Chapter 23
Shirley halted her steps.
“What do you want?”
“I was wrong.” Timothy grabbed her wrist, voice trembling.
“I was blind before, tricked by Patricia! She framed you and forged evidence. I’ve already punished her.”
“So? You came to find me?”
“I’ve made up my mind. I won’t force someone who doesn’t love me anymore. And I hope you won’t disturb my life again.”
“I love you!”
Timothy’s eyes reddened with urgency.
“Only now do I realize you’ve always been in my heart.”
“Who’s in your heart means nothing to me. I don’t want to know.”
Shirley turned toward Jesse without even glancing back at him. Timothy moved to follow, but an arm suddenly blocked his path.
Jesse had appeared before them, shielding Shirley completely.
“Sir, Shirley made it clear she doesn’t want you contacting her.”
Jesse’s tone remained flat, though his stare turned icy.
“Forced fruit isn’t sweet. Surely you understand that better than I do.”
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Timothy’s nails dug into his palms as he glared at Jesse’s taunting smirk, fury boiling in his chest.
“And who are you?” His voice dropped low, eyes blazing.
“What gives you the right to interfere?”
Jesse calmly straightened his suit cuff, his gaze sweeping over Shirley’s profile in the distance.
“I’m Shirley’s fiancé. We’re getting married next month. Still think I have no right to intervene?”
“So not only do I have the right, it’s my duty to protect her peace. If I see you again, I’ll call the cops.”
Those words hit Timothy like a sledgehammer to the chest.
He whipped around toward the car, disbelief etched on his face. Shirley sat frozen in the passenger seat, her expression distant.
“Shirley!”
“This isn’t real, right?”
His voice cracked with unfamiliar panic.
Shirley lowered her eyelashes.
“Of course it’s true. What, you want to come to my wedding? Timothy, I’m telling you for the last time, don’t come looking for me again.”
Her voice was terrifyingly calm, yet every word sliced like a knife, cutting through Timothy’s last hope.
Timothy felt his vision go dark for a moment, his legs weakening
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beneath him.
He remembered everything Shirley had quietly done for him, now twisted into sharp irony. In his self–righteous coldness, Shirley had probably moved on long ago.
Jesse pulled open the car door and deliberately turned to look at Timothy before sliding into the driver’s seat.
He curled the corner of his lips into a knowing smile, eyes blazing with a victor’s triumph.
The roar of the sports car ripped through the silent street like a sharp blade slicing through Timothy’s last shred of hope.
He stood frozen, watching the vehicle grow smaller until it vanished around the corner.
Wind whipped fallen leaves along the curb, failing to chase away the bone–deep chill in his heart.
Staring at the empty road, Timothy suddenly remembered the first time he’d seen Shirley walking past him with that same quiet grace.
Back then, he never imagined the gears of fate had already begun turning
Every bit of this was his own doing.
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