All Chapters of City of Longing: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Soft light illuminated the living room as George retrieved the gift box from the garage. His fingertips paused on the blue velvet surface.His fingers brushed over the unwrapped packaging. He could not tell what was inside. In the past, Cora had always given him gifts directly. This was the first time she had wrapped one so exquisitely. Thinking of that, he felt somewhat curious.His phone vibrated abruptly on the coffee table. The screen lit up with Kimberly's name, cutting through the warm glow of the room."George, where did you go?" Her voice on the other end was somewhat slurred, probably because she had not sobered up yet."I'm home. What's wrong?" Hearing Kimberly's voice, George stopped unwrapping the gift box and unconsciously softened his tone."I don't feel well. Why aren't you here with me?"Hearing Kimberly's sweet, soft voice, George released the gift box and picked up his phone. With his other hand, he grabbed his coat, draped it over his arm, snatched his car keys

Cora sat quietly on a bench by the lake, gazing absently at the water's surface. Small boats rocked gently with the waves, gradually settling into stillness, just like her drifting heart would slowly calm down.Before she knew it, the sun was setting. The evening glow spread across the sky like a brilliant tapestry.Cora walked along the lakeshore. The sand beneath her feet glowed golden in the sunset. Her shadow stretched long in the fading light.George and Kimberly's affairs were now things of the past. Those memories seemed covered by a thin veil, hazy and indistinct.Finally, Cora arrived at Riversong Old Town.The central square bustled with activity. The streets on both sides were lined with all kinds of decorations and crafts.She wandered along the quaint streets, admiring the exquisite handmade goods and feeling the rich local atmosphere.Many elderly people wore traditional dress, dancing happily in circles. Their faces were filled with joyful smiles.Cora was caught

Back in Capitoville, after Kimberly tearfully complained to George about how much she had suffered at Cora's hands, he decided to give Kimberly a surprise to cheer her up.After many days of overtime, arranging all company matters, he cleared an entire month to travel with Kimberly.Hearing the news, Kimberly was delighted and invited George to have dinner at her place.They agreed to depart directly from Kimberly's house the next day. George finally remembered the home he shared with Cora. Returning home to pack, he saw the gift in the living room that remained unopened. He finally opened it.The moment George saw what was inside, his face filled with displeasure. They were divorce papers and a divorce certificate. What a 'wonderful' birthday gift indeed.Tossing the items aside, George went to the bedroom to pack clothes. Only then did he discover that everything belonging to Cora had completely disappeared from the room.Half the closet was empty. The photos on the nightstand

Having distanced herself from those unpleasant people, Cora quickly released Sebastian's arm."Thank you for earlier," Cora said somewhat awkwardly.Looking at his now-empty arm, Sebastian felt a bit dejected. He still needed to work harder."It was nothing. I..." After encountering George, Sebastian suddenly did not want to continue this slow approach anymore. He wanted a legitimate position standing by Cora's side, accompanying her."Cora, I..."Cora was not foolish. During their time together, she had clearly sensed Sebastian's feelings for her. After all, no one was good to another person for no reason.She had wanted to reject him outright before, but he kept deflecting with jokes and never said it directly. However, after spending this time together, she could no longer reject him as easily as before.She was not without feelings for him, but it was too fast. She wanted to take things slowly, which was why she had allowed Sebastian to gradually enter her life step by step.

During that long sleepless night, the sheep jumping over the fence in his dreams suddenly all took on Cora's appearance. When Sebastian woke from his dream, he remembered how he and Cora had expressed their feelings to each other yesterday. He was all smiles. Unable to wait, he got up, eager to see Cora.When he opened the door, he saw Cora standing right outside holding a bouquet of gardenias. Gardenias symbolized eternal love and lifelong devotion.The moment he opened the door, the scent of gardenias washed over him. Even the most abundant blossoms paled in comparison to the smile on Cora's face."Sebastian, good morning. I thought about it all night. I can't return such intense love so quickly, but since I've decided to be with you, I'll put my whole heart into this and work hard to make you feel the same love in return."I hope that in the days to come, we can spend the rest of our lives together."Having rehearsed for half the morning, Cora blurted out everything she had p