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All Chapters of The Last Promise I Kept: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1 The Other Man

Ryan's POVAfter submitting my resignation, I looked up and saw Kimberly serving soup to her so-called fiance.Katherine was the happiest person in the room. She took a bank card out of a small case and pressed it into Elliot's hand."This should be enough for a house. Take it."Elliot hurriedly tried to push it back. "I can't accept this.""You're about to marry my daughter. Why won't you accept it?""But…" Elliot looked even more uncomfortable.Kimberly stepped in. "Just take it."Elliot glanced at me in the corner and mouthed, "Sorry."For three years, he did nothing but apologize. He was sorry for taking my place and potentially sharing a bed with my girlfriend.I grabbed my glass and gulped down a mouthful of liquor, only to choke and cough.One relative after another offered their congratulations, wishing the happy couple a wedding soon. Meanwhile, I sat there like an outsider.That very morning, Kimberly had been curled up in my arms, telling me, "Ryan, I know I've p

Chapter 2 The Man Left Behind

I clenched my fists, pushed open the door, and walked inside.The room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at me, their eyes filled with disdain.I took a deep breath and smiled to Katherine. "Thank you for having me, Mrs. Westwood. I should get going."Elliot was the first to approach me and reach for my arm. "Ryan…"Kimberly took two steps forward, then stopped. She parted her lips as if to speak, but in the end, she said nothing.Family always came first for Kimberly.I pushed Elliot's hand away and walked out the front door without looking back.Just then, my phone lit up. It was a friend of mine who worked for a foreign company. "Ryan, my boss loved your resume. How soon can you start?""In three days."Just then, Kimberly sent me the location of a hotel. "Ryan, go stay at a hotel tonight. I'll come get you tomorrow."Elliot sent me a voice message. "I'm sorry, Ryan. I never thought things would turn out this way. I'll try talking to Mrs. Westwood."I didn't reply. Ins

Chapter 3 The Final Straw

The next morning, Kimberly drove over to pick me up. "Ryan, come home with me.""No. Your mom doesn't welcome me."Kimberly linked her arm through mine, looking almost aggrieved as she pleaded, "Mom's already forgotten what happened yesterday. Come home with me, please."I forced a faint smile. "Maybe she's forgotten, but I haven't."I couldn't forget the disgust in her eyes or the cold, dismissive things she'd said to me.But Kimberly wouldn't take no for an answer. Maybe a part of me still held on to one last shred of hope.When we returned to Westwood Residence, Katherine acted as if nothing had happened. Of course, she still didn't recognize me.When Elliot introduced me as his buddy, she simply smiled and nodded.At dinner, the conversation suddenly turned to the wedding. Katherine asked if I'd be Elliot's best man.I shook my head. "I'm busy with work. I don't have time."Kimberly's younger sister scoffed. "You just want to be the groom yourself."I froze.Kimberly fr

Chapter 4 The Final Goodbye

When I woke up the next morning, Kimberly was already gone.I gathered my paperwork and headed to the office to finalize my resignation.When I returned to my desk to pack up my things, the receptionist told me someone was looking for me.The moment I stepped out of the elevator, Katherine came storming toward me."Mrs. Westwood, what brings you here—"A sharp slap cracked across my face. My cheek burned.Then, Katherine shoved me again. "Kim is about to marry your buddy, and you still have the nerve to go after her?"Her shrill voice drew a crowd of coworkers. Their disapproving stares pricked at me like needles.My voice trembled as I spoke. "Mrs. Westwood, Kimberly and Elliot are only pretending to be a couple. I was her boyfriend first.""That's impossible! You're the homewrecker! Kim and Elliot are already legally married. What does that have to do with you?"She immediately pulled out her phone and shoved a photo of their marriage certificate in my face.I was stunned.

Chapter 5 No Reply

Third-Person POVAfter Ryan boarded his flight, Kimberly remained there for a long time.She didn't return to her car until she'd watched his plane take off.Elliot called her. "Kim, hurry back after you see Ryan off. Your mom keeps insisting that she wants to see you.""Okay," she replied flatly.On the drive back to the hospital, Kimberly found herself going over everything that had happened over the past few days.That Thanksgiving night, she'd planned to get engaged to Ryan and finally put an end to the charade they'd kept up for three years. But when she saw how enthusiastically her mother treated Elliot, she changed her mind at the last minute.Ryan had sat in the seat farthest from her, gulping down one glass after another until he choked and tears streamed from his eyes.She knew he was hurting, but she couldn't go over and comfort him.Later, she couldn't help following him onto the balcony and hugging him.She'd promised him it would be the last time.She made that

