.If only he had talked to her then, maybe things wouldn't have come to this.No, perhaps it was already too late even then. From the moment he stood with the Carter family and forced Selena to give up her patent, she had already been thoroughly disappointed.This wasn't a sudden decision. It was the final breath of someone whose hopes had been crushed, again and again, until there was nothing left."No, I have to find her."Ian staggered to his feet. The fracture

Seeing that Zachary was about to toss the recorder into the trash, Ian immediately stepped forward."Wait. I want to hear what's on that tape."What the Carter family said had actually given him a reminder.Selena had deliberately placed the recorder inside a gift box and left it somewhere obvious. There had to be a reason."What's there to listen to? It's probably just some curses against us. So unlucky. We should just throw it away," Vanessa said hastily. She seemed uncharacteristically flustered.She abruptly got up and reached for the tape, her panic completely unlike the calm and composed demeanor she usually maintained."Stop." Ian wasn't about to let her have her way. He immediately stepped forward to block her.As the two of them struggled over the recorder, Ian managed to press the play button first.A burst of static crackled, followed by an arrogant voice."Selena, get on your knees and beg me. I can make Dad forgive you."On the tape, Vanessa's tone wasn't timid i

Beside a maple tree on the west lawn of the National Medical Research Institute, Selena found a warm spot to sit down.The lingering scent of disinfectant from the lab still clung to her nose. She unfastened her collar, taking in the fresh air outside as she scattered crumbled whole wheat bread for the pigeons.It had been three months since she arrived at the National Medical Research Institute.Once she entered the lab, she often stayed there for an entire day. The access card in her pocket had practically left an imprint on her lab coat.Such an intense workload would be unbearable for most people, but for Selena, who had endured so many hardships, it was nothing.In the lab's new drug research team, her fellow members were either renowned experts in the medical field or esteemed figures of the profession. Though she was only an assistant for now, in just three short months, she had learned more than she had in the past twenty-odd years combined.Even now, on the pillow besi

The air was so cold it felt like frost was about to form.It wasn't until the metallic taste of blood spread across his tongue that Ian realized he had bitten through his lip.For this reunion, he had spent twelve months scouring nearly every corner of the city, completely neglecting his studies. It was only because Edward couldn't bear to see the once top student wasting away in despair that he finally told Ian where Selena was.The moment Ian got the information, he booked the next flight to get to her.He had rushed over without pause, barely stopping for a sip of water. His only thought was to see the person who had haunted his dreams.But when he finally found Selena, he was forced to face a cruel truth.She was no longer the girl in his memories, the one who had once tolerated everything and treated him with endless kindness.No matter how hard he searched, there was nothing left in her cold, dark eyes. There wasn't a single trace of warmth.They were like the mountains a