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Home / Romance Short Story / My Absence Teaches Better Than My Love / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of My Absence Teaches Better Than My Love: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

22 Chapters

Chapter 1

I, Rhea Searle, had always been willful and bold, brushing off consequences and refusing to listen to reason as long as I was happy.Even after I learned that Asher Kline was the son of Mom and Dad's sworn enemy, I still fell for him and chased him for three years. Besides, our private life was outrageous.Any place that offered privacy and a thrill, from tents and luxury cars to lounges and studies, became ours. We tried every advanced position we could manage and recorded plenty of risque videos along the way.Now, hidden on the balcony, Asher held me close and drove into me, hard enough to knock the air from my lungs.I moaned and whispered, "Go easy."He lowered his phone to record, his eyes darkening. Then, he chuckled. "You won't feel a thing if I go easy."I wasn't having it, so I grabbed the phone. "You can film, just not there."He hesitated, then grinned, teasing, "What, shy now?"I shook my head, thinking there had to be a line with videos like this.Asher's smile d

Chapter 2

I heard footsteps and bolted before I even thought about it.When I got back to my room, everything inside me collapsed. Those words cut slowly, first scraping through my thoughts and then tearing into my chest like a dull knife.Asher's words wouldn't stop echoing in my head."No. I only approached her to get revenge and destroy her family's company."I didn't want to believe it, but I'd heard every word.I felt cold under the weight of that brutal truth. My love for him had shattered. I tried to keep my head, but my chest tightened like a vise until I struggled to breathe.Still, I refused to cry out. I pressed my hand over my mouth, yet a broken sob escaped between my fingers. Then, I collapsed onto the floor and cried in silence to drain out every bit of pain.I never thought our meeting had been planned as payback. Even Asher's love turned out to be something he had calculated.Back then, I went against my parents' wishes and applied to study abroad as an exchange student.

Chapter 3

I gripped the brow pencil in my hand and forced a smile. "Really? You actually want to marry me?"Asher paused, his eyes turning dark and impossible to read, before a slow smile formed. "Of course. Make sure your parents come. They shouldn't miss something this big."I kept the smile fixed, nodded as if I were touched, and hugged him tightly. "Asher, does the feud between our families not matter to you at all?"His body went stiff. I couldn't see his face, but the hatred rolled off him."I love you, so none of that matters."Asher lowered his head, kissed my forehead, and began to move down.I turned away and pushed him back. "I'm tired."He froze, a shadow flickering in his eyes before it cleared. "Alright. Go back to sleep."With that, he turned and walked into the bathroom.I watched Asher as he headed for the shower, a bitter smile tugging at my lips. Everyone else kept their proposal plans secret, but he'd told me his right away.If I hadn't overheard that conversation t

Chapter 4

I frowned, then smirked. "Relax. Asher is a selfish, small-minded, and sneaky man. I'm done with him. That scumbag is all yours."Grace's face twisted with rage. "How could you say that about him?"She slapped me so hard that I lost my footing, stumbled back, and crashed into the door. The door handle gashed my forehead. Blood poured down, soaking my collar.Grace still wasn't finished. She snatched the cup off the table and flung coffee at me. Coffee and blood streamed down my clothes.Heat roared up my spine. I stood, wiped my face clean, and closed in on her. My expression remained ice-cold.She flinched and backed up, but she still barked, "Don't you dare trash-talk Asher! He's a perfect man!"I didn't waste words. I raised my hand and slapped her back.Grace cried out. Before she could react, I clamped my hand around her throat and pinned her to the wall. I kept slapping her across the face.After more than ten slaps, I saw blood at the corner of her mouth. I finally calme

Chapter 5

It was the middle of the night, and I'd barely fallen asleep when a stomachache yanked me awake. Wave after wave of cramps left me sweating through the sheets.I kept running to the bathroom. It was clear I'd eaten something bad. The night didn't let up, and by the end, I was wiped out. Eventually, I passed out from the pain.…I woke up in the hospital.Asher rubbed my stomach gently, worry etched across his face. "Are you feeling any better?"I gave a small nod, already feeling much better.He squeezed my hand, his eyes still full of worry. "The doctor said you should eat a little after waking up. I'll get you some soup."I gave another nod.After he left, a message popped up on my phone. I opened it and found a video from a private investigator. Ever since I learned of Asher's true colors, I had hired someone to keep tabs on him.The video had been recorded at the hospital.Asher held Grace in his arms, murmuring to calm her, "Be good. Stop going after her. That won't do y

