Chapter 12
Kaitlynn appeared at the end of the hallway.
Seeing Lowell all disheveled and covered in dirt, she hurried over, standing on tiptoe as if to check on his injuries. But Lowell instinctively turned his head, avoiding her.
Kaitlynn froze for a moment and then, following his gaze, looked over. When she saw me standing beside Allen, a mocking smile crept onto her face.
“Lowell, I told you, didn’t I? If she’s so eager to divorce you, she must have someone else.
“How could you keep pining for someone like her? She’s so shameless and fickle, and you should have kicked her to the curb a long time
ago…
Before she could finish, a sharp slap rang out across Kaitlynn’s face.
“Shut up!”
Lowell, furious beyond measure, slapped her down to the floor.
Kaitlynn, covering her face, looked utterly stunned, trembling all over in disbelief.
Lowell didn’t spare her a second glance. Instead, he turned to clutch my hand tightly, his voice dripping with desperation.
“Bessie, there’s nothing between her and me. Please believe me, she’s lying.
“I’ll fire her right now, okay? She won’t show up again. Don’t leave me. Please, I know I was wrong.
“You’ve always wanted to travel, right? I’ll take you tomorrow. We’ll go to the places you’ve always talked about. Anywhere you want to go, I will take you. Just please don’t leave me…
12:07 PM c
His face was filled with earnest pleading, his attempts at a smile faltering as tears began to fall.
“Please, darling, don’t leave me…
After knowing Lowell for so many years, this was the first time I’d ever seen him like this. He looked so utterly pathetic.
Ignoring his desperate pleas and the hopelessness in his eyes, I pulled his fingers off one by one, my gaze cold and indifferent.
“Lowell, stop playing the loving husband. It only makes me sick.
“Our child is gone now. Go find Kaitlynn. She’s responsible for us to lose our baby, so why don’t you let her give you one as compensation?
“You two look like a good match. Don’t bother mot
+again.”
At my words, Lowell’s eyes widened in panic. The color drained from his face, and he stammered, “What do you mean?”
1
He tried to grab me for an answer, but I pushed him away once again.
My response was my back, as I turned and walked away without a second glance.
Lowell crumpled to his knees, utterly defeated. He finally let out a gut–wrenching sob.
Chapter 13
Three days later, I hummed a little tune, watering the office pothos plant. Just as I was about to leave work, I received a message from Allen asking me to join a class reunion he’d organized,
He said that since he had just returned to the country, he wanted to meet everyone again.
I typed [Okay in response. However, before I could send that message, my phone rang with an unfamiliar number.
Without thinking, I hung up immediately, but the caller persisted, ringing me a dozen times.
I was beyond annoyed and, unable to stand it any longer, answered the phone. “What do you want?!”
The voice on the other end trembled slightly.
“Bessie, I saw our child…
“Im sorry. I didn’t appreciate you. I listened to everything Kaitlynn said. I deserve to be punished.
“But we’ve been together for so many years. Please, just give me one more chance. I promise I’ll treat you right. We can have more children. We can…”
I didn’t let him finish, cutting him off sharply.
“Lowell, it’s over.
“There’s no future for us”
On the other end, there was a long
a long silence before he finally whispered, voice hoarse.
I hung up the phone.
In the end, Lowell signed the divorce papers.
It had been only a few days, and he looked older somehow, his face unshaven, his eyes never daring to meet mine.
I didn’t know it then, but that would be the last time we’d see each other.
Two weeks later, I saw a news report about him
ma een only arew days, and he looked older somehow, his face unshaven, his eyes never daring to meet mine.
I didn’t know it then, but that would be the last time we’d see each other.
Two weeks later, I saw a news report about him.
Lowell had been accused of imprisoning and torturing one of his subordinates for days. In despair, the employee set a fire, taking both their lives
I couldn’t help but sigh as I read the conclusion.
Seeing my mood darken, Allen handed me a bottle of drink. “What’s wrong? You’re looking so down.”
I sighed again.
“It’s nothing. I just suddenly realized something. In the face of life, right and wrong don’t matter anymore. People should cherish the present”
Allen raised an eyebrow and smiled at me.
1 feel the same way”
A month later, Allen confessed his foolings to me.
It was a weekend, and he invited me for a walk around campus. As we strolled, he suddenly pulled a bouquet of roses from behind and looked at me with sincere eyes.
“The fi
first time I saw you in the library, I couldn’t help but feel my heart race.
“Tve always wondered if I had known you first, would things have been different with us?
“But it doesn’t matter now. Even though we have missed almost ten years, we still have many decades ahead of us.
“Will you
you walk with me into the future?”
I looked into his eyes, filled with love, and couldn’t help but nod.
The future stretched ahead, long and uncertain, but we would walk toward happiness together.
