Chapter 10
Shaking my sore hand, I sneered, “Did you know my uncle owns a law firm? With what you just said, I could easily have a lawyer send you a notice.
Tears welled up in Emily’s eyes. She tugged on Austin’s coat, crying, “You’re just going to stand there and let her hit me? Aren’t you my boyfriend?”
Austin hesitated, glancing at her with clenched fists.
I seized the moment, grabbing Simon’s hand. “Let’s go.”
His warm, firm grip enveloped mine, radiating a steady reliability that made me feel safe.
Simon smiled and nodded. “You’ll need to eat more tonight, Catherine. You used quite a bit of
strength back there.”
Ignoring Austin and Emily entirely, Simon and I walked away briskly, side by side.
As we approached the crosswalk, hurried footsteps sounded behind us.
“Catherine!”
Emily’s angry yell followed closely. “Austin, come back here!”
I didn’t turn around, but out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly noticed a car careening out of
control toward us.
Instinctively, I pulled Simon aside. Once the car stopped, I turned back, still shaken, only to meet Austin’s hurt and despair–filled gaze.
The car had brushed past him too, but I had chosen to save Simon instead.
His expression was one of disbelief, and pain almost overflowed from his eyes. His voice trembled.
“You actually protected him. Catherine, you always used to protect me!”
Yes, I had. For the past twenty years, I had treated him like he was my whole world.
No matter the storm, when I drove, I always kept the danger on my side and the safety on his.
Because he was picky, I always tasted every dish before letting him eat it.
A Love Left Behind: Embracing a Better Future
1:
On the streets, I was always the one looking in every direction to ensure his safety.
But what did it matter?
He was the one who had pushed me away, the one who severed twenty years of friendship and love.
I let out a soft laugh, ignored him completely, and walked away with Simon.
For a week, Austin didn’t contact me.
From Lexi, 1 heard about what had happened between him and Emily.
After that day, their relationship had spiraled Into chaos. Emily threw tantrums, smashed things at
Some, and even threatened to set the house on fire.
Austin lost his job because of her antics and couldn’t even go home. He spent his nights at bars,
aimless and drunk.
Emily even showed up at the Colson family home with a megaphone, yelling about how Austin had slept with her and refused to take responsibility.
The Colson family became the neighborhood gossip and were too embarrassed to leave the house.
Lexi was thrilled. “Those two scumbags got exactly what they deserved! Oh, and I’ve been posting pictures of you and Simon every day on WhatsApp Moments. The man our Catherine found is ten thousand times better than Austin–he must be seething!”
But my heart was calm, untouched. Even his name had faded into a dull gray in my mind.
I wasn’t with Simon to spite Austin; I was with him because we truly loved each other.
I never expected Austin to have the audacity to seek me out again.
When I saw him downstairs one day, I could hardly believe my eyes.
He was much thinner, his cheeks sunken and his face gaunt, almost skeletal. His complexion was pallid, but his eyes held a feverish excitement.
The moment he saw me, he rushed forward as if to hug me.
punch came from the side–Simon’s fist landed squarely, sending Austin crashing to the ground.
“Catherine is my girlfriend now, Mr. Colson. Please show some respect.”
A Love Left Behind: Embracing a Better Future
Mustin acted as if he hadn’t heard a word. He stood up, undeterred, and handed me a bouquet of
flovers.
“Catherine, I received the flowers you sent to my house yesterday. I also read the letter. So you’ve loved me all this time. Since you were sixteen, you dreamed of marrying me–I saw it all. Catherine,
it’s not too late. I’ve come to get you!”
1 froze, staring at the bouquet. A headache began to throb at my temples as I studied it carefully.
That bouquet was something I had ordered at a flower shop a year ago.
I gave myself a one year deadline. If we were still together after a year, I planned to confess my feelings to him.
I had spent three whole days writing that letter–drafting, erasing, revising, and rewriting. Two full pages of heartfelt words still couldn’t capture the depth of my love for him. That carefully cherished
love, however, had now become a burden.
I had left in such a rush that I completely forgot about the bouquet and the letter. That’s how they ended up in his hands.
1
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