The Love that Kills me

Chapter 11

It had been days since Stephen’s birthday party, and Hope was still reeling from how different everything felt now. Stephen had changed—she saw it in the small things he did every day. He would always take her to her little clothing store in the morning and come to fetch her after work. Somehow, he already knew what time they closed, and he always made sure he was waiting for her outside, leaning casually against the car or watching her through the window with that patient calm that still made her heart race.

He always opened the car door for her, his hand warm and steady as he helped her in. Every time he did it, her heart beat so loud it felt like it might burst out of her chest. It was a small gesture, but it felt like winning the lottery every time.

“Hope, your lips might tear apart with how wide you’re smiling,” Crissa teased her one afternoon as they organized the new stock in the shop.

Hope just laughed, ducking her head to hide the bright flush on her cheeks. “So, how’s life now?” Crissa continued, her voice gentle but curious. “Is Stephen treating you better these days?”

Hope looked up at her friend and nodded, a shy smile playing on her lips. “Yeah… he’s been really nice to me this week,” she said, almost like she couldn’t quite believe it herself. Her voice was soft, her tone almost like that of a teenager who finally had the attention of her long-time crush.

Crissa studied her for a moment, her brow furrowed in worry. But she didn’t push further—she just gave Hope a small, reassuring smile. “As long as you’re happy,” she said, her voice filled with warmth. “You know I’ll always support you.”

Hope reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. Crissa had always been the one person she could count on—the most supportive and protective friend she could ever ask for. No matter what happened, she knew Crissa would be there.

But Crissa’s smile faltered just a little as she added, “But please, Hope… don’t get your hopes too high, okay? I still don’t trust him fully, and I don’t want to see you hurt again. Just… be careful. I don’t want to see you cry and suffer more.”

Hope nodded, her smile soft but firm. “Don’t worry, Crissa. I can take care of my heart.”

Crissa didn’t look fully convinced, but she didn’t push it further. They became busy as customers started coming and going, and soon the chatter of the shop filled the small space.

Later, as they were about to close up for the day, Crissa glanced outside and gave Hope a playful nudge. “Your husband’s here,” she teased, nodding toward the window.

Hope looked outside and saw Stephen standing there, leaning against his car with his hands in his pockets, waiting for her. He caught her gaze and waved, a small smile on his lips. Her heart did a little flip, and she couldn’t help but smile back.

She was happy—truly happy—for whatever attention and care Stephen was giving her now. It was like she was living in a dream, one she didn’t want to wake up from.

“Hi,” Stephen greeted her as she stepped outside, his voice warm as he reached out to help her with her bag. “How was work?”

“It was good,” she said, her voice soft. She hesitated, then added, “How about you… Stephen?”

She still wasn’t quite sure what to call him—it felt almost surreal, like she was still getting used to saying his name in such a gentle way. Stephen noticed her small stumble, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he just smiled at her, a real, genuine smile that made her chest tighten.

“It was fine as well,” he said. Then, almost like an afterthought, he added, “Want to grab some milk tea before we go home?”

Her face lit up, and she nodded quickly. “Yes… I’d love to.”

They stopped at a small milk tea shop on the way home, a cozy little place with soft music and the sweet smell of tea and sugar filling the air. Stephen ordered for both of them, his usual confidence softened by the little smile he kept sending her way.

As they waited for their drinks, Hope couldn’t help but steal small glances at him. She still didn’t understand what had changed—why he was suddenly treating her so kindly, like she was someone precious. But she didn’t want to question it too much. For now, she just wanted to enjoy every second of it.

When their drinks were ready, Stephen handed hers to her first—a creamy taro milk tea with little black pearls floating at the bottom. She took it with both hands, her fingers brushing his for just a moment. That small touch sent a little thrill through her, and she had to look away to hide her smile.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

“Of course,” he replied, his eyes gentle as he looked at her. “Let’s go.”

They walked back to the car together, sipping their milk tea in the warm evening air. Hope felt like she was floating, like every small, simple moment they shared was something she wanted to tuck away in her heart forever.

As they drove home, she leaned back in her seat and watched the city lights flicker past. She knew it wouldn’t be easy—she knew there were still so many things left unsaid between them, so many wounds that hadn’t healed yet. But for now, she just wanted to savor this small piece of happiness.

She glanced at Stephen from the corner of her eye, her heart swelling at the sight of his profile in the soft glow of the dashboard lights. Maybe—just maybe—this was the start of something real. And even if she didn’t know how long it would last, she wanted to hold onto it with both hands.