Chapter38
Grace Parrish felt that marrying Antonio Kaufman was a stroke
of luck.
Back then, Antonio proposed to his first love in front of the
entire school.
After he got rejected, Grace offered to marry him.
He held a grand wedding but never agreed to register their
marriage.
Grace never complained, just accepting it willingly.
Three years later, Grace got pregnant.
When she came out of the consulting room, however, she ran
into Antonio and his first love. Apparently, they were here to have their pre–marital health checkup.
“As I said, you’re the only one worthy of being my wife,” Antonio
cooed.
His first love, Keyla Stone, smiled gently.
Antonio’s younger sister Laney sneered at Grace, “I’m getting a
Chapter38
new sister–in–law. If you know what’s good for you, you should
step aside.”
Only then did Grace realize what a fool she had been.
She terminated the pregnancy and left without a word.
Rumor had it that the usually composed Antonio went mad
searching for her after she left.
The next time they met, it was snowing heavily. Antonio and his
sister stood before her, their eyes red with regret.
“Grace, I’m sorry. Please come home with us!”
“Honey, come back to me, will you?”
Before Grace could respond, a strong arm pulled her into an
embrace. “Stop kidding. She’s my wife.”
On Grace Parrish’s phone, there was a message that she hadn’t
replied to. It was from her childhood friend, Shane Larson.
“Grace, seven years ago we agreed that if neither of us were
married when I returned from abroad, we’d get married. Does
that still count?”
Grace glanced at Antonio in the study, took a deep breath, and
hit send.
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“It does. Pick me up in three days.”
The reply came instantly.
“OK.”
***
Grace and Antonio held a wedding right after college. She used
to think they would grow old together, even though they never
registered their marriage.
But today, Grace ran into him and his first love, Keyla Stone,
coming out of the hospital holding pre–marital health checkup
results. At that moment, she knew her dream had shattered.
Around the corner, Antonio gently kissed Keyla’s hand.
“As I said, you’re the only one worthy of being my wife. Now, it’s
finally coming true.”
Keyla’s lips curved into a charming smile.
“Antonio, thank you for waiting three years. But what about
Grace?”
A flash of guilt passed over Antonio’s face, but it quickly faded.
“Don’t worry. I’ll break up with her at the right time.”
Chapter3a
Grace crumpled the pregnancy test results in her hand. Her
phone still showed Antonio’s number. Silent tears rolled down
her face. She turned back to the doctor’s office, her voice
trembling.
“Doctor, schedule an abortion for me. I don’t want this baby.”
Before she could share the joy of her pregnancy with Antonio, she had to say goodbye to the life inside her.
In a daze, Grace walked out of the hospital. The early spring.
breeze was warm, but it made her shiver. She watched from the
corner as Antonio carefully helped Keyla into a car and drove
away. His eyes, as always, only held Keyla.
Antonio spent most of his time in the study at home. Watching
his handsome profile, Grace recalled the past.
in their senior year in college, Antonio proposed to Keyla. He
was the heir to the Kaufman Group, and she was the prom.
queen. The proposal shocked the entire campus.
“Keyla Stone, will you marry me?”
On one knee, Antonio asked hopefully.
The crowd chanted, “Say yes! Say yes!”
But Keyla hesitated, biting her lip.
Chapterda
“Antonio, can you wait for me? I’ve been accepted to a university
abroad. I want to pursue my dream first.”
Antonio frowned. He could wait, but his mother couldn’t.
“Keyla, I won’t stop you from going abroad. But you know my
mom is in late–stage cancer. She doesn’t have much time left.
Let’s register our marriage first. It won’t delay your studies.”
Keyla shook her head. She couldn’t give up her bright future and
marry early.
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
With tears in her ever she turned and ran, leaving Antonio alone
in the awkw
- e. He stood there, dazed, the ring in his
han
e a cruel joke as murmurs of sympathy filled the
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out, “Antonio, I’ll marry you!”
Antonio looked up and saw Grace smiling at him. No one knew.
she spent how much courage to walk up to him.
She extended her hand, silently asking him to slip the ring onto
her finger.
“I will marry you and take care of your mother in her final days.”
Chapter38
Grace couldn’t remember how long it took Antonio to finally
slide the ring onto her finger. The ring was a bit too big, and not her style, but none of that mattered. What mattered was that he
was the one she loved.
Grace had truly loved Antonio since the first day of college.
When she came to campus alone, she nearly got hit by a
basketball. It was Antonio who blocked it for her. From that
moment, her eyes had been drawn to him, unable to look away.
But back then, Keyla was always by his side. They had been
together since high school. Grace knew she had no chance, yet
her heart remained hopelessly devoted to him. So when the
opportunity came, she seized it.
Antonio had given her a grand wedding, but he never brought up
registering their marriage. Grace wanted to remind him many
times, but each time she swallowed her words. She was afraid
that asking for too much would push him away. As long as they
were together, this was enough for her. Everyone knew they
were married, and she was the one by his side.
Six months after their wedding, his mother passed away. Grace stayed by her side until the very end, fulfilling every duty of a
daughter–in–law. Antonio, though distant, remained respectful.
Grace never asked for much. Just being with him was already
enough.
Chapter38
But dreams always come to an end. Grace touched the
oversized ring on her finger. Three years had passed, and now
she had to give back what had never truly belonged to her.
