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

the condominium,” said Kathleen after a

Come on.” He proceeded to walk out of

put on a pair of indoor slippers with bunny

the same pair of simple black slippers

had gotten them matching ones, but

Samuel viewed most

were nothing but childish things that only young

was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself,

into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall

the kiss they had shared back in

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

“Why?” He grimaced.

muttered. “If you manage to pass the test after the month is up, I’ll give you

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

simply look forward to how exactly he

one month, you’ll give in to me?” he questioned while scrutinizing

affirmed

making me hold back for a whole month are,” warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her

Kathleen was being

pregnant and couldn’t share

Hehe!

take a

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

proceeded to turn around and go into the house while she let out a sigh of relief and clenched her

stay with her, then she could just

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

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

that’s not it,” Kathleen immediately

me a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel piped up

“Coming,” she answered.

Wynnie heard that exchange, she could tell

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

she hung

down and went to pass Samuel a

take it from her, he was

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

something unique about

wasn’t really the type to open

she had was with

so exposed made her cheeks flush in embarrassment. Her face was so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive that

and innocence of hers were

had yet to be tainted by the

turned around. Even the tips of

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

her

had left behind, she

took time for wounds to heal,

she needed

of hers right as she was trying

that point, she was bawling her eyes out in Samuel’s

be able to head back

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

to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying

else am I nice to other than you?”

can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things clear right now. Then, we can go our

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

That left Kathleen startled.

time to straighten everything out,” he said while caressing

quite reluctant to let

“I can’t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There’s no way I can wait as long as a year,

Samuel proposed

a moment of contemplation, she replied, “I can give

questioned. There was a smile

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

in response. “Sometimes, I feel like you’re as innocent as a baby. Other times, I find you rather

going to give it to

slapped his hand against her outstretched one. “I

it by tomorrow,” she ordered, then bit her

He nodded his

be the last chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you’re not doing this to lead me

trick you,” he promised while

off. “You’re not allowed to get

that, Samuel

with her? I’ve never even done that before. Is she talking about

“Got it,” he agreed.

did she

on edge because she couldn’t tell what Samuel’s true intentions

going to do if he really is just trying to trick