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.

want to go?”

go back to the condominium,”

out of

on a pair of indoor slippers with bunny

Samuel had used the same pair of simple black slippers

gotten them matching ones, but he had only

fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed

saw it, they were nothing but

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

into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall

kiss they had shared back

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

“Why?” He grimaced.

muttered. “If you manage to pass the test after

event that he actually chose to be with her from then on, she would come

to how exactly he was going to

you’ll give in to me?” he questioned while

right,” she affirmed with a

are,” warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed

Kathleen was being perfectly

and couldn’t share a room with him, he wouldn’t be able to do

Hehe!

going to take a shower,”

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

house while she let out a

with her, then she could just

Wynnie a call. “Samuel and I

see Nicolette again? He’s using you as his cover, isn’t

it,”

a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel

“Coming,” she answered.

moment Wynnie heard that exchange, she could tell that it was

with a grin. “You both

she

down and went to pass Samuel a

opened the door to take

fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his muscles

had something unique about him

a rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn’t really

she had

embarrassment. Her face was so red that she looked like a

innocence of hers were exactly what he liked

be

turned around. Even the tips of her ears

himself and approached her from behind. He lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with

her body.

fresh wound that he had left behind, she still loved

took time for wounds

she needed was

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

she was bawling her

would be able to head back in that

and covered her with it

to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipulate me,”

else am I nice to other than you?” He

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

There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, “Can you

That left Kathleen startled.

some time to straighten everything out,”

was quite

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

proposed in

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

There was a smile

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

I feel like you’re as innocent

to give it to me

his hand against her outstretched one.

want it by tomorrow,” she ordered,

nodded

“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

won’t trick you,” he promised

trailed off. “You’re not allowed to

that, Samuel

her? I’ve never even done that before. Is

“Got it,” he agreed.

did she

because she

to do if he really