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

the condominium,” said Kathleen after a

to walk out of the hotel

the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers with

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

them matching ones, but he had

most couple-themed products with

were nothing but childish things that only young girls would

was a young girl herself, not to mention a soft

their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and

more intense than the kiss they

his chest as she fiercely uttered, “You’re not allowed to get intimate with

“Why?” He grimaced.

you manage to pass the test after the month is

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

exactly he was

give in to

she affirmed with

month are,” warned Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and

Kathleen was

and couldn’t share a room with

Hehe!

going to take a shower,” he

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

the house while she let out a sigh

could just act like she knew nothing about him and

decided to give Wynnie a call. “Samuel and I won’t be going

arched a brow. “Has he gone to see Nicolette

not it,” Kathleen immediately

me a towel, Kathleen?”

“Coming,” she answered.

exchange, she

she said with a grin.

she

down and went to pass

he opened the door to take it from her, he

of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what

unique about him

rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn’t really the

only experience that she

red that

of hers were exactly what he liked about

yet to be tainted by

the

himself and approached her from behind. He lowered his head and nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. “It’s been three years. Why are you

her

he had left behind, she

for wounds to heal, after

needed

to reopen that wound of hers right as she was trying to

was bawling her eyes out in Samuel’s

be able to head

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

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

nice to other than you?” He

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

stared at how pitiful she looked. There was slight hoarseness to his voice as he asked, “Can you give

That left Kathleen startled.

some time to straighten everything out,” he said

he was quite

out with you, Samuel. There’s no way I can wait

proposed in a deep

contemplation, she replied, “I can give you that much, but I

questioned. There was a smile on his

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

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

going to give it

against her outstretched

I want it by tomorrow,”

nodded his

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

won’t trick you,” he promised while staring at

gaze turned cold as she trailed off. “You’re

hearing that,

even done that before. Is she

“Got it,” he agreed.

then did

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

I going to do if he really is just trying to trick