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The Man in the Past のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

10 チャプター

Chapter 1

I had just stepped out of the office when I saw Harold Jefferson walking over with Susan Lawson and her son, Jacob Lawson.Jacob seemed to have told a joke, as the three of them were laughing happily.A sense of bitterness welled up in my chest, and I instinctively stopped in my tracks.The moment Jacob saw me, his expression changed. He quickly hid behind Harold.Instantly, Harold adopted a defensive stance with an icy glare as he asked accusingly, "What are you doing here?"Harold was clearly the father of my daughter, Yvette Jefferson. Yet, he stood there protecting someone else's child.I dug my nails into my palm. The last shred of attachment in my heart vanished.Lowering my eyes, I replied calmly, "Yvette attends this school as well. Am I not allowed to come speak with her homeroom teacher?"Susan smiled. "What a coincidence. We're also here to see Ms. Anderson. Jacob has a sensitive stomach, and Harold's concerned that the school's milk might be of low quality for the k

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Chapter 2

Yvette used my phone to send the photo over. She was probably too happy to hold back and ended up sending a voice message as well.Her tone was cautious. "Daddy, this is my seat in the classroom. Don't go to the wrong one, okay?"Hearing Yvette's timid, childish voice made my heart ache. I reached out to gently ruffle her hair. In my heart, I prayed that Harold wouldn't let us down again this time.The other kids' parents had already started arriving one after another.Yvette gripped the corner of my shirt tightly, her eyes fixing longingly on the stairs. Yet, Harold was nowhere to be seen.When her homeroom teacher, Laura Anderson, came over for the third time to ask, "Yvette's dad still isn't here?" Yvette could no longer hold back her tears.Gripping my shirt, she looked up with a pale face and asked, "Mommy, is it because Daddy doesn't like me that he doesn't want to come to my parent-teacher meeting?"I held her tightly in my arms. "No, this has nothing to do with you. It's

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Chapter 3

In the end, I took Yvette out for a scrumptious meal and bought her her favorite dress and some toys.I thought she could take it easy for once since it was Friday, but she still insisted on finishing her homework.She had always been sensible, knowing that both Harold and I were busy with work. She never once made me worry about her studies.After Yvette fell asleep, I was about to head to bed myself when I heard some noise outside. When I went to check, I saw Harold. He was holding Jacob in his arms.Behind Harold, Susan smiled at me. "Sorry to bother you."I froze in place. The cold night breeze swept through the living room, chilling me to the bone. "Why are you bringing them back here?"The words came out through gritted teeth. They pushed us out everywhere else, and now they wanted to invade the only space Yvette and I had left?At first, Harold avoided my gaze, but after hearing my question, he frowned and suddenly acted self-righteously. "Jacob's condition is unstable,

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Chapter 4

Yvette flinched at Harold's harsh tone, her eyes instantly welling up with tears.I clenched my fists tightly. "I bought those things for Yvette. If you have a problem, come at me!"Jacob stirred at the sound, his grogginess still evident. He lifted his head and wrapped his arms around Harold's neck. "Daddy, are we there yet?"Harold glanced at me, panic flashing in his eyes.I sneered. "Oh, I see. So you won't let your own daughter call you 'Daddy' because you've already gone and picked up a new son outside?"Harold pressed his lips together and said nothing.At that moment, Susan interrupted, her tone full of grievance. "Harold was just being kind, helping us out. Please don't be angry, Catherine. If anyone's to blame, it's me. Jacob and I ruined your family's peace. We'll leave."Then, she turned to Jacob. "Get down from Harold and leave with me."But Jacob burst into tears. "No! I don't want to go! I like Mr. Jefferson! I want to stay with him!"Susan wiped at her tears. "

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Chapter 5

I pulled Yvette into a tight hug and closed my eyes. "That's right. We don't need him anymore."I submitted the divorce papers, signed by both Harold and me. There was a mandatory waiting period. During that time, I quietly sold off a few assets.Then, I applied for a transfer to a branch office in another city. Throughout that entire time, Harold never returned.During that time, I made a quick trip to the city where we'd soon be living and took care of Yvette's school transfer.In the final week before we left, Yvette stayed home to study on her own instead of going to school. She'd always been disciplined, so I wasn't worried.The night before we left, Yvette snuggled in my arms while I shared what the new city and her school would be like.As she listened, sleep slowly crept in. Just before she drifted off, she mumbled drowsily, "Mommy… are we going to say goodbye to Daddy?"I knew that no matter what, family bonds ran deep. It wasn't so easy to cut them off completely.Onc

