All Chapters of Love after the Storm: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

11 Chapters

Chapter 1 A Heartbreaking Truth

My grip on my phone tightened instantly, and my blood ran cold.James had always been fiercely protective of his personal space. Even when I spent a weekend at his apartment, he would frown in displeasure if I so much as moved his water glass. I had spent five years accommodating him before he finally relented and agreed to let me move in. He had even taken the initiative to clear out half of his wardrobe for me.His compromise had filled me with excitement. I even went out and bought a complete set of matching couple's clothing. Only now did I realize that the forbidden space I had tiptoed around so carefully was a place someone else could enter effortlessly.Looking at Serene's innocent face through the crack in the door, I suddenly found myself too exhausted to even feel angry."Maria, would you like to come in for a while? James said there's going to be a hurricane these next few days, so he told me not to wander around." Serene stepped aside as she spoke.The living room was

Chapter 2 A Change of Plan

I could not help thinking back to my birthday three months ago. James had taken me out for dinner.That night, the restaurant brought the wrong dish, and my pasta was mixed with onions.I was severely allergic to onions. Even the slightest amount would leave me covered in hives, and in serious cases, make it difficult for me to breathe.Looking at the onions on my plate, I turned to James with a pout.At that moment, he was busy replying to work messages and did not even bother to look up as he said, "Can't you just pick them out yourself? You're a grown woman. Do you really need someone to wait on you just to eat a meal?"The impatience in his voice made my eyes sting.In the end, I painstakingly picked out every piece of onion, but the sauce had already been contaminated.That night, I ended up in the hospital for an anti-allergy injection.After paying the bill, he stood beside my hospital bed, frowning as he scolded me. "Maria, can you stop being such a baby? I can't believ

Chapter 3 A Heated Argument

I frowned, walked to the door, and looked through the peephole.When I saw who it was, I froze.Standing outside was James.The rain had already turned into a torrential downpour. His hair was completely soaked, and several wet strands plastered against his forehead. He looked utterly bedraggled.I did not expect him to know that I was here.The moment I opened the door a crack, James pushed his way inside, bringing the cold rain and his anger with him."Maria, you really got some nerve to hide out here of all places!"The moment he stepped inside, he wrapped me tightly in his arms. His eyes were red, and his chest rose and fell heavily."Why didn't you call me when you arrived? You didn't even send me a single message. What exactly are you throwing a tantrum over?"Looking at how self-righteous he was, I found the whole thing absurd and asked in a voice that was so calm that even I was surprised. "What's the point?""What do you mean by that?" James instantly flared up. Then

Chapter 4 Abandoned in the Storm

The wind outside grew louder, and the raindrops pounded against the windows like stones.The hurricane had arrived.I drew the curtains and checked my suitcase one last time.My flight to Bluming Town was scheduled for three o'clock the next afternoon. As long as I made it through tonight, I could finally leave this city that was filled with memories of James.However, fate seemed to have other plans.That night, the hotel suddenly lost power. I had just picked up my phone in the darkness when a shrill, piercing roar rushed toward me.A deafening crash echoed through the room. The enormous floor-to-ceiling window had been smashed apart by something hurled through the air by the violent wind.In that split second, a violent gust mixed with the rain instantly poured into the room, sending the entire bed and its blankets flying.Instinctively, I threw up my arm to shield my face, but I was too late as a sharp pain shot through my calf.I let out a muffled groan and collapsed onto

Chapter 5 Last Goodbye

I stared at the phone screen until it went dark.I wanted to smile, but my tears fell onto the back of my hand first.'Let this be the last time I cry for the foolish version of myself that had loved him for the past five years,' I thought to myself.Then, I set my phone down. Using the faint glow of the screen, I tore off a strip from the bedsheet and tied it tightly above the wound on my calf to slow the bleeding.Then, I took a deep breath before gritting my teeth as I grabbed the shard of glass stuck in my flesh and yanked it out.A broken sound escaped my throat.Agonizing pain exploded through my brain, and blood gushed from the wound.The pain was so intense that I nearly blacked out. I bit down hard on my lip until I tasted blood, barely managing to stay conscious.Using the rest of the torn bedsheet, I clumsily wrapped the wound before supporting myself against the wall and limping out of the room.The hallway was pitch black, and the elevators had stopped working.I

