Ifrownedcoldlyand interruptedhim:Youarenothim,andyoucouldnever takehisplace.
Joey,ifIknewyouneverletgoofStacyfromthebeginning,Iwouldneverhavemarriedyou.
Ilovedyouonce,buteverytimeyouchoseStacy,youdrainedthatloveaway.
Youhavetherighttopursueyourtruelove,butyoushouldntbeunabletoletgooftheoneyoulovewhilebeinggreedyforthewarmthofhome.
ThelightinJoeyseyesgraduallydimmedwitheachwordIspoke,andhisheartseemedtofallintoanabyss,withnobottominsight.
Myvoiceremained calmthroughout,withnoripplesinmyeyes:Joey,Iwouldratherrememberthebestmomentsofourrelationshipthangobackandlookattheseunbearablequarrelsandcontradictionsfor therestofmylife.
Iwillneverforgiveyou.
Dontcometofindmeanymore.Whatyouredoingnowjustmakesmefeeldisgusted.
Still,thankyouforsteppinginjustnow.IalsowishyouandStacyallthebest,thatyoumayfindyourhappyending together.
ThosewordsseemedtoshatterthedefensesJoeyhadlongbuiltup,tearing andcrushinghis heart.

AfterIfinishedspeaking,Ididntlookathimagainandleftdecisively.
Iwalkedoutofhisworld,leavinghimalonewith nothingbutmemories,shattereddreams,andendlessregret… AfterlayingeverythingbarewithJoey,Ireturnedtomyoffice,aweightliftedfrommyheart.
Dingdong.
Amessagenotificationcamefrommyphone.ItwasamessagefromTristan:[Justgotoutofameeting.Noovertimetonight.Illpickyouupfordinner.] IlookedatthephonescreenandmylipscurledupslightlyasIreplied:[Okay,Illwaitforyou.
] AftersendingthemessagetoTristan,Iputmyphonebackintomywhitecoatpocketandwentstraighttocheckonthepatients.
Thepregnantwomanhadbeensentbacktoher ward,andthefirstthingshedidafterwakingupwastoresolutelyproposeadivorce.Inadditiontothepropertyshewasentitledto,shewouldalsotakecareofthechildherself.
Shewouldntleaveanythingtothatmeanfamily.
Justlikeme,IleftJoeywithnothing butmemories.
79.0% Chapter28 Halfayearlater.
Afterthatincidentatthehospital,Joeynevershowedupinfrontofmeagain.
AndheandStacyneverendeduptogethereither.

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ThenexttimeIsawnewsaboutStacywasonthecityshotsearchlist.
Raisingachildisnteasy,especiallyfinancially.
Stacyfailedtosecurechildsupportfromherexhusband,whodiscoveredthe childwasnthis.
Nowsheisbeingsuedbyherexhusbandtoreclaimthepropertyhehadgivenheraspartoftheirdivorce settlement.
Desperateandoutofoptions,shesoughthelpfromJoey,onlytobecoldlyrejected.ShethencausedasceneattheentranceofSouthAirlines,whichwascapturedbymanypassersbyanduploadedtotheinternet,causing quitea scandal.
JoeyhadnochoicebuttoresignfromSouthAirlinesandeventuallymovedabroad.
Beforeleaving,hesentmeonefinalmessagefromanunknownnumber:[Iwillspendtherestofmylifeinregret,lovingyoufromafar.] Ilookedatthetextmessageinsilenceandwithouthesitationdeletedandblockedit.
Lookatwhatyourereading.Stillnotgoingtotakeabath?Tristansteppedoutofhis studyafteraninternationalmeetingandfoundmestillsittingonthesofa,despitesayingIwasgoingtotakeabathfifteenminutesago.
Tristansatdownnexttome,pulledmeup,andwithadeterminedlook,heasked:So,whichadmirersentyouaflirtymessage? The graceofawife,the bearingofamistress.
Ijustlaughedtomyself,butIdidntdaretosaythisinfrontof Tristan, becauseteasinghimwoulddefinitelynotendwell.Thenextday,Iwoulddefinitelyhaveasorebackandbetootiredtodoanything.
No,justaspammessage.

Tristanraisedaneyebrow,hisgazeplayfulandteasing:Oh?Idontbelieveyou.
Youhavetotellmeindetailwhatthatspammessageis.Hepickedmeupandwalkedsteadilytowardsthe bathroom… Timeflewby,throughthefourseasons,IaccompaniedTristantohisbirthplace,Paris,France.
Tristanheldmyhandaswewanderedthepathsofhischildhood,retracinghismemoriesandleavingfootprintsof ourown.
79.3% Chapter28 Afteradayofcontinuoussurprises,Tristantookmetoawhitechurch.
WhenIpushedopenthewoodencarveddoorwithbothhands, Theemptychurchwelcomedme,itsflooradornedwithfreshflowersandcandles,whilestainedglasscastdazzlingpatternsoflight.
Foramoment,Istoodthereinadaze:Today…isitsomeanniversary? Ijustwantedtogiveyouaperfectday,andithasnothingtodowiththeanniversary.
Itsperfect…therecouldntbeanythingmoreperfect…Myeyeswerewarm,butthistime itwasnot becauseofsadness.
Isthatenough?Tristanlookeddownatmewithagentlesmile:Itshouldstillbemissingsomethingtobeperfect.
Withthat,hetookouta ring,tookmyhand,andslowlykneltdown.
Fromtodayonward,thiswillmarkthebeginningofouranniversary.