All Too Late

“I just want to have a proper husband, Samuel. If you can’t give me that, then stop trying to get yourself involved with me,” Kathleen pleaded in great distress. “Every time you kiss me, it makes me hesitate. I begin to wonder if you might like me just a little bit, but the things you do afterward shatter me completely. Please stop torturing me. I’m begging you.”

Tears were streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably.

The sorrow and pain she was experiencing were unbearable.

Kathleen was well aware of how much she loved Samuel.

It wasn’t just a matter of time. Rather, he had become a permanent part of her life.

Only she knew how agonizing it was to have to rip him out of her life just like that.

Despite the fresh wound that he had left behind, she still loved him.

It took time for wounds to heal, after all.

What she needed was time.

What she didn’t need was Samuel coming back to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience heart-wrenching torment once again.

At that point, she was bawling her eyes out in Samuel’s arms.

There was no way she would be able to head back in that state.

Samuel took off his suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace. “Come on. Don’t cry.”

“Stop being so nice to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipulate me,” Kathleen sobbed.

“Who else am I nice to other than you?” He felt like he was at his wit’s end.

“Nicolette,” she mumbled. Her eyes were red-rimmed. “I told you I wanted a proper husband, Samuel. If you’re willing to be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things clear right now. Then, we can go our separate ways in the future.”

He stared at how pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, “Can you give me a bit of time?”

That left Kathleen startled.

“Just give me some time to straighten everything out,” he said while caressing her face.

Truthfully speaking, he was quite reluctant to let her go.

“How long?” Her lips were pursed together. “I can’t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There’s no way I can wait as long as a year, either.”

“One month,” Samuel proposed in a deep voice.

After a moment of contemplation, she replied, “I can give you that much, but I have my own demands.”

“What are they?” he questioned. There was a smile on his face.

“Give me a copy of the divorce agreement with your signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a month, I’ll sign the papers and leave,” insisted Kathleen. She wanted to have a backup plan for herself instead of waiting around like an idiot.

He chuckled in response. “Sometimes, I feel like you’re as innocent as a baby. Other times, I find you rather cunning.”

“Are you going to give it to me or not?” she complained.

Samuel slapped his hand against her outstretched one. “I will.”

“Good. I want it by tomorrow,” she ordered, then bit her lip.

“Sure.” He nodded his head.

Kathleen hesitated for a while, then stated, “This is really going to be the last chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you’re not doing this to lead me on or trick me. I know I’m soft-hearted, but I would never let anyone take advantage of me.”

“I won’t trick you,” he promised while staring at her.

“Also…” Her gaze turned cold as she trailed off. “You’re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette ever again.”

Upon hearing that, Samuel frowned.

Get intimate with her? I’ve never even done that before. Is she talking about physical contact?

“Got it,” he agreed.

Only then did she feel better.

Nonetheless, she was still incredibly on edge because she couldn’t tell what Samuel’s true intentions were.

What am I going to do if he really is just trying to trick me?

“Let’s go back,” Samuel suggested. He grabbed her hand before heading outside.

“Shouldn’t we tell Dad?” Kathleen protested softly.

Even though she had just cried herself silly, she still hadn’t completely regained her composure.

On top of that, she hadn’t forgotten her manners either.

“Don’t worry about it.” He simply brushed the matter off.

“Where are we going, then?” she inquired.

you want to go?”

the condominium,”

Come on.” He proceeded to walk out of

the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers

hand, Samuel had used the same pair of simple

Kathleen had gotten them matching ones, but

Samuel viewed most

were nothing but childish things that only young girls would be

Kathleen was a young

changing into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and

kiss they had shared back in

pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, “You’re not allowed

“Why?” He grimaced.

she muttered. “If you manage to pass the test after the month is

with her from then

forward to how exactly he was going to deal with

give in to me?” he

right,” she affirmed

of making me hold back for a whole month are,” warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her

Kathleen was

figured that once she told him that she was pregnant and couldn’t share a room with him, he

Hehe!

going to take a shower,” he told

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

to turn around and go into the house while she let out a sigh of relief and clenched

truly intended to stay with her, then she could just act like she knew nothing about

call. “Samuel and I won’t

see Nicolette

not it,”

get me a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel

“Coming,” she answered.

she

said with a grin. “You both should

that, she hung

phone down and went to pass Samuel

the door to take it from

beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his

about

rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn’t really the type

experience that she had was with Samuel

Her face was so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive

hers were exactly what

yet to be tainted

turned around. Even the tips of her ears felt

lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his

through her

had left behind, she

for wounds to heal,

needed was

wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience

bawling her

no way she would be able

suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace.

Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to

to other than you?” He felt

a proper husband, Samuel. If you’re willing to be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we

stared at how pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, “Can you give me a bit

That left Kathleen startled.

give me some time to straighten everything out,”

speaking, he was quite

were pursed together. “I can’t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There’s no way I can wait as long

month,” Samuel proposed in a

moment of contemplation, she replied, “I can give you

they?” he questioned. There

a month, I’ll sign the

feel like you’re as innocent

to give it to me or

his hand against

by tomorrow,” she ordered,

He nodded

chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you’re not doing this to lead me

you,” he promised while

she trailed off. “You’re not

hearing that,

never even done that before. Is she

“Got it,” he agreed.

did she feel

because she couldn’t tell what

do if he really is just