Until The Last Day Novel

Chapter 22 288 Vouchers Chapter 22 Lorenzo's POV On the morning of Claire's funeral, I forced myself to act like a person again. I shaved his beard, trimmed my hair, took a shower, and changed into a set of black clothes. After going downstairs, I threw away the trash I had gathered. When I looked up, the seventh-floor window with the blue curtains was catching the pale light. Claire had chosen those curtains. I stared too long and felt my chest tighten. I took my keys from my pocket.

The keychain had a small doll that Claire once clipped on and said, "For luck." I slid the doll off the ring, and tossed the keys into the sewer. "Goodbye," I said, though I didn't know to whom. I drove to the cemetery. I didn't know exactly where Claire's stone was. Mom had bought a plot on a sunny slope, that was all I knew. So I started at the bottom, row by row, reading names I didn't know, dates that ended too SOON. Halfway up the hill, I saw a small figure in a dark coat crouched by a new stone. Relief hit me like air after being underwater. I walked faster. "Mom," I called, quiet.

0.00% 1155 Chapter 22 11 288 Vouchers She didn't answer. She was squatting, placing a bunch of lilies at the base of the granite. Then she took a clean handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the face of the stone, slowly, carefully, as if she were washing a child's face after dinner. Only when she had cleared every trace of dust did she stand. Her eyes flicked to my empty hands. Her mouth tightened. "What are you doing here?" she asked, cold. I swallowed the bitter taste rising in my throat. "Just came to see you." I said, trying to sound normal. She gave a short, harsh breath.

"I'm not dead yet." The worddeadbounced between us and hit me in the ribs. My hand, hidden in my sleeve, trembled. I forced a smile that felt like it would crack my face. "Why would you say something like that, Mom? You'll live a long life and stay healthy for many years to come." "Have you been drinking again?" My mother asked. I shook my head. "No." I looked at the photo on the stone. It was the same black-and-white portrait. Claire's eyes were calm. The corners of her mouth were soft. I pointed to the base. "What's inside?" I asked. "The bracelet," Mom said. She touched her bare wrist.

"The one she 20.96 1155 Chapter 22 1288 Wouchers gave me on your wedding day." The day rushed back like a wave. I had spent six months planning that wedding. We went home after and I opened the door and showed Claire the decorated apartment, flowers everywhere, fairy lights along the wall, a small cake on the table. "From now on, this is our home," I told her, proud like a boy. We offered tea to the elders at the top table and they pressed gifts into our hands. Later, I gave Mom the bracelet I had picked out from Claire -the one with tiny leaves linked together.

We believed that night was the beginning of a bright life. Three years later, Claire and her parents were together in heaven. And Mom and I stood in winter on a hill, looking at a stone, holding the same memories like a shared photograph between shaking fingers. "I'm sorry," I said, but the words felt thin in the cold. Mom stared at the lilies and didn't answer. A wind moved the ribbon on the bouquet. I tried to say something to comfort her. There was nothing. Any sentence I could form sounded like a lie. So I stepped closer and put my hand under her elbow. "Let's go slowly," I said.

"It's cold. Your knees will hurt." She let me help her down the slope. We moved one step at a time, careful on the frost. At the bottom, we stopped by the gate to catch our breath. She kept her eyes on the ground. "I'll take you home," I said. 1155 Chapter 22 1288 Vouchers She nodded once. We didn't speak during the drive. The heater hummed. A robin hopped along a fence and vanished. Mom lived in a quiet building in the suburbs. When we reached the lobby, she moved toward the elevators and I followed her to the doors. She pressed the button. The light glowed red.

We stood there with our hands inside our sleeves. "Mom," I said softly, "I can't spend the New Year with you this time." Her shoulder stiffened. "If you feel alone," I added, choosing each word, "go to Auntie's. Or ask her to come here. And... after the holiday, please do your physical exam. Don't put it off." She turned her head slowly and looked at me with a mix of worry and irritation. "Why are you so long-winded today?" I lowered my eyes so she wouldn't see whatever was in them. "I haven't talked to you in a long time." The elevator arrived with a soft bell. The doors slid open.

She stepped in and faced me. For a second, her face softened around the eyes, then it closed again. "Eat," she said. "Sleep." "I will." The doors shut. I watched the numbers climb: 1... 2... 3... then stop on 7. I stood there until the light went dark. 30.504 1155 1 Chapter 22 288 Vouchers Then I walked outside to the car and opened the door. I sat with my hands on the wheel and the engine off. The lot was quiet. A child's bicycle lay on its side by the hedge. I took out my phone and stared at the blank screen. My thumb hovered, then moved, as if by itself.

I opened messages, then Aria's name, and typed: "Are we still going on our trip?" 11 55 Cedella Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella's storytelling style is immersive and addictive-perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.