All Chapters of I Don't Need a Love That's Late: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

Even as I boarded the plane, everything still felt surreal. In the six years I had spent abroad, I never imagined that I'd have the chance to return. After all, Roderick Campbell had once told me he never wanted to see me again. Yet, it was he who had asked me to come back. He had arranged everything, just so I could attend the celebration of Francesca Hart's victory in the jewelry design competition. Back then, I had left for somewhere far away. Even the flight had two layovers.…After we landed, Danny Tucker stirred in my arms. The unfamiliar surroundings made him uneasy, and he reached out, calling, "Mommy!"Seeing his frightened face, I quickly picked him up. Soon, I made my way to the terminal doors at the airport. I was just about to flag down a cab when my phone in my pocket rang. I had deleted the number long ago, but it was still etched in my memory. I didn't snap out of my daze until the call ended automatically. Then, without much delay, my phone rang again.

Chapter 2

My parents died in a plane crash when I was young, leaving me with no relatives. As a result, I became an orphan. Roderick saw how vulnerable I was and supported me financially. Because of him, I had the opportunity to grow up with stability. Our bond was like that of family. But when I turned 18, I realized I had developed feelings for him. I knew, however, that we could never be together. So, I wrote my feelings down in my journal. If Roderick had never seen it, I could have buried those feelings and kept them hidden forever. But he had found it. In a fit of anger, he had ripped my journal apart. When he looked at me, his eyes were filled with disgust. "Savannah Lloyd, how could you feel that?" he had spat. I had wanted to explain, but I hadn't known how. Ultimately, all I could do was apologize repeatedly, telling him that I shouldn't have feelings for him. I hadn't understood why it was wrong to have feelings for Roderick. But if it had disgusted him that much, then m

Chapter 3

With that, I picked Danny up and got into the car. When Curtis saw him, a flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Ms. Lloyd, this is…""My son," I replied, gently brushing my fingers over Danny's chubby cheek and pulling him a little closer.Curtis' eyes widened slightly upon hearing that, yet he didn't say anything further. …Curtis then drove us to the hotel where Roderick and Francesca had tied the knot six years ago.Throughout their marriage, Roderick had spoiled her to no end. Whether it was her birthday or their anniversary, he always threw extravagant banquets.This time, he had asked me to return. I figured it was to show me how successful Francesca had become, and to let me see how happy they were together. It was also an effort to make me give up on him for good. As soon as I stepped out of the car, I saw Francesca waving at me. In contrast to my pale, tired face, she looked every bit the pampered rich woman. Her expensive jewelry and clothes spoke volumes about

Chapter 4

"Mr. Campbell!"Without hesitation, everyone in the room rushed forward to greet Roderick. I stayed in my seat, quietly listening to the exchange of pleasantries.After a long while, I slowly lifted my head and looked at him. He hadn't changed much. Dressed in an expensive suit, Roderick stood with Francesca clinging to his arm. There was nothing but warmth in the way they looked at each other.With a crowd gathering around him, he didn't notice me sitting in the corner.Even after all these years, Roderick was still the center of attention. He had a presence that drew every eye the moment he entered a room.The only one who hadn't fared well in life was me. Out of nowhere, Francesca beamed and gestured toward me. "Rick, Sav's here! You two haven't seen each other in years. You should catch up. Oh, and she brought a little surprise too."Roderick showed no particular reaction to the word "surprise". Instead, he calmly ordered Francesca's favorite foie gras. Only then did he f

Chapter 5

Without waiting for Roderick or Francesca to respond, I walked away with Danny in my arms. Once again, Roderick offered to have Curtis drive me. Yet, I refused without hesitation. "Mr. Campbell, I'll stay out of your life and won't be any trouble."I was simply echoing the warning he had given me earlier. …Back at my rented apartment, Danny seemed a little downcast as he asked, "Mommy, do you think that man and woman from earlier don't like me?" He was smart and sensitive, so he picked up on everything.I ruffled his hair and said, "Of course not. They don't dislike you."The only one Roderick and Francesca hated was me.Danny leaned into me, his small body nestled close as he nuzzled his cheek against my face. "Mommy, I love you the most."A warmth stirred in my chest at his words. At least I still had his love."I love you, too," I replied, pressing a kiss to his cheek.…After Danny fell asleep, I received a message from Francesca. She wrote, "Savannah, do you have t