Chapter 6

Someone finally lost their patience and stepped in. "Asher, why don't you take Grace home?"Another person chimed in, "Yeah, she's definitely drunk. Just get her home."There was another who worried I might be upset and asked me bluntly, "Rhea, you won't be mad, right?"My face fell. I started to answer, but Asher cut in, "Rhea, I'll take her home tonight, then I'll talk to Mr. and Mrs. Turner about calling off the engagement."When he put it that way, I had no choice but to go along. I nodded obediently and pretended to be happy.After Asher and Grace left, the others drifted out, too.I stood to leave, but I'd barely taken two steps when Carl stepped in front of me.I stared at him, confused. "What do you want?"Carl let out a lewd snicker. His face was naked with desire. "It's just the two of us. Isn't it obvious?"I looked around. That was when I realized we were completely alone. I lunged for the door, but he grabbed me from behind and pinned me to the couch.I didn't pa

Chapter 7

Asher ordered, "Cut off the hand Carl put on Rhea, then throw him out! I never want to see him again."A bodyguard nodded and dragged Carl away.Carl freaked out and pleaded, "Mr. Kline, I messed up! Please, I've been loyal for years. Let it slide just this once!"Asher stayed put on the couch, brooding with his expression overcast.I closed the video, feeling nothing, and sat motionless on the bed.Not long after, the door opened and Asher stepped inside. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, resting his head on my shoulder."Babe, I'm so sorry. It was my negligence that allowed Carl to hurt you."He sounded furious as he continued, "The second I found out he'd tried to hurt you, I wanted him dead! Don't worry. I've already punished him."Asher took my hand and squeezed it tight. "Still, I'm glad you could protect yourself and fight him off."He raised a hand and gently brushed my cheek. "With me, you're a sweet little kitten. With everyone else, you're a littl

Chapter 8

The next morning, Asher woke up and immediately started looking for me. He couldn't find me anywhere, just the note I'd left."I'm getting dressed up. I'll head over later."He believed it. With the clock ticking, he showered quickly and hurried to the birthday party.The moment he arrived, his buddies closed in around him. Everyone was itching for drama, prodding him to play the videos.With the crowd pressing in, Asher pulled out his phone. But when he opened his camera roll, his eyes hardened with conflict, and his face tightened with hesitation.Everyone held their breath, bracing for a bombshell.After a long minute, Asher let out a deep sigh and locked the screen. "Forget it. I'm not releasing the videos."Gasps and groans broke out. Disbelief swept across the room."Wait, why?""Exactly. Weren't you planning to embarrass Rhea today? Don't tell me you were kidding.""Asher, are you saving it for the big screen later?"Asher shot them a dark look. "This is my call. I'm

Chapter 9

Once the guests realized the birthday party had turned into a circus, they started to leave.Asher stood frozen, clutching his phone like a fool. His face was completely blank.Grace lost her patience and snatched the phone from his hand. "Rhea's gone. We should be celebrating!"Asher didn't respond. His expression remained as cold as ice.Finn sighed. "What's done is done. You need to accept she's gone."Someone chimed in, "Right. You never even liked her. We're all better off with her out of the picture."Asher kept quiet, the hurt written all over his face. Anyone with half a brain had already connected the dots.Grace covered her mouth, bursting into tears. "Asher, you lied to me! You do have feelings for her, don't you?"His gaze flickered. He parted his lips, but nothing came out.She understood right away. "You do love her, but you keep saying you don't. You're lying to me and yourself."He looked up, looking lost and bewildered, yet he still tried to argue. "I... don'

Chapter 10

Asher smashed the table, the chairs, and the bed. The maids stood trembling in the doorway, too frightened to speak.His eyes were bloodshot. All that pent-up anger finally had somewhere to land, and he went wild, as if he wouldn't stop until the entire room was destroyed.Finn came to check on him, saw the state he was in, and didn't step in. He just waited for Asher to exhaust himself.When Asher finally stopped, he slumped in the middle of the wreckage.Finn stepped in and said softly, "You don't have to lose it over Rhea.""This isn't about her," Asher snapped back.Finn pressed, "Then what is it?"Asher couldn't answer. His eyes were a tangle of emotions.Finn sat beside him and clapped him on the shoulder. "We've been through too much for me not to know you. I see it more clearly than you do. Hate has made you blind."Asher said nothing. He eased out the ring box he'd kept close and flipped it open. When the one-of-a-kind, nine-figure ring caught the light, a smile sprea

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