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Chapter 6

I quickly looked down at Yvette. Her eyes were red, but she held my hand tightly.When Harold heard what she said, his expression froze for a moment. He looked slightly dazed as he asked, "Yvette… what did you just call me?"Yvette bit her lip and repeated, "Mr. Jefferson."A look of disbelief spread across Harold's face. He blurted, "How could you call me Mr. Jefferson? I'm your—""Harold," Susan cut in just in time, stopping him before he could finish.He froze, then glanced back at Susan and Jacob behind him. In the end, he swallowed the rest of his words and turned his head away, avoiding our eyes."Yvette, have fun on your trip with your mom. When you're done, I'll come pick you up and bring you home."I stared coldly at Harold without replying. He still didn't realize he wouldn't see us again.Yvette's eyes were filled with disappointment. She squeezed my hand and whispered, "Mommy, let's go.""Okay." I turned with Yvette and walked toward the boarding gate.Once we wer

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Chapter 7

What I didn't expect was Harold calling me. I thought he was supposed to be fully focused on being there for Susan and Jacob right now. I wondered why he suddenly had the time to check on me and Yvette.Once the call was connected, his all-too-familiar voice came through the line. "Hey, honey. How's the trip going for you and Yvette?"I sneered. Even now, he hadn't noticed a thing. He still thought we were just on a trip. Yet, I had no intention of correcting him as well. "It's going fine. Why?"Harold let out a relieved sigh. "I know things have been a little tense lately with everything that happened. "But don't worry. Once Jacob gets better and Susan isn't under so much stress, I'll be able to focus fully on you and Yvette again. "Anyway, is Yvette around? I'd like to say a few words to her."I replied indifferently, "She's busy playing right now. Not a good time to call her over."Just then, I heard Susan's faint voice in the background. "Harold, Jacob's awake. He's cryi

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Chapter 8

Harold fell silent for a long moment before replying in a hoarse voice, "Alright, I'll head back on my own. Is there anything you or Yvette want to eat? I'll cook something for you both when I get home."Just then, my assistant knocked gently on the door and whispered, "The client's here."I waved a hand to acknowledge her, then spoke into the phone indifferently. "Whatever. I'm busy. Gotta go."I didn't bother wondering what Harold was feeling. It was finally his turn to experience everything I'd once endured.The next day, I went out for a business dinner with the client's lead representative. The conversation flowed smoothly. When I saw them put pen to paper on the contract, a rare sense of satisfaction washed over me. The commission from this deal would allow me to buy a cozy place for Yvette and me, and the balance would probably be enough for a car.Yvette was still waiting at home. On the way back, I picked up a few of her favorite dishes and a red velvet cake.Just as I

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Chapter 9

I hadn't expected Harold to find us here. He stood across the street, eyes bloodshot and unshaven. His voice was hoarse as he called out, "Honey… Yvette…"Yvette looked up, worry clouding her face. "Mommy…"I gently patted her head. "Go inside. Don't be late. Don't worry. I'll be fine."I turned to face Harold only after watching Yvette disappear through the door.Harold looked like he had rushed over, as he hadn't brought any luggage."Honey, I went to your company, and HR said you quit. Then I went to Yvette's school, and her teacher said she transferred. You two—"I cut him off. "Mr. Jefferson, first of all, I'm not your wife anymore, so stop calling me 'honey.' We both signed the divorce papers, and the mandatory waiting period ends in two days."As for Yvette, you're connected by blood. If she still wants to acknowledge you as her dad, I won't stop her. But if she doesn't, then I won't let you disturb her."Harold was gasping for air, his eyes bloodshot. "When did we eve

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Chapter 10

Two days later, Harold showed up on time outside the courthouse.In a brief period, he appeared significantly slimmer, yet his overall demeanor seemed more composed compared to our last encounter.I had no idea how he'd dealt with Susan and Jacob after returning, and frankly, I didn't care. "Let's get in." I glanced at my watch and turned to walk through the courthouse. Harold followed in silence. It was only when we reached the point of signing that he finally said, "I don't want any of the assets. I'll leave it all to you and Yvette. Consider it my way of making amends."His voice was thick with regret. "I'm sorry. I owe you and Yvette far too much."I gave no response. Without hesitation, I picked up the pen and signed decisively.Harold sat in silence for a moment before finally signing the paper. Once done, it was as if all the strength drained from him. His face turned pale, and he slumped into the chair.After filing the divorce, I strode out of the courthouse without

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