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

condominium,” said Kathleen after a

Come on.” He proceeded to walk out of the hotel

put on a pair

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

past, Kathleen had gotten them matching ones,

viewed most

way he saw it, they were nothing but childish

Kathleen was a young girl herself, not

Samuel pressed her

even more intense than the kiss they had shared back in the

Her dainty fist pounded on 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 up, I’ll give you

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

to how exactly he was going to deal with

you’ll give in

affirmed

hold back for a whole month are,” warned Samuel. His calloused

was being perfectly

and couldn’t

Hehe!

a shower,” he

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

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

could just act like she knew nothing

a call. “Samuel and I won’t be

he gone to see Nicolette again? He’s

not it,” Kathleen immediately

you get me a towel, Kathleen?”

“Coming,” she answered.

she

with a

that, she

and went to pass Samuel

the door to take it from her, he was completely

could even beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked slender; when undressed, though, his muscles

unique about him that most people

wasn’t really

only experience that she had

so red that she looked like a tomato. She was so naive that it was

innocence of hers were exactly

yet to be tainted

around. Even the tips of her

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

ran through her body.

that he had left

wounds to heal,

needed

hers right as she was trying to close

she was bawling her eyes out in Samuel’s

way she would be

with it before pulling her into

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

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

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,

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

That left Kathleen startled.

give me some time to straighten everything out,” he said while caressing

speaking, he was quite reluctant to let

“I can’t keep dragging things out with you, Samuel. There’s

month,” Samuel proposed in a deep

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

There was a smile on

signature on it. If you and Nicolette are still hung up on each other after a month, I’ll

like you’re as innocent as a baby. Other times, I find you

going to give it

his hand against her outstretched one.

by tomorrow,”

He nodded

I hope you’re not doing this to lead me

he promised while

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

that, Samuel

never even done that before. Is she talking about physical

“Got it,” he agreed.

did

still incredibly on edge because she

going to do if he really is just trying