Too Late to Win Me Back

Chapter 8 Take Me Away

Every word cut deep.

Nina's heart lurched, and she instinctively tried to put the phone away.

But it was too late. Katherine had already seen it.

The color drained from her face in an instant. Her breathing turned ragged. Then her whole body started shaking.

And suddenly, she coughed up blood.

Terrified, Nina bent down and caught her, not caring when blood stained her clothes.

"Katherine! It's okay! Don't think about anything else right now. Your health is what matters most!"

Katherine wiped the blood from her mouth, trembling violently in Nina's arms until even her fingers turned white.

After a moment, Nina realized the front of her shirt was damp. Katherine was crying.

It took a long time before she finally calmed down.

"Nina, bring me the camera. Turn it on."

Nina wiped the blood from Katherine's lips, fixed her hair with shaking hands, then turned on the camera with teary eyes. Before she aimed it at Katherine, she quickly filmed Jasmine's w******p messages on the phone screen.

One day, every photo and every message would be made public exactly as they were.

Katherine's eyes were red, and her fingertips were still trembling, but when she faced the camera, she forced herself to stay composed.

"November 27, 2024," she said softly. "Episode Two. Today, I lost the baby Spencer and I made together. The baby was two months along. When I was in surgery, Spencer was downstairs with Jasmine and Aiden. He didn't even know this child existed."

Her voice faltered. "Once, Spencer and I used to imagine what our child would be like. We said we'd give that child all the love in the world! But baby... I'm sorry. I am dying soon. I can't bring you into this world. And your father... Your father already has a child he loves. If there's a next life... Please don't choose us to be your parents again!"

Her voice broke again, but this time she looked straight into the camera.

"Jasmine, didn't you want me to give up? This time, you get exactly what you wanted. Spencer, Spencer, I wish you and your family of three a lifetime of happiness!"

She turned her face away.

"Nina," she whispered, "take me home."

Nina nodded through tears, helped her clean up, and drove her back.

Once they got home, Katherine began sorting through all the items from her ten years with Spencer, everything associated with their love, every gift he had given her, every souvenir... Their wedding photos, anniversary pictures, travel albums, every physical memory of their journey together...

She had Nina pack it all into a large box and carry it outside.

"Nina," Katherine said, "turn on the camera for me, please."

The lens pointed at the box.

Inside it was her entire ten years with Spencer.

And then, on camera, Katherine set it on fire.

Flames rose fast, devouring everything from the past decade.

All the hopes, promises, love, and companionship burned to ashes.

When the fire had nearly consumed it all, Katherine looked down at the wedding ring on her left hand.

Pain slammed into her chest so hard it nearly made her spit blood again.

She forced the metallic taste back down, took off the ring, and went inside to retrieve a box.

She opened it. Inside lay a divorce agreement already signed in her name.

Underneath it were printed records exposing the truth about Jasmine, what really happened five years ago, and the truth about the pregnancy.

Katherine placed the wedding ring inside. Then she added her prenatal exam results and the abortion paperwork, laying the prenatal report on top where it would be seen first.

After that, she set the box in the exact center of the living room.

Then she called Spencer.

"Spencer, when are you coming home?"

His voice was low and rough. Katherine could hear the desire hidden underneath it.

Even in a hospital, Jasmine had been able to stir that in him. No wonder she'd had the confidence to send those messages.

"Baby, Baby, things are really busy at the company right now. Wait for me. I'll keep you company tonight."

"All right," Katherine replied. "I left you a gift. I hope you like it when you get home."

Her voice was calm.

On the other end, Spencer fell silent for a beat.

Katherine never called him when she knew he was busy.

And she definitely never spoke to him in that tone.

A chill of unease went through him. It felt like something was slipping out of his grasp forever.

Panic rose suddenly in his chest, and he started to head home.

Katherine was already thinking about what she could say to soothe his suspicion when she heard a harsh, uneven breath!

She knew that sound instantly. It was the sound Spencer made every time he lost control in her arms.

Katherine went rigid. It felt as if someone had driven a fist straight through her chest and crushed her heart inside it.

Katherine abruptly hung up the phone. All that was left was the primal instinct to flee.

Beside her, Nina immediately realized what had happened and started cursing Spencer under her breath.

But Katherine sat there frozen, hollowed out from the inside.

A long time passed before she finally looked up. Her eyes were empty.

"Nina, take me away. For my final days, I just want to leave this place."

Nina burst into tears and nodded.

"Katherine, wherever you want to go, I'll take you!"

Katherine turned back to the camera one last time. Her face was calm now.

"Spencer, my body hurts so much. And my heart hurts even more. I can't hold on anymore. So I'm leaving you first. I hope you like the gift I left behind."

Nina drove Katherine slowly away from the villa, leaving everything behind them.

As the house disappeared in the rear window, Katherine thought about those ten years with Spencer.

At eighteen, he had taken her hand and told her he would take her away and protect her for the rest of her life.

But now, at twenty-eight, the man Spencer had once been was already fading in her memory.

The pain surged through her body again, spreading from her chest into her limbs until she curled into herself in the back seat.

Up front, Nina kept talking, hoping to distract her.

But Katherine couldn't hear a word. Her vision blurred. Then sound began to vanish too. The world tilted and spun. All she could feel was an unbearable, thick taste of blood welling up in her throat.

Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, she violently vomited a massive amount of blood, splattering it across the back of the driver's seat.

She heard the screech of brakes. Through the blur, Nina's face appeared in front of her, her mouth moving as if she were shouting something.

But Katherine was too tired.

She closed her eyes.

And the whole world went quiet.