Fool, I’ve Loved You for Ten Years
1359 Words
A sharp, lingering pain spread through Nancy’s chest.
She clenched her hands tightly and said calmly, "It’s not worth mentioning. He already has someone he loves, and they’re about to get married."
"Get married? He’s been married before?"
This answer surprised Lucas.
Two years of marriage, two years together, and yet he hadn’t been able to surpass a man in her heart who had already been married?
Nancy nodded lightly: "Yes, he was forced by his family to marry someone he didn’t love. Now the woman he truly loves has returned, and they’re about to enter the halls of marriage."
After hearing this, Lucas was quite indignant.
"Then he’s quite a scoundrel, ruining two women’s lives. A man like that isn’t worth your affection. If you get the chance, find someone else to love. You’ll be happier."
Nancy nodded: "I think so too."
But what could she do?
As of today, she had loved him for ten years.
Ten years—almost her entire youth, so distant and long.
She couldn’t change it. If she could replace him in her heart, she would have done so long ago.
Some loves, once they take root and sprout, can never be uprooted.
"Lucas, I’ve loved you for ten whole years. Do you know that? The person I love isn’t someone else—it’s you, it’s always been you." Nancy clenched her hands tightly, repeating these words silently in her heart, over and over.
Lucas’s brows furrowed deeply.
He looked at Nancy as if he were pondering something.
"Nancy," he suddenly called out to her.
"Yes?"
"Never mind."
Lucas shook his head.
He must be going mad.
For a moment, he had actually thought that the person Nancy was talking about sounded a bit like him.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
He remembered that when they got married, Nancy had said she had loved that person for eight years.
But at that time, they had only known each other for four years—it couldn’t possibly be him.
It had to be someone else.
After Lucas left, Nancy quickly went to the trash can to retrieve the pregnancy test report.
She smoothed it out on the table and carefully tucked it away.
Her body felt increasingly uncomfortable, as if even breathing hurt. She lay in bed and drifted into a deep, heavy sleep.
Until the phone rang.
"Hello?" Still half-asleep, Nancy’s voice was soft and nasal, tender and unintentionally pitiful.
"Still sleeping?" Lucas’s voice came through, as gentle as ever.
"Yes, just woke up."
"It’s almost noon. Remember to get up and eat. I’ve already given the gift to Leo. He’ll bring it over soon."
"Gift? What gift?" After sleeping, Nancy had deliberately forgotten many things.
"Our second wedding anniversary gift. Even though I brought up divorce this morning, since it hasn’t been finalized yet, I’ll remember my role and fulfill my responsibilities. You’ll have everything others do; I won’t let you miss out."
Look, this was Lucas.
Always so gentle and considerate, seemingly flawless, without a single imperfection.
He was so good!
So, so good.
Only one thing was wrong—he didn’t love her.
As she drifted in thought, Lucas’s voice came again: "I still need to apologize. There was a little hiccup with the gift, so I had to change it."
"Mm," Nancy nodded, unsure of what she was feeling.
They were about to get divorced, and this so-called anniversary gift felt somewhat ironic.
After hanging up, Nancy had just gotten up and changed her clothes when Leo arrived.
He handed her the gift respectfully: "Madam, this is what Mr. Lu asked me to deliver to you."
"Thank you."
The gift box was exquisitely packaged, clearly from a high-end brand.
Even though she knew it wasn’t the gift she had originally been looking forward to, Nancy opened it herself.
When she saw the ruby necklace and earrings inside, she smiled silently.
Lucas was making it up to her.
Because he couldn’t give her the gift she had wanted, he had spent a fortune on a set of expensive jewelry.
Last month, they had attended a jewelry auction together. At the auction, there had been a pair of jade earrings that matched perfectly with the jade bracelet Grandpa Lu had given her. They were emerald green, beautiful and elegant, and she had fallen in love with them at first sight.
Lucas had noticed the admiration in her eyes and offered, "If you like them, I’ll bid for them."
"No, they’re too expensive."
After all, theirs was a contractual marriage, and she didn’t feel comfortable spending so much of Lucas’s money.
"It’s almost our second anniversary. Consider it my gift to you. If you feel bad, you can give me a gift in return."
So, she had been looking forward to it.
But with the mention of divorce, even the gift she had been promised had fallen through.
It seemed even fate thought they had no future together and that it was time to part.
A gift?
She had indeed prepared a gift for him with all her heart, but he didn’t want it.
Nancy quickly called out to Leo: "This cake was made by me. Could you take it to him?"
Leo hesitated, recalling Lucas’s words: "I don’t like sweets. If she asks you to bring me cake, refuse."
Looking at Nancy, Leo couldn’t bear it.
After a long pause, he told her the truth: "Mr. Lu said he doesn’t like sweets. He knows you enjoy them and asked you to have more."
Nancy clenched her hands, almost unsteady on her feet.
After Leo left, she carried the cake back to her room.
Her weak body slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor. Tears fell like drops of water, large and heavy, hitting the floor.
Her heart ached so much.
She had always known that Lucas didn’t like cream or overly sweet cakes.
So she had made this cake herself—low-fat, low-sugar, with only a faint milky aroma. It wasn’t sweet at all.
And there was no cream, just the cake base.
But he hadn’t even been willing to try a single bite.
Nancy opened the cake and looked at the carefully drawn image of a family of three on top. She smiled bitterly.
Then, suddenly, she reached out and, as if mad, started eating the cake.
She lowered her head, completely disregarding her appearance, eating desperately, frantically.
The cake was large, and halfway through, she vomited.
After vomiting, she picked up the cake and started eating again.
She ate while crying.
The salty tears mixed with the cake, and she couldn’t distinguish the taste anymore. All she knew was that she had to finish it.
Only after she had eaten the entire cake did she feel satisfied.
But immediately after, she was in the bathroom, vomiting and suffering from diarrhea. Her stomach hurt so much she was rolling on the floor, and her whole body felt unbearably miserable.
In this world, apart from her mother, no one knew she was allergic to eggs.
So on her birthdays, she had always only eaten the cream, never the cake base.
But this time, she had eaten the entire cake base.
She told herself this was the last time she would be so crazy, so reckless for Lucas.
After vomiting, she broke down in tears.
To keep anyone outside from hearing, she covered her mouth tightly, not letting herself make a sound.
"Baby, I’m sorry. Mommy couldn’t keep Daddy."
"Daddy doesn’t love Mommy. He loves another woman. Even though Mommy wishes he could stay, Mommy can’t be that selfish."
"Baby, you have to be strong. Mommy can raise you well on her own."
Suddenly, her phone rang.
It was Lucas.
Nancy quickly wiped her tears, composed herself, and answered calmly: "Hello."
"Did you get the gift? Do you like it?"
"Yes, I like it very much. Thank you."
"Red suits you. It brings out your complexion." After a pause, Lucas added: "I won’t be back tonight."
Suddenly, Fiona’s soft voice drifted in: "Lucas, have you told her? Come on, the candlelit dinner is ready—"
- Writer
