บททั้งหมดของ TOO LATE TO WANT ME BACK : บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

VAYLEN The office fell silent again. I sat there staring at the photographs, my eyes moving between the woman and the girl as if looking long enough would force them to make sense.The little girl looked enough like me to tighten something deep in my chest. Alice Laurent looked enough like Catherine to drag me straight back into questions I thought I'd finally escaped.Maybe it was coincidence. Maybe it wasn't.But for the first time, I found myself asking a different question.Did any of it matter anymore?My gaze drifted away from the screen and settled on the city beyond the office windows.For years, every road had somehow led back to Catherine. Every unanswered question. Every lead. Every possibility.I had chased them all. I had convinced myself that closure was waiting somewhere ahead of me if I just kept looking long enough. But all that searching had brought me here.To an empty office. To a woman walking away from me. To Jenny looking at me like I was still choosing a ghost

VAYLEN "Because I'd like your permission to marry your daughter." The words left my mouth before I had the chance to take them back. Jenny stared at me. For a moment, she didn't move. Her eyes searched my face as if she wasn't entirely sure she'd heard me correctly. Then her gaze shifted to her mother before returning to me. Her mother looked between us quietly, then she turned and walked away. The sound of her footsteps crossed the living room. She reached the front door, opened it, and stepped outside. A second later, the door closed behind her, and the silence that followed seemed to settle over the room. I sat there for a moment, staring at the space she'd left behind before finally looking back at her mother. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. She regarded me with a long look, then a small smile touched her face. "I think," she said gently, "you should go after her." I nodded, stood, and headed for the door. She stood with her back to me, silent and unmoving beneath the fading

VAYLEN "Hargrove officially terminated its agreement with Meridian this morning." Marcus closed the final report and slid it onto the growing stack of completed files.No one celebrated. Not because it wasn't a victory.Inside CARINE LTD, success wasn't treated as something extraordinary. It was expected.Priya pushed another file across the conference table."The board has requested another meeting next week.""They'll get one." I glanced toward my assistant. "Schedule it.""Already working on it, sir."Deen slid a thick folder toward me."Every unresolved case involving Meridian over the last five years."I didn't bother opening it. If Deen said it was complete, then it was complete.My gaze moved around the room, lingering briefly on each member of the team. Weeks ago, I had assigned every one of them a task. Today, every assignment had been completed.Finally, my attention settled on Marcus."Send our proposals to the meridian group.""Yes, sir."A brief silence settled over the

ALICE Lisa appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on her apron."Lunch is ready, Ma'am."I lifted the glass beside me and took a long drink, trying to wash away the bitter taste of the medication. The water helped, but not by much. Across from me, Julius watched until I lowered the glass."I'll eat later," I told Lisa.The look he gave me was immediate."You need to eat before taking your next medication.""I'm really not hungry."As usual, my opinion seemed to have very little influence on him."Serve it anyway," he said, turning to Lisa.A few minutes later, the dining table was set.Before I could protest again, Julius was already helping me into a chair. Once he was satisfied I was comfortable, he took the seat opposite me.The aroma of freshly prepared soup and steamed rice drifted through the room, rich and inviting. Normally, it would have been enough to make my stomach growl. Today, I felt nothing.He seemed to notice immediately."You only need a few bites."My gaze dropp

VAYLEN The desk lamp threw a low, warm circle across the surface of my desk. Beyond the window, the city had settled into its nighttime rhythm.My phone lit up and I reached for it immediately.(Okay…)A second later, three dots appeared, then another message followed.(Tomorrow works. Pick me up at seven.)I read it once, then again, lingering over the words longer than I needed to before finally setting the phone down. Something in my chest eased as I typed back.(I'll be there.)The document open on my laptop was exactly where I'd left it nearly an hour ago. I hadn't written a single word.A faint breath escaped me as I closed it. For the first time all evening, I wasn't staring at my phone.I finished what was left in my glass, then I switched off the lamp and finally called it a night.—I arrived at Jenny's building at exactly seven the following evening.She appeared a few minutes later, stepping out of the entrance in a dark coat with her bag hanging from one shoulder.I wait