Home / Ten Years of Loving You in Vain / Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

All Chapters of Ten Years of Loving You in Vain: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

14 Chapters

Chapter 1

A year earlier, I had accompanied Zane on a site inspection in the mountains when a landslide struck. The moment I saw a massive boulder about to come down on him, I threw myself forward and shoved him out of the way with all my strength.The last thing I saw before I lost consciousness was the panic in his eyes.I remained unconscious for three days. Both my legs were fractured, and debris had torn up my back so badly that I needed three surgeries and more than a dozen metal screws. I came dangerously close to being left permanently disabled.On the day I was discharged, Zane stood outside my hospital room with a plain band clenched in his hand. His voice was calm when he proposed, almost as though he were discussing something ordinary."Tessa Stone, you saved my life, so I have to marry you. From now on, I'll fulfill my responsibilities as your husband and take good care of you."At the time, I was naive enough to believe that once we were married, I would eventually be able to melt

Chapter 2

So this was how obvious the difference was between loving someone and not loving them.Instead of going back to the office, I went straight home.Back then, I had been eagerly imagining the life we would build together and kept asking Zane to come look at houses with me. He had simply handed me a bank card and told me to take care of it myself.Our wedding portrait still hung on the wall. I had lost count of how many times I'd asked Zane to take the photos with me. In the end, he had the studio manager find someone with a similar build to stand in for him, then had his own face edited onto the pictures afterward.By the time I finished packing, my head was spinning. I was probably running a fever again.My phone lit up with Zane's name."I'm coming back to pick something up. Are you home?"I stared at the message for a while, then drifted off to sleep in a feverish haze.I didn't know how much time had passed before the sound of a key turning in the lock woke me. A warm amber light cam

Chapter 3

I thought back to when I was sixteen and saw Zane for the first time in the library.He was sitting by the window, sunlight spilling through the glass and softening the edges of his profile. With his head lowered, he moved a pencil quickly across his sketchbook, so absorbed in his drawing that it seemed as though nothing else around him existed.In that moment, my heart skipped a beat.After that, I started paying attention to him without even meaning to. I learned that he was one of the top students in our grade, that he was talented at drawing and dreamed of becoming an architect, and that he was naturally reserved and kept most people at a distance.None of that stopped me from wanting to get closer to him.For all three years of high school, I pushed myself to do better for one reason: I wanted to get into the same college he did.When it came time to submit our college choices, I gave up a guaranteed admission offer from a prestigious science and engineering university without he

Chapter 4

The moment I stepped into the office, I heard several coworkers whispering in the break room."Did you hear? Yvette just joined the firm, and she's already been promoted to assistant director of administration. Zane personally recommended her to the president."I lowered my head and pretended not to hear as I went to my desk and sat down.I had barely opened the file in front of me when a commotion broke out in the adjoining work area."Come look! This is the design Yvette won the award for! The president had it printed and put up on the display board!""Oh my God, this is incredible. No wonder it won the gold medal!"I looked up and saw several coworkers gathered around a large architectural rendering, admiring it enthusiastically.Sunlight streamed through the windows and fell across the drawing, illuminating every line and annotation with perfect clarity.My gaze locked on the page.The instant I recognized it, my pupils contracted and all the blood in my body seemed to turn cold.T

Chapter 5

"This is something I poured months of work into. I developed the concept myself, worked through every stage, and finalized the design on my own. How can you possibly say it's yours?"As Yvette spoke, her eyes quickly reddened. Tears gathered along her lashes, threatening to spill but never quite falling, making her look all the more vulnerable."I know... I know you don't like me because Zane and I are close." She sniffled, her voice beginning to break. "But you can't make up something this awful just to ruin my reputation. This is my career. It's my dream. How could you..."Before she could finish, she broke down sobbing.The office erupted around us."Has Tessa completely lost it from jealousy?""Seriously. She can't produce work like this herself, so now she's trying to claim someone else's?""Mr. Shaw is standing right here, and she still has the nerve to say that.""Poor Yvette. She just started here and already has to deal with something like this..."The comments came from every

