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 go?” asked Samuel in

condominium,” said Kathleen after

walk out of the hotel with

they returned to the condominium, Kathleen put on a pair of indoor slippers

same pair of simple black slippers since the

had gotten them matching ones,

most couple-themed products

were nothing but childish

Kathleen was a young girl herself, not to mention a soft and gentle

pressed her against

intense than the kiss they had shared

pounded on his chest as she fiercely uttered, “You’re not allowed to get

“Why?” He grimaced.

It’s a test,” she muttered. “If you manage to pass the test after the month is up,

be with her from then

simply look forward to how exactly he was going to deal with

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

affirmed

Samuel. His calloused fingers tenderly brushed against her delicate chin, and he stared into her

Kathleen was being perfectly

that she was pregnant and couldn’t share

Hehe!

take a shower,” he

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

house while she let

could just act like she knew nothing

a call. “Samuel and I won’t be going back

to see Nicolette again? He’s using you as his cover,

that’s not it,”

you get me a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel piped up

“Coming,” she answered.

heard that exchange, she could tell that it was

a grin. “You both should rest

she hung

phone down and went to

to take it from her, he was

magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked

something unique about him

a rather conservative woman, Kathleen wasn’t really

only experience that she had

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

and innocence of hers were exactly what he liked

had yet to be tainted by

the tips of her ears

nibbled on her ear with his icy, thin lips. “It’s been three years. Why are you still

through her body. “You

he had left behind, she still loved

took time for wounds to

she needed

as she was trying to close it slowly. He

point, she was bawling her eyes

no way she would be able

suit and covered her with it before pulling her into his embrace. “Come on. Don’t

being so nice to me. Just stay indifferent.

nice to other than you?” He

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

his voice as he asked, “Can you give me a bit

That left Kathleen startled.

time to straighten everything out,” he

he was quite reluctant to let her

with you, Samuel. There’s no way

month,” Samuel proposed in

she replied, “I can give you that much, but I have my own

questioned. There was a smile

agreement with your signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a

as innocent as a baby. Other times, I

you going to give it to me

his hand against her outstretched

want it by tomorrow,” she ordered, then bit her

nodded his

I hope you’re not doing this to lead me on or

he

“You’re not allowed to get intimate with Nicolette

that,

her? I’ve never even done that before.

“Got it,” he agreed.

then did

she was still incredibly on edge because she

going to do if he really is