Chapter 823:
Elyse crouched to meet Theo’s downcast eyes and said softly, “Don’t be sad. You were my first boyfriend. Thinking about it now, I don’t feel shortchanged. Besides, so many girls admire you.”
Theo responded with a hint of petulance, “I just wish you could be one of them.”
Elyse said with a touch of resignation, “Move on. You can’t let a three-year relationship halt your progress, can you?”
Theo stayed quiet, knowing nothing he said would make a difference. Elyse had moved on; she wasn’t anchored to the past. Theo wanted to move forward too, but it seemed beyond him. Unlike Elyse, who had poured her whole heart into their relationship, he had given very little, always putting himself first.
Almost a year after their breakup, he still found himself stuck in the past. He said with a wry smile, “Getting stuck and not moving on is just the price for letting you down.”
Elyse rubbed her forehead, unsure how to console him. After a brief pause, she said, “I’ll head back alone. You don’t need to walk me. You should go back to the hotel and rest.”
Theo wanted to hold onto Elyse, but he knew he had lost that right. All he could do was watch her walk away, feeling like a forgotten teddy bear abandoned by its owner.
The snow intensified, blanketing Theo’s face, where the flakes clung before melting. Slowly, his face bore the traces of melted snow, forming tiny streams that cascaded down his cheeks.
“Elyse, I can’t move on. I need you. Please, come back to me,” Theo remained, emitting soft, sorrowful cries. “If only you hadn’t married Jayden. I know I could make you happy now. You wouldn’t have to endure so much.”
Theo’s sobs echoed through the silent, snow-covered alley, his grief consuming him. From the shadows, a woman in a black coat slowly emerged, her presence like a wraith materializing from the darkness. The snow crunched softly beneath her delicate steps, and in the dim light, she moved with the grace of a specter. She stopped in front of Theo, her gaze lingering on his tear-streaked face. But Theo, lost in his sorrow, didn’t notice her at first. His tears flowed freely, blurring his vision, as the weight of his despair kept his head bowed.
It wasn’t until the tears began to subside that he realized someone was standing before him. Assuming it was a concerned passerby, Theo lifted his head. But before he could fully take in the figure in front of him, a searing pain tore through his abdomen. His eyes widened in shock, his breath caught in his throat as the agony coursed through him. Through the haze of pain and tears, he finally focused on the face before him.
“You… You’re…” he stammered, the realization crashing down on him.
The woman tilted her head, her face lifting to reveal a sweet, familiar smile. Her red lips parted slightly as she spoke, her voice like silk laced with venom. “Have you forgotten me, your beloved Kaelyn?”
. . .