Chapter 6

As Roderick reached for the medication in my hand, I quickly slipped it into my bag before he could take it. "It's just a cold. Nothing serious," I said. Francesca chimed in, "The weather's been terrible lately. Many people are getting sick."But Roderick ignored her, his eyes fixed on my bag. I wanted to leave immediately. However, the moment I turned to go, he stopped me. "Savannah, what are you hiding from me? If you're sick, tell me. I can arrange for the best doctors."As soon as his words settled, Francesca's expression hardened. I even caught her grip tightening on his arm. "That's not necessary, Mr. Campbell. I—"Before I could finish my sentence, Roderick interrupted, "Have we really reached the point where you won't even talk to me?"The question struck me as odd. And just like that, anger surged through me. "You made it perfectly clear a few days ago that you wanted nothing to do with me, Mr. Campbell. So no, there's nothing left to discuss. Goodbye," I snapp

Chapter 7

In my second year abroad, Roderick had started to ease up. He no longer kept such a close eye on me. That was when I met a teacher from back home. Her name was Blair Wade, and she was an exceptional therapist. During one of my depressive episodes, I booked a session with her. I told her about the feelings I had developed for Roderick. Once I said it aloud, I couldn't even bring myself to look her in the eye. I was sure she'd be disgusted. Everyone else was, after all. But she wasn't. Instead, Blair offered quiet reassurance and encouraged me to work through the emotions that had been weighing me down. More than that, she walked me through the process. She even showed me pictures of her son, Danny. He was just a baby at the time, and she was already divorced. However, one thing was certain—she loved him wholeheartedly. During that period, Blair helped me more than I could put into words. Slowly, I began to climb out of that dark place, and things started to look up. Unti

Chapter 8

Since the fire had broken out so suddenly, the police launched an investigation into the cause. In the meantime, Danny and I were relocated to a nearby hotel. It had been a long, chaotic night. Fear and exhaustion finally caught up with Danny. At some point, he curled up in my arms and drifted into a deep sleep. …The results of the investigation came quickly. It was arson. Someone had been paid to do it, and the one pulling strings was Francesca. She only did it because she wanted me dead. That was how deeply she hated me.The moment I told her that I was staying, she decided I didn't deserve to stay alive.… Not long after, Francesca was taken in for questioning. I couldn't deny that I resented her. But the fact that Danny and I had made it out alive felt like the best ending I could've asked for. I had assumed that Roderick would rush to Francesca's defence and bail her out. To my surprise, he made a public statement the very next morning. He was filing for divorce.

Chapter 9

The fire had stirred up quite a buzz. Soon, people started digging into Roderick and Francesca. That was when the truth finally came to light. Although they were married, it was all just a facade. They had signed a contract before tying the knot. Roderick had said more than once that their marriage was nothing more than a business arrangement—a strategic partnership. Yet, I knew he wasn't being honest. It was evident in the way he looked at Francesca. If her mistakes hadn't been so disastrous to the point where they couldn't be covered up, he probably would've stood by her.…For Danny's sake, I broke the lease on our apartment. We moved somewhere farther out, but it was closer to the preschool where he would be attending.On his first day of school, he was over the moon. I had promised that I'd be the first one there to pick him up, and I kept my word. I waited at the gates long before classes ended.When the final bell rang, he came flying into my arms, exclaiming, "Mom

Chapter 10

In the days that followed, life got busy. I stopped hearing much about Roderick and Francesca. According to the media, Francesca was sentenced to life in prison. It was the ending she deserved. Later, Roderick came to see me again. "Sav, I know I went too far back then. The truth is, I just couldn't accept it at the time."As he spoke, he pulled out the contract he had signed with Francesca. He then added, "The agreement was for six years. The reason I asked you to come back was that my arrangement with Francesca was about to end."I've had time to think, and I want you back. I finally understand how I feel about you. I—""Stop. That's enough," I cut him off. "Roderick, I should be thanking you for what you did. If it hadn't happened, I never would've seen your true colors. "You didn't love Francesca, and you didn't love me either. The only person you've ever cared about is yourself. "You wasted six years of a woman's life just to keep your company afloat. So tell me, why do

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