Chapter 11
Bruce’s POV:
I first met Hailey in college. Back then, I was arrogant and self–assured, buoyed by my good looks and privileged background.
My suitors were countless, yet I dismissed them all with indifference.
Hailey, however, was different. There was something about her that I couldn’t quite put into words.
She was my junior, and the first time I saw her, her clear, unguarded eyes captivated me. Her smile seemed to strip the world of its color, leaving only her in sharp focus. But as I watched her bury herself in books, striving for a graduate school recommendation, I could only suppress my feelings, keeping them locked away.
Fate, however, has its own way of unraveling threads. We met again in graduate school. This time, I couldn’t help but pay attention to her, crafting opportunities for casual encounters. To my delight, I discovered that she, too, had been quietly harboring feelings for me.
Hailey wasn’t like other women who sought grand gestures and romantic dates. Our time together was simple, unadorned.
But I didn’t mind. To me, she was perfect, a singular presence in an imperfect world.
When I shared my ambition of starting a fashion design company, she didn’t hesitate to switch her major to support me. Her resolve moved me, even as it made me chuckle. It was as if she’d placed the weight of our shared future squarely on my shoulders.
Back then, our love was sweet and untainted. But life after college has a way of dulling even the sharpest edges. I threw myself into the grind of corporate life, drained by endless social engagements.
Hailey, meanwhile, devoted herself to design, burning the midnight oil to meet deadlines. I have to admit, it was her designs that secured the company’s first major investment.
As the company grew, so did my impatience. The glitz and revelry of business dinners made her steadfast simplicity feel monotonous. I resented her in ways I couldn’t articulate, finding solace instead in the late–night haze of bars and clubs.
Hailey said nothing, her silénce a reflection of her helplessness. She knew, as I did, that without me, her career in this competitive industry would falter. I held the power, and I wielded it carelessly.
One night, while I was out entertaining clients, she called. The Shayle City Art Academy had offered her a teaching position. My first thought was that she was trying to manipulate me into returning home. But her next words struck a chord deep within me.
“Bruce,” she said softly, “if you don’t want me to go, I’ll decline.”
For a moment, I wavered. Yet, true to my nature then, I smothered that flicker of vulnerability. “Do as you like,” I replied curtly, and hung up.
Days turned into weeks, and guilt began to gnaw at the edges of my conscience. I realized I owed her a wedding, a promise long overdue. I imagined her joy, her tears of gratitude, and felt a fleeting sense of pride. I was wrong— terribly, irrevocably wrong..
My new secretary, Kathy, was everything Hailey had once been–sweet, gentle, attentive. When I fell ill and was hospitalized, she stayed by my side, tirelessly caring for me. Watching her bustling around, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Hailey’s younger self. Little by little, Kathy replaced Hailey in my heart.
Chapter 11
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