Chapter 6 The Breakup

Kimberly panicked and kept calling Ryan. She tried several times, but he never answered.Her heart sank further.Why wasn't he answering? Did something happen to him?Elliot tried to reassure her. "Kim, don't panic. Ryan's been through a lot, so it's understandable that he's upset. Let's give him some time to cool off. Things should settle down in a couple of days."Kimberly said nothing.She knew Elliot had a point, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The feeling was only getting stronger.She couldn't wait two more days.Kimberly rushed into Ryan's department and went straight to his supervisor.He looked surprised to see her. "Kimberly? What brings you here?""Where is Ryan traveling for work? I need the address."His expression shifted. He took a resignation letter from his desk drawer and slid it across the desk to her. "He's already resigned."Kimberly stared at the letter.It clearly stated, "I am resigning for personal reasons."He'd submit

Chapter 7 I Don't

Two days later, Kimberly and Elliot returned to her hometown for their wedding.The venue was lavishly decorated, and Katherine sat in the place of honor, beaming with joy.Kimberly stood at the entrance to the hall in her wedding dress, holding a bouquet of roses.As she watched Elliot walk toward her down the red carpet, all she could see in her mind was Ryan's face.She remembered the day Ryan had proposed.He'd timed it perfectly. With only two seconds left on the countdown, he'd dropped to one knee, pulled a diamond ring from inside his jacket, and slipped it onto her finger."Will you marry me?" he asked.She nodded eagerly and said yes, moved to tears.Later, when she needed to fake her relationship with Elliot, Ryan held her in his arms and said, "Kimberly, don't keep me waiting too long."She had kissed his chin and promised she wouldn't. Yet, she kept him waiting for three years.Suddenly, the officiant's voice broke through her thoughts."Ms. Westwood, do you take

Chapter 8 Not Looking Back

Ryan's POVMeanwhile, in Fairmont, I started working at an international firm where my friend worked.The atmosphere was even better than I'd expected. My coworkers came from different countries, and no one here knew about my past. I no longer had to worry about people looking at me differently.I worked regular hours and devoted myself to local language studying as soon as I got home. My days were busy and fulfilling, leaving me no time to dwell on anything else.On my fifth day at work, Kimberly came all the way to find me.She was waiting for me outside my office building. When I walked out, I came face-to-face with her."Ryan, please come back with me." She stepped forward and grabbed me."I've called off the wedding with Elliot and explained everything to Mom. We'll get married once we go back."She still thought I was just throwing a tantrum."Kimberly, we've already broken up. There's no point in talking about this anymore."She grabbed my hand and held on, tears strea

Chapter 9 No Going Back

The day Elliot came to see me, it was raining.We hadn't seen each other in two months, and he'd grown much thinner and looked considerably more worn out.We sat in a coffee shop, neither of us saying a word.It wasn't until our coffees arrived that Elliot pushed mine toward me and said, "I'm sorry."He apologized to me countless times over the years. But I could tell that this time, he meant it."Ryan, I'm sorry. I know I have no right to say that.""Then don't."Elliot went pale."I admit it. I did have feelings for Kimberly. You know I'm an orphan, just like you. We've both wanted a family."For the past three years, even though it was all an act, Mrs. Westwood and Kim treated me well. They've long since become my family, and I really didn't want to leave."I knew I'd hurt you, but I had no choice. I wanted a family more than I wanted to hold on to our bond as buddies."I looked at the man before me, feeling nothing but heartache.We'd grown up looking out for each other

Chapter 10 Finally Free

I thought I'd never see Kimberly again.But two years later, she took on an overseas project, and the company she was partnering with turned out to be the one I worked for.She traveled to Fairmont frequently and stopped by my office every few days to see me.Of course, I never saw her.My coworkers were curious about what had happened between us and kept asking what our relationship was."She's just my ex," I replied casually.My friend knew everything that had happened between Kimberly and me. Sometimes, he'd ask, "She even came all the way from home to win you back. Have you really never thought about getting back together?"I shook my head immediately. "What's there to get back together for? So she can abandon me for her family all over again?"We exchanged a look and laughed.My friend patted me on the shoulder with a smile. "Ryan, you're doing a lot better now than you were back then."I said nothing.He was right. Right after the breakup, I hadn't been nearly as good

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