Chapter 14
Fabian’s grip on the letter tightened abruptly. His knuckles turned white from the pressure. His chest felt as though it had been crushed under an unbearable weight. It was hard to breathe.
Every word on the page was like a blade, slicing deep into his heart and leaving behind an agony he could hardly endure.
“Valerie…” he whispered hoarsely. His voice trembled. “Why did you write this?”
They had been so in love back then.
Valerie had once told him she wanted to marry him in Eleyburn and have two children–one boy and one girl.
She had depended on him and loved him. But why had things ended up like this?
Fabian shut his eyes and took a deep breath to suppress the storm raging inside him. He knew that dwelling on Valerie now was pathetic.
She was Amelia’s murderer and someone he could never forgive. And yet, why did he still think of her? Why did he remember every moment with her?
“I’m such a fool,” Fabian muttered bitterly and slammed his fist onto the desk. The dull thud echoed through the room.
In the days that followed, Fabian carried on as usual.
But Shane noticed something others didn’t. Fabian’s eyes were increasingly empty. He looked like he was merely going through the motions of life.
“Mr. Porter, you haven’t been yourself lately. Do you want to see a therapist?” Shane asked cautiously.
Fabian shot him a cold look. His tone was lated with impatience as he said, “I’m fine. I don’t need a therapist.”
Shane parted his lips and wanted to say more, but Fabian had already turned away, leaving nothing but an icy silhouette behind.
As the wedding approached, the preparations grew more hectic, yet Fabian became quieter.
A week before the ceremony, he got himself drunk. He sat alone in the dim corner of a bar, staring vacantly ahead with a glass of whiskey in hand.
Then, a woman in a silk slip dress approached and slid into the seat beside him.
A faint trace of perfume lingered around her. She reached out and brushed her fingers against his cheek.
“Fab, why are you drinking alone?” Her voice sounded gentle and familiar.
Fabian looked up. In that hazy moment, he thought he saw the person who had been haunting his thoughts day and night.
His heart skipped a beat. Before he could think, he pulled her into his arms and crushed his lips against hers in a desperate, burning kiss,
It was reckless and fervent, as if he were trying to pour all his longing and pain into it.
His fingers gripped her waist tightly, as though he was afraid she would vanish into thin air. Then, in a broken whisper, he muttered, “Valerie…”
The woman in his arms froze. A second later, she shoved him away with all her strength.
Fabian froze for a moment before realizing who was in front of him. It was Sasha.
Tears welled up in her eyes. Her voice trembled as she asked, “Fabian Porter, whose name did you just call?”
The haze of alcohol cleared in an instant. Fabian frowned, and irritation crept into his expression. “Why are you dressed like this? Didn’t we agree on this? I’m not ready yet.”
Sasha’s tears spilled over. She sobbed as she questioned, “Not ready? Fabian, I’m your fiancée, and yet you never touch me! All those times before were just an act for Valerief You’ve never even taken off my clothes! We’re about to get married. Are you not gonna touch me forever?”
Fabian’s head throbbed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and said coldly, “Let’s both calm down.”
