Regret Came Too Late

Grace opened her mouth, but for a moment, she found herself unable to respond.

The day they first met, she had felt Ed's intense emotions-love, hatred, longing, and sorrow. His complicated feelings had made her reluctant to hurt him, and step by step, she had lowered her defenses until they got into a relationship.

The more she got to know him, the more she felt for him, and the more she lowered her own boundaries.

"Ed."

Before she could even finish her sentence, Ed, unwilling to listen to her, grabbed

her waist with an intense and forceful grip.

After it was over, Grace heard his hoarse voice.

"I don't want you to see me like this."

With that, he opened the car door, slammed it shut, and walked away.

Grace lay back in the seat, still feeling the sticky mess below. He hadn't even cleaned up after himself. It was clear that he was really angry.

She slowly sat up, her mind still swimming in the rush of emotions he had given her, unable to focus on anything else.

She reached for a tissue, quietly cleaning herself, and then began to understand his feelings.

Ed felt like he shared his loneliness, sadness, and unfulfilled longing with her. He expressed his struggles, feeling disconnected and loyal to something he couldn't fully believe in, as well as the emptiness he constantly felt.

the tissue into the car's trash bin. She could understand him, but continuing like

few days. After all, adult relationships weren't just about love

she wasn't careful, she could end up

in mind, she forced herself to get

of the hot spring pool

if she knew

the mist, her face was flushed, glowing with a kind of

in the dream, but the man

The night was chaotic.

up, all she felt was exhaustion and a headache that throbbed

and brushed her teeth. When she got in the car, she noticed Ed had

felt her heart soften again. She didn't know why, but

strange sometimes, easily swayed by emotions they

had planned to

other some space. But when she saw that he hadn't slept at all and sent her

a little longer. Maybe he would change in

the message immediately. Instead, she got in her car and drove to Henderson

family collaboration, she was about to leave. But when