Love That Came Too Late

1

In the mirror, I saw a pale face.

A week of fasting had made me thinner, much more haggard.

I stared at my reflection, and with each passing moment, fear crept into my eyes.

I never thought that my fasting would be revealed by one of the household servants.

By the time I found out, it was too late.

My half-sister, from my father's side, had already been sent abroad with the combined efforts of the Luther and the Lincoln.

I could almost imagine how furious Henry would be when he found out about it.

With a loud thud, I snapped back to reality.

I left the bathroom, and Henry was standing at the bedroom door.

He came in reeking of alcohol, took off his coat, and tossed it forcefully onto the floor.

The coat landed on the carpet, sending a gust of wind, and I instinctively shrank back.

Through gritted teeth, Henry spoke, "Yvonne, you're quite skilled at sowing discord, I underestimated you."

I straightened my posture slowly and gathered the courage to look at him.

Despite the myriad of conflicting emotions inside me, I finally spoke up.

"Henry, let's get a divorce."

I spoke calmly, with the decision having been carefully considered.

He didn't love me.

I had had enough of being the infamous devoted wife in the capital.

Divorce would be better for both of us.

"Divorce?" Henry's reaction made it seem as though he'd just heard the most absurd thing imaginable. A cold, smirking expression crossed his face as he approached, using his two fingers to lift my chin for a closer look.

"Is this some sort of scheme you're plotting against me? 'Pretending to give up to catch me off guard?'"

I could clearly see how he viewed me in his eyes: thin, worn out, hopeless, and keeping my lips tightly sealed.

Apparently, he found it rather captivating, as if it easily ignited a man's desire to conquer.

At least, in Henry's eyes, it seemed like he had intentions of conquering me.

Summoning my courage, I offered a smile. "Pretending to give up?"

Henry was unquestionably self-assured, and he had once declared that marrying me was the biggest mistake of his life.

Now, face to face, he appeared handsome and arrogant, raising an eyebrow mockingly as he inquired, "Isn't it?"

I didn't want to waste any more time. I turned my head to avoid his intense gaze.

"Of course not, Henry. I'm serious. Let's get a divorce. I'll set you free."

Henry's expression paled instantly, and his eyes grew astonishingly cold and profound.

I spoke softly once more, "Regarding the divorce..."

Henry struggled to restrain his urge to strangle me. "Yvonne, you're not even worthy of initiating a divorce."

"I don't want anything. I'll leave with nothing. I can keep your secrets. Haven't you always considered my sister, Cynthia, as your true love? I can make it happen for you."

Henry's presence had already been heavy, and now it turned ominously hostile. He looked as if he despised me to the core.

"Yvonne, you've got some nerve. You dare to bring up Cynthia in front of me!" Henry exclaimed in anger.

I smiled and replied, "Cynthia is just an illegitimate child of the Lincoln family, hidden in the shadows. Of course, I can mention her."

Henry couldn't tolerate it any longer, he erupted in anger.

He grabbed me forcefully and dragged me away, pushing me onto the bed.

Having recently gone through a period of fasting, I was already weak, and under his dominance, I felt as feeble as a puppet.

Henry pressed down on me with considerable force. I summoned all the strength I had left to resist, but it was as futile as tickling him.

"Yvonne, are you trying to get yourself killed?" I turned my head to avoid his kisses and whispered, "I just want to fulfill your relationship with Cynthia..."

It seemed like Henry couldn't understand a word I was saying.

He tore at my clothes with desperation, becoming like a devil in a frenzy.

"You're seeking death, but I won't let you die. I'm going to make you wish you were dead!"

2

My pyjamas were torn to shreds and thrown into the air.

The process, for me, was excruciating.

Henry intentionally tormented me throughout the entire night.

I opened my eyes once more, and the bedroom window was wide open, revealing a large rose garden bathed in the evening sun outside.

I was a mess, but I managed to get out of bed and wrap myself in the tattered clothes before heading to the bathroom.

I hadn't expected Henry to be home at this hour. So, when I went downstairs and saw Henry sitting on the living room sofa, I was genuinely surprised.

