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.

you want to go?” asked Samuel in

back to the condominium,”

walk out of the hotel with

Kathleen put on a pair

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

ones, but

fact, Samuel viewed most couple-themed products with

way he saw it, they were nothing but childish things that

was the fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself, not

changing into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against

intense than the kiss they had shared

on his chest as she fiercely uttered, “You’re not allowed to get intimate with me until the month

“Why?” He grimaced.

pass the test after the month is up,

be with her from then on,

look forward to how exactly he was

one month, you’ll give in

right,” she affirmed with a

should know what the consequences of making me hold back for a whole month are,” warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin,

was

way, she figured that once she told him that she was pregnant and couldn’t share a room with

Hehe!

a shower,” he

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

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

her, then she could just act like she

“Samuel and I

Nicolette again? He’s using

it,” Kathleen immediately

Kathleen?” Samuel

“Coming,” she answered.

Wynnie heard that exchange, she

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

that, she

placed her phone down and

door to take

magazines. No

about him

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

only experience that she had

red that she looked like a tomato. She was

of hers were exactly what he

be

Even the tips of her

lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. “It’s

through her body. “You

had left behind, she

time for wounds to

needed was

that wound of hers right as she was

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

way she would be able to

with it

nice to me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to manipulate

else am I nice to other than you?” He felt like he was at

you’re willing to be one, we can live happily from now on. If not, we should make things

pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice

That left Kathleen startled.

some time to straighten everything out,” he said

quite reluctant

pursed together. “I can’t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There’s no

Samuel proposed

give you that much, but I

There was a smile

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

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

going to give it to me or not?”

slapped his hand against her outstretched

by tomorrow,”

He 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

he promised

gaze turned cold as she trailed off. “You’re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette ever

hearing that, Samuel

even done that before. Is she talking

“Got it,” he agreed.

did

she was still incredibly on edge because

he