Chapter 21
With so much blood lost, Calvin’s breathing grew weaker and weaker. Even as people rushed in and tried to lift him, all he could think about was finding Avery.
His mind grew hazy, and all the memories from the past began to play in front of his eyes like a film reel.
He remembered how, after Britney’s so-called accident, he drowned himself in alcohol every single day, falling apart so badly that even his own family had given up on him.
It was Avery who stayed by his side, holding him up when he could barely stand, preparing hangover remedies when he was too drunk to care, sitting up all night to nurse him through his stomach bleeds, even taking care of company business for him. She poured her entire heart into loving him.
Deep down, he always knew it. But the blow of losing Britney had left him numb and blind to everything
else.
He never let himself see what Avery did for him-until that one night, when he made a mistake, reaching
out for comfort and crossing a line he never intended to cross.
Did he love Avery then?
He married her out of a sense of responsibility. As the years went by, he slowly let go of his pain, and they
even had two children together.
For a while, Calvin thought, maybe this could be it for the rest of his life.
But life had a way of throwing curveballs.
When Britney showed up again, all those old regrets rushed back, and his heart filled with the past.
He kept telling himself he would make it up to Avery, but deep down, he held on to Britney. She was the
woman he once loved, after all.
But then, Avery left him. She disappeared from his world just like that. Only then did Calvin realize just how wrong he’d been.
He had convinced himself that he loved Britney the most, but in truth, the woman he truly loved was Avery
-the one who had stood by him all these years.
Yet, blinded by regret and pride, he lost her anyway.
Lying in the hospital, Calvin squeezed his eyes shut, tears leaking out in pain and regret.
If only he had chosen Avery from the very beginning.
If only he had listened to his heart.
If only he had believed her.
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A thousand if onlys ran through his mind, but in the end, they all turned into a single note, written in her familiar handwriting.
“I’m gone. Don’t come looking for me. I don’t want any of you anymore.”
“Avery!” Calvin jolted upright, sweat pouring down his face.
For a moment, he thought he was still dreaming because Avery was sitting right beside his bed.
He couldn’t stop himself. He wrapped his arms around her, holding on tight as if she might disappear
again.
“Avery, you forgive me, don’t you?” he whispered desperately. “You can’t stand seeing me suffer, right? You still love me. I’ll never let anyone hurt you again. Avery…”
He kept rambling, hugging her even tighter, as if holding on could somehow make the dream real.
If only it had all just been a nightmare.
If only he could wake up and find her still there by his side.
But no matter how hard he tried, the Avery in his arms slowly faded away. She vanished, leaving nothing but empty air and bitter heartbreak.
Calvin woke up for real, his face already wet with tears.
The moment he opened his eyes, Gabriel approached the bed. “Mr. Grant, we’ve found Ms. Sterling.”
Calvin’s eyes flashed with hope. “Where is she?”
“She’s overseas. We managed to get in touch, and Ms. Sterling said she’s willing to meet with you.”
Just a few words, but it was enough to light a fire in his chest.
She was willing to see him. That meant there was still a chance.
Calvin couldn’t wait. Ignoring the pain from his wound, he rushed to book the earliest flight out.
Gabriel hesitated, reaching out to stop him. “Mr. Grant, your injury hasn’t healed yet. Maybe you should
rest for a few more days? Since Ms. Sterling agreed to meet, I’m sure she’ll wait for you.”
Calvin shook him off. “I can’t wait any longer. I’ve been thinking about her day and night. I just want to see
her now.”
There was so much warmth in his eyes that Gabriel was left speechless. “If only you’d figured this out
sooner…”
Calvin didn’t hear a word Gabriel said. All he could think about was Avery. Just the thought of seeing her again made his heart race with anticipation.
Sitting on the plane, Calvin couldn’t rest for a second. His mind kept drifting to Avery.
Chapter 21
Had she been doing well overseas all this time? Had she lost weight? Was she short on money? She must have had a hard time in a foreign country. Just thinking about her softened his heart, and memories of Avery kept flooding his mind.