Chapter 6

The notebook had been with me for five years, and I had used it to document every project I'd worked on, along with ideas that had never made it past the concept stage and bits of inspiration I'd collected along the way.I opened it to the most recent pages and held it up for everyone to see."This notebook contains a detailed record of how that design came together." My voice was surprisingly calm, as though I were laying out facts that had nothing to do with me. "It includes everything from the original inspiration to every revision I made along the way and the details of the final design. There were seventeen revisions in all, and every one is dated with notes explaining why I made the changes."I paused, letting my gaze pass over the different expressions around me before finally settling on Zane."And if that still isn't enough, most of you know I have a habit whenever I start a new design. Before I begin the linework, I sign and date the bottom right corner of the paper in penci

Chapter 7

One half of the photo showed Zane, the other me.I slipped his half back into the folder and tucked mine deep inside my backpack."Tessa, are you leaving the firm?"A coworker's hesitant voice came from behind me, cautious as though they weren't sure they should ask.I didn't turn around. I simply placed the last few books into the box and answered quietly, "Yeah. Once I finish handing off my current work, I'm leaving."The office fell dead silent again.I could feel all those complicated looks settling on me, but I no longer cared.I had just finished packing when I turned around and nearly ran into Zane, who had rushed back into the office. His expression was grim, his jaw clenched tight, and anger simmered beneath the surface of his eyes."Tessa, come to my office." His voice was icy.I didn't stop what I was doing or even bother looking up at him."I don't have time."The tension in the room instantly became suffocating.He clearly hadn't expected me to speak to him that way. After

Chapter 8

Zane's expression darkened immediately.The anger in his eyes seemed to drain away, leaving behind the faintest trace of unease. He opened his mouth as if to say something, his throat working several times before he finally frowned and forced out a stiff reply."Even if... even if the design really is yours, things have already gone this far. Yvette has received the award, and the firm has already gained recognition from it. Exposing the truth now won't do anyone any good."Before I could respond, hurried footsteps and startled shouts sounded outside his office."Oh my God! Yvette's on the roof. She's threatening to jump!"Zane and I both froze.The next second, it felt like a tornado hit me as Zane shoved past me almost on instinct and rushed out. As the door swung open, I caught a glimpse of him stumbling in his haste before disappearing down the hall, frantic to get to her.I didn't go to the roof.I had no interest in watching someone threaten her life to get her way, and I no long

Chapter 9

"It won't be as comfortable as what you're used to in the city, but make do for now."Mark rubbed his hands together with a smile. "If there's anything you need, just let me know. Don't hesitate.""This is already more than enough."I set down my suitcase and brushed a thin layer of dust from the windowsill. For the first time in a long while, a quiet sense of peace settled over me.The day after I unpacked, I headed out to the surrounding villages with Mark and Shane.Mark opened the project file and showed me a series of photos.The school buildings were badly run-down. Plastic sheeting covered the windows, and the desks and chairs were old and uneven. Yet the children sitting inside held their textbooks carefully, their bright eyes fixed on the lessons in front of them.During my five years at the firm, I had worked on countless designs for landmark buildings, luxury office towers, and high-end homes. Every set of plans had been polished down to the smallest detail, but not one of t

Chapter 10

Rain came fast in the highlands, and within moments, large, cold drops were pelting my face.Shane fumbled through his backpack for a raincoat and draped it over me first, then hugged the rolled plans to his chest and ran toward a nearby herder's tent.Through the downpour, I spotted a familiar figure not far away.Most of Zane's hair was soaked through, and his black shirt clung to his back, outlining his lean frame. His gaze cut through the curtain of rain and fixed on me, and for the first time, I saw something close to panic in those eyes that had always been so indifferent."Tessa."The rain nearly drowned out his voice, but I still heard the faint rasp in it.Shane had just gotten the plans safely inside the tent when he turned and saw Zane. His expression tightened immediately.He hurried back, pulled me slightly behind him, and looked at Zane warily. "Who are you?"Zane ignored him, his eyes never leaving me. "Why did you leave without telling me?""I submitted my application

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