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.

where do you want to go?” asked Samuel in

go back to the condominium,” said Kathleen after

on.” He proceeded to walk out of the hotel with her hand

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

the other hand, Samuel had used the same pair of simple black slippers

ones, but he had only

fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed

were nothing but childish things that

the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself,

their slippers, Samuel pressed

kiss they had shared back

fist pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, “You’re

“Why?” He grimaced.

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

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

look forward to how exactly he was

you’ll give in to me?” he questioned

she affirmed

Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and

was being perfectly

once she told him that she was pregnant and couldn’t share a

Hehe!

a shower,” he told

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

go into the house while

truly intended to stay with her, then she could

a call. “Samuel and I won’t be going back tonight,

brow. “Has he gone to see Nicolette again? He’s using you as his cover, isn’t

it,” Kathleen

get me a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel piped

“Coming,” she answered.

she

Got it,” she said with a grin. “You both

she

down and went

door to take

models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still

unique about him that

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

only experience that she had was with Samuel

was so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive that it was out of this

innocence of hers were exactly what

yet to be tainted

turned around. Even the

nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. “It’s been three years.

shiver ran through her body. “You promised me,

the fresh wound that he had left behind, she

took time for wounds to heal, after

needed

reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience heart-wrenching

point, she was bawling her eyes out in

no way she would be able to head back in that

her with it

Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipulate me,”

am I nice to other than you?”

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

hoarseness to his voice

That left Kathleen startled.

time to straighten everything out,” he said while caressing her

speaking, he was quite reluctant to

keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There’s no way I can wait as long as a year,

month,” Samuel proposed in a deep

“I can give you that much, but I have

There was

your signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a month, I’ll

you’re as innocent as a

to give it

hand against

tomorrow,” she ordered, then bit

nodded

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,

trick you,” he

gaze turned cold as she trailed off. “You’re not

hearing that, Samuel

never even done that before. Is she talking about

“Got it,” he agreed.

did she feel

was still incredibly on edge because she couldn’t tell what

am I going to do if he really is