Henry sat there flipping through a newspaper, not bothering to look at me. He asked knowingly, "Awake?"

I had been feeling sore and unsteady on my feet, but seeing him, I mustered up some energy.

"Are you here to wait for me to sign the divorce agreement?"

Hearing my words, Henry chuckled mockingly, his gaze contemptuous.

"Trying the same tactics again? First, you provoke me, and then you attempt to make me succumb to you? Tired of it. Find another way."

I laughed too, applauding sarcastically. "In terms of narcissism, Henry, you're truly unmatched."

Henry smirked, then ignored me.

I didn't go upstairs either.

We remained in a standoff in the living room.

I couldn't tell how much time had passed when Henry tossed the newspaper onto the table.

His presence was charged with intensity as he stormed out of my sight with brisk strides.

At that moment, Lanny, the housekeeper responsible for supervising our marriage on behalf of the Luther, appeared.

"Mr. Luther Sr. instructed Mr. Luther to wait for you here..."

I had a feeling Henry wouldn't simply be sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper for no reason.

But what did it matter if he waited for me?

The more the Luther family favored me, the more Henry disliked me.

I wasn't happy.

Henry was even more miserable.

The collaboration between the Luther Corporation and the Lincoln Corporation had grown increasingly tight over the past three years.

I had tried.

Henry had tried too.

But there would always be a Cynthia between us.

A happy reunion or a peaceful separation was no longer possible.

Now, I was willing to fulfill Henry's unrequited love.

Consider it my compensation to him.

I'm the daughter of the Lincoln family.

I'm Mrs. Luther.

I've got a lot of advantages from my background.

For instance, both the Luther and Lincoln families are on guard against Henry getting close to Cynthia, but they don’t guard against me.

That's because everyone knows, including our families and even people throughout the city, that I love Henry.

That's how I easily found out where Cynthia is living now.

I arranged for a private plane for her.

Cynthia has returned to the country.

3

Today, the weather in the capital is wonderful, with bright sunshine and a gentle breeze.

I stand in the garden with my arms wide open, savoring the fresh air.

An hour ago, I received the news that Cynthia's plane had landed.

Afterward, I received a secretly taken photo.

The picture shows Henry holding a crying, innocent girl.

How heartwarming...

The lovers are back together.

Since Henry and I became husband and wife, we've rarely eaten together, except for family gatherings and business events.

Even though we share the same house, we lead separate lives.

Today is different.

At this moment, Henry and I sit face to face at a three-meter-long dining table.

The table is adorned with exquisite dishes, but I'm not interested.

I sit quietly, patiently waiting for Henry to slam the divorce papers in front of me.

Henry drinks more and more wine, paying little attention to me.

His slightly tipsy eyes suddenly focus on my face, and he asks, "Are you satisfied just by staring at me?"

My heart sinks suddenly, this isn't how it was supposed to go.

Cynthia has returned to the country.

Henry has taken her away.

As Mrs. Luther, I'm no longer needed.

I'm about to be cast aside.

"Where's our divorce agreement?" I inquired.

Henry gave me a knowing look, somewhere between a smile and a smirk. "You think I don't see through your little game?"

To be honest, I wasn't even sure what game I was playing.

"You want Cynthia dead!"

"You heartless woman!"

Henry's gaze pierced me, as if I were the sworn enemy who had taken everything from him.

Instinctively, I shook my head. "No... I'm not..."

Henry issued a stern warning, "Cynthia is in hiding now. If you dare breathe a word of this outside, I'll make you regret ever being born!"

With that, he walked away.

I sat alone in the dining room, trying to hold back my tears. But it was too much to bear, and I covered my face with my hands.

All I wanted was freedom.

All I wanted was to make Henry and Cynthia’s union possible.

Just as tears threatened to spill, I heard a cold, mocking laugh.

"Starting to put on a pitiful act again, huh?"

The tears that had almost fallen retreated instantly as I let my hands fall from my face, revealing Henry.

Surprisingly, he had only gone to fetch a bottle of wine.