Chapter 6 Too Late

I had no idea about the chaos James went through over the next few days. Everything I learned from him later on was pieced together from mutual friends and from the countless frantic text messages he sent me using different phone numbers.Three days after the hurricane passed, the city's transportation and power supply were finally restored.After arranging for workers to repair Serene's leaking apartment and making sure everything was taken care of, James finally returned to his own apartment.Deep down, he still believed I was the same Maria who could never leave him. He was convinced that the moment the elevator doors opened, I would be there, just as I had been after so many of our previous arguments.He thought that I would be crouching outside his door with my suitcase, eyes red from crying, quietly waiting for him to come home. Then, I would apologize and beg him to let me move in because there was no way I would actually break up with him.However, when the elevator doors

Chapter 7 The Truth

James' mind went blank.He refused to believe it as he rushed downstairs and drove straight to my company. The moment he rushed into the lobby, he headed directly for the reception desk."I'm looking for Maria from the Business Department. Tell her to come down and see me right now!"His eyes were bloodshot with anxiety, and his voice carried a panic that even he himself hadn't realized was there.Startled, the receptionist checked the computer before replying politely, "I'm sorry, but Ms. Maria completed her resignation procedures three days ago. According to HR, she accepted an offer from a multinational company in Bluming Town. She should have already left the city by now."Those words struck James's chest like a heavy hammer.He stood motionless in the bustling office building lobby. The noise of the crowd around him seemed to fade away.He had always believed that my obedience, my compromises, and my willingness to put up with everything were proof that I could never leave

Chapter 8 A New Life

James clutched the bloodstained coat tightly. His legs finally gave out beneath him as he dropped heavily to his knees on the cold tile floor of the emergency room.He rarely cried. But now, tears fell uncontrollably onto the coat in his arms, spreading into dark, hopeless patches.Suddenly, he remembered a rainy night three years ago.At that time, he had been working overtime and attending business dinners for days when he suffered a stomach hemorrhage. The pain had left him rolling on the floor of his rented apartment.Back then, we were in a long-distance relationship. I had bought a train ticket overnight, crossed half the country through pouring rain, and rushed to his side. At that time, I had been soaked from head to toe, yet I held him tightly in my arms, crying as I carried him downstairs to the hospital. I had even scraped my knees from running too fast, but I never once put him down.Now, when the girl who loved him most was covered in blood, struggling between life

Chapter 9 A Surprise Encounter

The security guards' shouts mixed with an angry man's roar, shattering the elegant tranquility of the banquet hall."Move! I'm looking for someone! I saw her come in!"The familiar voice cut through the graceful symphony and pierced my ears.As I turned around, the smile on my face disappeared instantly.It was James.It had only been a month, yet I almost did not recognize him.After all, the James I remembered had always worn perfectly tailored suits. Every strand of hair had always been neatly in place. He had always been almost obsessively clean. But now, he looked haggard and disheveled. He looked like a stray dog that had lost everything.James shoved the security guards aside and charged toward me without a second thought.Rick frowned slightly and stepped in front of me, shielding me behind his tall frame and blocking James' path."Sir, this is a private banquet. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Rick's voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable authorit

Chapter 10 The End of Us Part One

I looked at James as Rick held him back. This time, I did not bother hiding the mockery curling at the corners of my lips."Do you see it now, James?" I pointed at Serene, who was still kneeling on the floor, then looked back at him with a cold smile. "Your body is far more honest than your mouth. You keep saying you've driven her away, but the moment you saw her get hurt, your first instinct was still to protect her. Since you still care about her, stop putting on this pathetic act of being deeply remorseful. The two of you are just perfect for each other."James stared at the hand he had instinctively reached out with. Then he jerked it back as if it had burned him.His face turned pale, and he opened his mouth, desperately trying to explain. "No, I—""It was instinct." I cut him off. Looking at his deathly pale face, my voice remained cold. "James, you don't have to pretend to be devoted in front of me, and you certainly don't need to keep hiding behind that ridiculous excuse

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