Lahat ng Kabanata ng My Absence Teaches Better Than My Love: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

Catching how rattled I looked, Kurt let out a long sigh. "Is it really that bad?"I pursed my lips and said nothing.His eyes darkened, and the smile on his face barely held. "It's fine. I'll give you time to get used to it."He turned around and walked away.I just stood there, staring after him, and was unable to pull myself together.Before long, Mom came over.When she saw I hadn't moved, she took my hand to soothe me. "Silly girl, Kurt's about to be your husband. Isn't that a good thing?"I shook my head numbly, hung up on the knot in my chest.When she saw that I was struggling to take it in, she continued, sounding patient and earnest, "Your dad and I took him in when he was little, and we raised him with the idea of a son-in-law in mind."After all these years, he's grown up. He's mature. He can handle the responsibilities of a husband, so we feel comfortable entrusting you to him. Don't put pressure on yourself. Just try to let it settle."Just remember that, however

Meanwhile, Asher sat on the stone steps along the street, taking swig after swig of his beer. He looked exhausted and tightly wound, and anyone could tell that he was miserable.After I left, he started drinking every night. He didn't even enjoy it, but staying sober forced him to think about me, so he used alcohol to turn everything off.With no clue on where I'd gone, he lost his spark, like I had walked away with all of his strength.Asher spent a month feeling hollowed out. He didn't work or see anyone. He just drank every day.Finn saw what was happening and came to talk, hoping Asher would get a grip. But he wouldn't listen. He kept running from it.The man who swore he didn't love me and only wanted payback was proving those words were a lie. He'd fallen for me before he could admit it to himself.A friend couldn't take it anymore and told Finn, "He's in love with Rhea. Should we try to find her again?"Finn looked somber. "I tried, but no luck."Their friends traded wor

Asher held his plane ticket tightly as he got out of bed.Seeing him composed again, Grace finally released a sigh of relief.He met her eyes, filled with regret. "I'm sorry. I let you down."She tensed, her nerves already taut and now jolted by surprise.His gaze darkened as the realization sank in. He'd failed me and Grace, and the guilt dragged the words out of him. "My arrogance hurt you all this time. I don't deserve your love."Grace's eyes stung, and she shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but the pain cut off every word.Asher refused to avoid the truth anymore. He went straight to it. "I really did picture a future with you. But I can't make that future real anymore."Her composure broke, and tears rushed down her cheeks. "I understand. You don't have to say anything else."He pulled a share-transfer contract from the drawer and held it out to her without hesitation. "This is my way of compensating you."Grace stared at it, shocked. "You… don't need to do t

After Asher showed up, I lost all interest in shopping.Kurt caught on and asked, "Why don't we move somewhere else?"I shook my head. "I don't want to go through all that hassle."Kurt frowned, testing the waters. "If he keeps bothering you, it'll ruin your mood. Do you want me to talk to him and set things straight?"I shook my head again, not wanting Kurt to get involved. "It's my issue. I'll take care of it."He still looked worried. "If it gets too much, I'll handle him."I nodded.I thought that if I shut Asher out, he'd finally understand and back off. But I was wrong. He kept showing up every single day as if he were obsessed.He even somehow got my number and started calling and texting me. The first time I answered, I hung up immediately. When he texted, I blocked him.He even pushed Finn to set up a meeting. I wouldn't see Asher, but I thought meeting with Finn might convince him to talk Asher into leaving me alone.In the garden, Finn spotted me and hurried over,

Asher watched as Mom, Dad, Kurt, and I walked away, his eyes wide with shock. He still couldn't wrap his head around what he'd just seen, because the truth had hit him hard.Jealousy and anger burned through him while regret and guilt closed in. He couldn't accept that I, who was once so close and affectionate with him, now loved Kurt and was about to marry him.As I was about to get into the car, Asher rushed toward me again.Bitter resentment and pain blazed in his eyes, and his voice was rough as he yelled, "Rhea, you still love me! You're just torturing me, getting back at me, aren't you?"I looked up and gave him a cold, mocking smile. "I got my revenge the day I walked away. We're even now. We're nothing. I'm not wasting another ounce of energy on you. You're not worth it."Not wanting him to keep hanging on, I said what anyone would have called cruel. "I hate you. Just looking at you turns my stomach. I'll never forgive you."Those words alone were enough to break Asher.