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.

to go?” asked Samuel

to the condominium,” said Kathleen after

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

condominium, Kathleen put on

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

them matching ones, but he had

fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed products with

nothing but childish things that only young girls would be

he had forgotten, however, was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself, not to mention a soft and

their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and

more intense than the kiss they had shared back in the

fiercely uttered, “You’re not allowed to get intimate with me

“Why?” He grimaced.

you manage to pass the

with her from then on, she would come

forward to how exactly he was going to deal

month, you’ll give in to

right,” she affirmed with

Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her eyes

Kathleen was being perfectly

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

Hehe!

take a shower,” he

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

and go into the house while she let out a

with her, then she could just act like she knew nothing about

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

“Has he gone to see Nicolette again? He’s using you as his

it,”

me a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel piped up with his

“Coming,” she answered.

that exchange, she

with a grin. “You

she

phone down and went to pass

take it from her, he was

well-built, and he could even beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his muscles were perfectly

unique about him that

really

she

so red that she looked

purity and innocence of hers were exactly what he

be

around. Even the tips

behind. He lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his icy,

through her body. “You promised me,

the fresh wound that he had

wounds to heal, after

needed was

coming back to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to close it slowly.

was bawling her eyes out in

way she would be able

off his suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace. “Come on.

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

other than you?” He felt

be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things clear right

slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, “Can

That left Kathleen startled.

straighten everything out,”

he was quite reluctant to let her

keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There’s no way I

month,” Samuel proposed in a

can give you

are they?” he questioned. There was

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

“Sometimes, I feel like you’re as innocent as

it to

slapped his hand against

I want it by tomorrow,” she ordered, then bit

nodded his

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

he promised while staring

as she trailed off. “You’re not allowed to

hearing that, Samuel

done that before.

“Got it,” he agreed.

did

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

I going to do if he really is