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.

do you want to go?” asked

the condominium,” said Kathleen after

to walk out of the hotel with her hand in

the condominium, Kathleen put on

same pair of simple black

past, Kathleen had gotten them matching ones, but he had only complained about

viewed most

they were nothing but childish things that

fact that Kathleen was a young girl herself,

changing into their slippers, Samuel pressed her against the wall and kissed

than the kiss they had shared

fiercely uttered, “You’re not allowed to get

“Why?” He grimaced.

muttered. “If you manage to pass the test after the month is

with her from then

how exactly

you’ll give in to me?” he questioned

right,” she affirmed with a

His calloused fingers

Kathleen was being perfectly

that she was pregnant and couldn’t share a room with him, he wouldn’t be able to do anything,

Hehe!

to take a shower,” he told

Kathleen nodded. “Okay.”

into the house while she let out a sigh of relief and clenched her

Samuel truly intended to stay with her, then she could just act like she knew

to give Wynnie a call. “Samuel and

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

not it,”

me a towel, Kathleen?” Samuel piped up with his deep

“Coming,” she answered.

that exchange, she could tell that it

with a grin. “You

that, she

down and

door to take it from her, he was completely

even beat that of the models in fashion magazines. No matter what he wore, he still looked

unique about him

woman, Kathleen wasn’t really the

only experience that she had was with Samuel

so red that

hers were exactly what he

yet to be tainted by the

Even the tips of her ears

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

ran through her

fresh wound that he had left behind, she

time for wounds

she needed was

as she was trying to close it slowly. He was making her experience heart-wrenching

she was bawling her eyes

be able to

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

me. Just stay indifferent. Quit trying to

than you?” He felt

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

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

That left Kathleen startled.

everything out,” he

was quite

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

Samuel proposed

give

are they?” he questioned. There was a smile

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

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

going to give it to me or

slapped his hand against her outstretched one. “I

it by tomorrow,” she ordered,

nodded his

last chance I give you, Samuel. I hope you’re not doing

you,” he promised while staring at

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

that,

never even done that before. Is she talking about

“Got it,” he agreed.

then did she feel

edge because she couldn’t tell what

do if he really is just trying to trick