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Home / Romance Short Story / Thirty Years Too Late / Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

All Chapters of Thirty Years Too Late: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

The romantic wedding venue fell into stunned silence.The hands of friends and family that had been raised in anticipation of applause froze awkwardly in midair.Claire Sullivan looked up at me, shock written all over her face."Nathan Brooks?"Instead of blaming me, she grabbed my hand at once, worry filling her eyes."What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"I looked at her quietly. She was exactly the same as I remembered.For thirty years, she had always been like this with me.No one around us would ever say Claire didn't love me. Everyone said she loved me more than she loved her own life.Even during the car accident, her first instinct had been to shield me. She hadn't cared that she'd ended up with three broken ribs.And yet this woman who loved me so desperately had deceived me for thirty years.I closed my eyes and forced down the suffocating emotions surging through my chest.Then, beneath her worried gaze, I pulled my hand from hers expressionlessly. "We're don

Chapter 2

Ryan Mercer...I remembered now. In my previous life, he really had worked in the project department for a period of time.No wonder he'd looked so familiar at Claire's funeral.Mockery filled my eyes. So he'd already been appearing right before my eyes that early on.I returned home.Not long afterward, Claire came back as well. After climbing back into bed, she curled up in my arms. Before long, her breathing grew slow and even.The next morning, she got up as usual to prepare breakfast for me."I made your favorite eggs Benedict today."Watching her act as though she'd never left the house the night before made me sick.I couldn't help wondering.Across both my previous life and this one, how many mornings I'd mistaken for happiness had actually come after she'd returned from seeing another man.I ignored the hand she reached toward me and didn't touch the breakfast either."I told you we're over. Did you not hear me?"Her expression froze. Panic flashed through her low

Chapter 3

"Who is it?" Ryan called out as he walked to the door and pulled it open. The moment he saw me, every expression on his face froze.His breathing quickened."N-Nathan..."Expressionless, I shoved past him and walked inside.Just then, Claire stepped out of the bathroom. The towel in her hand slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with a soft thud. Disbelief flashed across her face.I looked around the house.Only then did I realize that traces of Claire were everywhere. Her belongings were scattered throughout the rooms.The countertops were covered with photographs of her and Ryan together.The two of us stood on opposite sides of the living room, staring at each other.I forced a smile, struggling to suppress my emotions. My hands and feet were ice cold."Weren't you the one who said you hadn't lied to me about anything? Then what exactly is all of this?"Claire finally reacted. The color drained from her face almost instantly as she rushed toward me and grabbed my sho

Chapter 4

I looked over at him.Ryan had already made himself comfortable in the chair beside the bed, an unmistakable challenge written across his face."Back then, she was the one who changed your college application, too."My heart lurched. "What did you say?"He let out a quiet laugh."It was never her bratty little sister messing with it by accident. That was just an excuse."It was Claire. She changed your application from Ashbourne University to the same school she was attending. She did it right in front of me."My thoughts descended into chaos as memories came flooding back.After the college entrance exams, I'd trusted Claire completely. She knew all my application details.But when the acceptance letters arrived, I discovered that my first-choice university, Ashbourne University—the one I had been certain I would get into—had somehow changed to Seaview Institute of Technology, the same university Claire attended.Back then, I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.I'd rush

Chapter 5

For the next two days, Claire never contacted Nathan. She wanted to give him space.More than that, she was afraid that in her current state, she might say something that would hurt him even more—or do something she could never take back.At night, she didn't return home either. Instead, she stayed at Ryan's villa.Leaning against the headboard, she had a cigarette in one hand and held Ryan in the other.Claire frowned. She simply couldn't understand it. Why couldn't Nathan see that everything she'd done had been for his sake? Why did he have to go against her?"Claire, you shouldn't smoke while you're pregnant." Ryan's sleepy voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction, but the arm wrapped around her waist never loosened.Claire didn't put out the cigarette. Instead, she lowered her gaze to him."Were you the one who told Nathan about the college application?"Ryan stiffened. He carefully studied her expression before biting his lip unwillingly."Yes, I told him. Even if I hadn't

Chapter 6

Claire slammed her foot on the accelerator and sped toward the house she shared with Nathan.She had no idea how many red lights she'd run along the way. All she knew was that her grip on the steering wheel was so tight that her palms were slick with cold sweat."Nathan..."Fear and panic wrapped tightly around her heart. She had never imagined he would actually be this resolute.She had always been confident that Nathan loved her more than life itself. Even if she made a mistake, she had believed he would never be able to leave her.That was why she had been so fearless.She had thought about it before.Even if the truth ever came out, all she would need to do was apologize, give in a little, and Nathan would forgive her.That was why, when he discovered everything two days earlier, she had quickly regained her composure after her initial panic.But she had never expected that Nathan would actually leave her at the altar.The Maybach screeched to a halt outside the villa, an

Chapter 7

Seasons came and went. Another year passed.To me, time had become nothing more than sunrises and sunsets, tides rising and falling.Before I knew it, I was already in my fourth year in Ardenia.Professor Peter Foster looked over my research findings, his face full of satisfaction."Nathan, excellent work. You're the only one who's produced results in this field so far. There won't be any problems with your doctorate."I smiled. "That's thanks to your guidance, Professor."He burst into laughter."By the way, my wife, Margaret, made a feast for dinner tonight and insisted you come celebrate with us. My daughter, Fiona, who's been so busy she barely has time to eat at home, finally managed to clear her schedule too."I nodded. "Of course. Please thank Mrs. Foster for me."That evening, just as I was about to head to Professor Foster's house, my phone rang."I'm downstairs waiting for you. No rush."I had just opened the car door when I waved my phone with a grin."The incred

Chapter 8

Her eyes reddened instantly. She looked as though I were the one who had betrayed her. As though I were the villain."I was wrong. Nathan, for the past four years, I haven't had a single good night's sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was the look on your face when you left."She lowered her head, utterly humbled."I was arrogant. I thought you would never leave me, so I kept making mistakes. I kept getting tangled up with Ryan."She let out a bitter laugh and bent over slightly, looking as though she had aged decades in an instant."But I love you. I've only ever loved you."It was because I loved you too much. I was afraid of falling too deeply, so I forced myself to pull away. I used Ryan to stop myself from loving you so much."But now I know I was wrong. Nathan, I'm begging you. Leave her and come back to me. Please?"I listened quietly.Other than finding it absurd and ridiculous, I felt nothing at all."Love? Claire, you spent years claiming to love me

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