chapter 12
1126 Words
Kain
I threw myself onto the bed in exhaustion, placed a hand over my eyes, and sighed like an old man who had been working for twenty years.
That bastard... Why did he have to show up now, of all times?
I had worked so hard to make her fall in love with me, and now, after all that effort, that piece of trash had appeared and was trying to take her away from me.
As if I would ever allow that.
Half an hour earlier...
---
Laila
I stood there staring at him in shock, unable to believe what my eyes were seeing.
It was him.
Yes... that bastard, Ryan.
He spoke confidently, almost arrogantly.
“Laila, didn’t you miss me?”
I truly had.
“I really did miss you.”
I couldn't speak. My mouth refused to form a single word. I felt like I was about to pass out.
Suddenly, Kain stepped forward, grabbed Ryan, and pulled him away with force.
“I’ll take care of entertaining our rude guest! Go get some sleep.”
Ryan tried to pull himself free, but it was useless.
It was true that Ryan was older than Kain, but Kain was taller and stronger than him.
As Kain dragged him away, I quickly entered my apartment, pulled out my phone, and called Sarah.
“Sarah, please come. I feel like I’m going to die.”
---
At the entrance of the apartment building...
Kain
“What’s wrong, old man? Are you senile or something?”
The bastard calmly replied,
“What are you? Her mother's son? Did she get married again?”
I laughed just to provoke him, even though I was furious.
“No. I’m the one who held her hand after you abandoned her. I’m the one who gave her a new heart after you broke hers. I’m her lover... and her future husband.”
Ryan laughed loudly.
“Nice joke, kid. You did well. Who taught you to say that? Did she tell you to say those things to me? I know her. She’s very sensitive. She’ll calm down after I tell her what happened to me. It would be better if you stayed out of this. This has nothing to do with you.”
Before I could answer, a girl shouted.
It was Sarah, Laila’s friend.
She pushed him away angrily.
“Stay away from my friend, you creep! You’d better go back to wherever you came from. Get out of my sight before I call the police and tell them you’re trying to harass my friend!”
Ryan scratched the back of his head in surrender.
“Sarah, you’re really annoying. Fine, I’ll leave for now. But I’ll come back. This has nothing to do with you and me, or anyone else. It’s between Laila and me.”
Then he left.
I looked at Sarah as she gently stroked my hair like I was a pet.
“Thank you. You proved how much you care about my friend. But stay away from her for now. She’s devastated.”
Then she went to Laila’s apartment.
I would never let him cross the line.
I called Adel.
“Hello, hello! Look at you. I never expected you to be so good at selling juice, handsome.”
“And you actually managed to make people believe you were a sixty-year-old man. Who helped you with that disguise? You did a great job.”
He laughed cheerfully.
“It was just a little help from a friend I know. Tell me, why did you call?”
“I want you to find someone for me.”
---
Laila
My body was trembling.
Sarah helped me take a warm shower and made me some milk, but those memories...
They were coming back.
---
Five years ago...
Laila walked out laughing, holding her boyfriend’s hand. She was carrying their marriage papers, and a golden ring was on her finger.
Laila said happily,
“Our wedding will be in a week. I’m so happy.”
Ryan smiled just as happily.
“Yes. It’s going to be the best wedding in the world, and I’ll make you happy.”
---
The present
Laila
“Sarah... I... I miss him. Am I stupid? Why do I still feel this way?”
Sarah sat beside me.
“No, sweetheart. It’s normal for those memories to come back. You were in love with him for years.”
I cried.
“If Kain hadn’t stepped in and helped me, I would have fallen apart, Sarah. How weak and stupid am I? I don’t even have the strength to get rid of his things in that room.”
“My wedding dress... the wedding suit... our pictures... all our memories together are still in there.”
Sarah spoke sadly.
“I understand. It isn’t easy to let go of those memories. Don’t force yourself to do anything. Take it slowly.”
I tried to sleep after talking to Sarah, but my mind wouldn’t stop thinking.
What should I do?
---
The next day came, and I was still thinking about everything Sarah had told me.
I told her I was fine because she had work to do too.
I looked at the closed room.
Then I slowly walked toward it and opened the door.
Dust had covered parts of the room.
Everything was exactly as I had left it.
I took a deep breath.
Come on, Laila. Let’s get rid of it.
I put everything into a large black garbage bag.
Then I saw the marriage certificate.
Were we even still married after five years without a single call or conversation?
I tore it into tiny pieces and threw it away.
Then I got rid of all the pictures, the gifts, and everything else.
It took me three hours.
I should have gotten rid of them a long time ago.
But no...
This time, I didn't cry over him again.
The doorbell rang.
I opened the door.
It was Kain, wearing a wide smile.
“Well, what’s with all this energy today, Auntie?”
I laughed, even though I hadn't really wanted to.
But this boy somehow always managed to make me change.
“I decided to clean up my life.”
“Oh... I see.”
“Is something wrong? You look tired.”
“No. I’m fine, as long as you’re okay.”
---
Kain
No one had asked me if I was okay in a very long time.
She really was amazing.
Even though she was exhausted and carried the weight of the whole world on her shoulders, she still asked if I was okay.
Ah...
That’s why she was so special.
More than she could ever imagine.
To be continued...
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