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.

do you want to go?” asked Samuel

the condominium,” said Kathleen after

on.” He proceeded to walk out of the

to the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers with

Samuel had used the same pair of

Kathleen had gotten them matching ones, but he had only complained

most couple-themed products with

it, they were nothing but childish things that only young

had forgotten, however, was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself, not to

pressed her against the wall and kissed

intense than the kiss they had shared back in the

dainty fist pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, “You’re not allowed to get

“Why?” He grimaced.

muttered. “If you manage to pass the test after the month is up, I’ll give you

that he actually chose to be with her from then on,

simply look forward to how exactly he was

in to me?” he questioned while

she affirmed with a

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

Kathleen was being

she told him that she was pregnant and

Hehe!

going to take a shower,”

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

the house while she let out a sigh of relief and

her, then she could just act like she

“Samuel and I won’t be going back

a brow. “Has he gone to see Nicolette again? He’s using you

that’s not it,” Kathleen immediately

get me a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel

“Coming,” she answered.

that exchange, she could tell that it was Samuel’s

Got it,” she said with a

that, she hung

her phone down and went to pass

take it

of the models in fashion magazines. No matter

something unique about

woman, Kathleen wasn’t really the type to open up

experience that she had

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

were exactly what he liked about

be tainted by the

Even the tips of her ears felt

nibbled on her

through her body. “You promised

wound that he had left behind, she still loved

wounds to

she needed was

was Samuel coming back to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to

point, she was bawling her eyes out in

was no way she would be able to head back

it before

me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying

to other than you?” He felt like he was at his wit’s

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

hoarseness to his

That left Kathleen startled.

to straighten everything out,” he said while caressing

speaking, he was quite reluctant to

out with you, Samuel. There’s no

proposed in a deep

a moment of contemplation, she replied, “I can give you that much, but I have my

they?” he questioned. There was a smile 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

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

to give it to me

slapped his hand against

it by tomorrow,” she ordered, then bit

nodded

be the last chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you’re not doing this to lead me on or

trick you,” he promised while staring

as she trailed off. “You’re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette ever

that, Samuel

I’ve never even done

“Got it,” he agreed.

then did she feel

edge because she couldn’t tell what Samuel’s true

am I going to do if he really is