Feel the Way You Feel, My Love

Joyce was unaware of what Natalie was planning. “Nat, do you have some tissue?”

“Here.” Natalie rummaged through her pure platinum purse and handed the entire packet to Joyce.

“Thanks,” she sniffled as she extracted a piece to dry her tears. “Nat, I’ve decided to give up,” she murmured, keeping her eyes fixed on her feet.

Natalie gaped at her. “Give up on your feelings toward Stanley?”

“Why?”

Joyce took a deep breath, willing herself to suppress the inevitable tears by forcing a smile. “Because I’m tired. I’ve loved him for over ten years, and where has that gotten me? A bruised and battered soul with not much dignity left. I don’t think I can hold on any longer.”

Joyce spun around suddenly, gazing deep into Natalie’s eyes with her own bloodshot ones. “I can see it clearly now. Stanley would rather be with any other woman than me. He will never love me. That is why I’m giving up on him.”

Natalie opened her mouth intending to offer words of advice, but she could come up with none.

It was certainly a pity for Joyce to give up on Stanley after loving him for so many years.

But if Joyce were to continue hanging on, it would just be waiting in vain. For all she knew, Stanley might not change his mind.

slip by, clinging on to some impossible

that it would be wiser

continue down her current path. However, the choice to let go

mind?” Natalie looked

second or two, she gave

the outside world from living all these years with the fantasy of being with Stanley. There are plenty of eligible men out there, Joyce. Now’s the time to explore,” Natalie said with a pat

will meet other men and find one who

a sudden movement, Joyce leaped to her feet and raised a glass of champagne. Natalie’s sense of foreboding came a little too

the eyes of everybody in the vicinity on her, Joyce gulped down the entire

haste of which she had emptied her drink, Joyce’s

quickly escorted her friend out of the

departing figures of Natalie and Joyce from a lounge on the second floor. His expressionless face was rigid and

Stanley a glass of wine. “Stanley. That’s you, isn’t it?

Peter, you’re a humorous man. I’m sorry to disappoint you, but

so?” the man gaped in

same name. Excuse