Chapter 4

I didn’t go to the hospital. Instead, I took a cab home.

The apartment Alex and I rented was a small one–bedroom. By the entrance stood a bookshelf with

several textbooks.

They were remnants from when I’d pushed him to complete his bachelor’s degree through online cour at a state university.

My mother was right – his education was limited. When we met, he said he only had a community college degree.

We were both young then. I just thought he was smart, with his whole life ahead of him. He shouldn’t

stay stuck at that level.

Even entry–level positions required bachelor’s degrees these days, with higher starting salaries.

I would work during the day, then stay up late helping him study.

While brushing our teeth side by side in the morning, I’d play French lessons on my phone, helping him review yesterday’s vocabulary. He said learning French would help his career prospects.

For months of practice GRE tests, I reviewed every question he worked through.

With time against us, we managed to complete his online degree in just eighteen months.

To celebrate, we scoured every platform for restaurant coupons just to afford a nice steakhouse dinner.

But now, reading Victoria Bennett’s messages, it all seemed absurd.

Alex. I can’t

Oxford. He’s incredibly young

my forehead, leaning on the sofa, my stomach

I looked up to see Alex,

phone showed countless missed calls from him. He leaned against the doorframe, slightly out of

breath.

as he approached, took my face in his hands, examining it. His tense expression

softened.

06:34

Years of Love.

20.5%

Chapter 4

with my fingers and smiled. “Let me put

I was too brave, too quiet in that moment, for him to understand the pain I was

this composed, never losing

thought it was his impoverished youth that had forged this unflappable character, this ability to remain unmoved even

I never considered that such composure might instead

my hand away, looking ahead: “Alex, my mom’s pressing me to

quite faded from his

tears, with my usual loving gaze, “I told her I’d

looking at him. I hadn’t meant to cry, but

have a child – your parents would love them. Boy or girl, doesn’t matter. A girl with your big

contract from my bag, head down. “Look, I put

could you ever repay these five passionate, foolish years of my

born at the peak, where every step

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