Chapter 10
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I stared at the stock transfer agreement, stunned. That investment had to be worth at least
tens of thousands–far from “not much.”
And I understood. This was everything Rowan had. Giving it all to me was his way of showing all the sincerity he had left in him.
He looked at me and said with quiet certainty, “Anna, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you and Kathy.”
I married Rowan. We signed the papers. The company placed great importance on our union. They even offered to cover the cost of the wedding banquet, inviting all our
colleagues and acquaintances.
The wedding day was lively. Everyone offered their blessings.
And then, I saw Zach.
He stood at a distance, not too far, not too close. But he never stepped into the banquet hall.
He just stood there, watching me walk down the aisle with Kathy toward Rowan, his eyes
locked on us like a statue carved in sorrow.
When Kathy stood on stage and called Rowan “Daddy,” planting a kiss on his cheek, I saw Zach’s lips twitch into a pained, brittle smile.
He took a few steps toward us, but stopped short. Leaning quietly against the doorframe, hę stood motionless, until the strange looks from the crowd gradually turned into habit,
then disinterest.
Kathy tugged at my hand and whispered, “Mommy, he’s there. He’s been watching us this whole time. But let’s not talk to him. Let’s never talk to him again.”
Since that day, I never saw Zach in person again. But I did see traces of him–buried in
Kathy’s diary.
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Chapter 10
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She wrote: That man came to my school again today. I hate him. I don’t want to see him.
Kathy had never hated anyone so clearly. Only Zach.
Rowan mentioned in passing that Zach had been reported to the school for cheating during his marriage and had since been dismissed.
As for Jennifer, her affair had been exposed, and she’d been driven out of the neighborhood.
I smiled, tightened my grip on Kathy’s hand, and walked toward Rowan. “It’s over, Kathy. From today on, we’re starting a brand–new life.”
The apartment I bought in Shaylon City had gone up in value quickly, just as I had hoped. Rowan praised me for my foresight. He paid for all the renovations himself, picking out the finest furniture for every room.
Not long after, we moved into the new place.
He had decorated Kathy’s room to perfection–filled with toys she adored, and a little princess bed.
She was over the moon. Hugging me tightly, she said, “Mommy, now I don’t have to sleep on the floor anymore.”
I smiled through tears. After two lifetimes, Kathy and I finally had a home of our own.
Rowan was busy in the kitchen, but he stepped out to gently wipe the tears from my face. Smiling, he promised me, “From now on, I won’t let either of you suffer again.”
He told me we wouldn’t need to have more children. Raising a child takes heart and effort, he said–and Kathy was enough.
I understood. He didn’t want me to feel pressured. And so I gave the answer he had been waiting for.
Looking at him, I finally understood that the “promotion” in my past life had never been a
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career advancement–it was meeting the right person.
“Okay,” I said with a smile.
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Just then, Kathy jolted upright from the bed and shouted, “Daddy! The food’s burning!”
Rowan let out a startled “Oh no!” and rushed back to the kitchen. After fumbling with the stove for a while, he pulled off his apron, wrapped one arm around me, and scooped Kathy up with the other.
“Let’s go out to eat tonight,” he said. “We need to celebrate.”
After two lifetimes of chasing happiness, it was finally mine.
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